CAUTIONS: If you have back pain, back injuries, or degenerative disk disease it is advised that you should practice this pose under the guidance of an experienced and knowledgeable instructor. Avoid practicing this pose if you have recent or chronic hip or knee injuries. Please, always take time to be compassionate and loving to your body, understanding when and when not to engage in a certain posture. If you have questions that feel beyond you, always seek the advice of your doctor.
Supine Twist
- I invite you to start out in the position that we ended with last week, little boat pose or pavanamuktasana.
- If you need a refresher or did not see last week's article, it is a simple cradling pose, lying on the back, knees bent pointing to the chest, and arms wrapped around the knees.
- If you need a refresher or did not see last week's article, it is a simple cradling pose, lying on the back, knees bent pointing to the chest, and arms wrapped around the knees.
- Next, release the arms to the sides pointing directly away from the body or bent at the elbow in a cactus like position.
- Take a nice inhale, exhale and drop the legs to the right, turn the gaze to the left.
- If you would like to, I invite you to recite the affirmation, “Everywhere I turn, I see beauty” aloud or mentally as many times as you would like. While you are doing this I also suggest exploring feelings of appreciation for the beauty that surrounds you both in the natural world as well as the man made one. This understanding can be aesthetic or it can be of an inner quality, the beauty of a loving home for example. Whatever you beauty appreciate, I invite you to open your heart up to it, and to feel at one and at peace within that beauty of which you are an important part. :-)
- Once you feel done with the right side, do your best to move into the supine twist on the opposite side for the same amount of time. Rest, relax, and continue to appreciate and be at ease with the beauty that surrounds you, my friend! :-)
- When you are finished with this other side, I invite you to straighten the legs out on the mat, bring the arms down along side the body, roll onto your preferred side, and push yourself up to a seated position. Take your time to move in this way, enjoy the transition.
- Once you are seated, I invite you to take the hands to heart center in a prayer position. If you would like, explore gratitude here for the practice. “Thank you my body for carrying me through this practice today, Earth for supporting me, and vital breath for uniting all living beings, for giving us the opportunity to live and to love. Next I invite you to say a work that means my inner light honors your inner light, that word would be, Namaste.” :-)
Godbless you, my friend! Thank you for being here! Thank you for being wonderful you, supporting life and love by your very being and presence in this practice of health and healing! May the appreciation of beauty in all forms be opened to you today, now and always! Have a wonderful, magical day! Godbless and Namaste! Aaron :-)