|
Lie down on the floor and place some books under the bump at the back
of your head, not touching the neck. You should have enough books so that
your head is not falling back creating an excessive curve in your neck.
If you feel compression in the front of the throat, you have too many
books. Place your feet hip distance apart, and bent up in what we call
semi-supine position -- about a foot away from the buttocks. Adjust the
feet slightly so that you are not gripping to keep your knees from falling.
Rest your hands on the tummy or pelvis with the elbows pointing away from
the body.
This is the position of maximum length
for the spine --the knees bent up provide length through the low back
and the head resting on the books creates a gentle traction through
the cervical spine. In the upright, we are mostly compressing through
these curves all day long so lying down in this position reverses that
wear and tear. It helps to rehydrate the discs that are between the
vertebrae which lose fluid due to the pressure of gravity.
Stop any desire to fidget or fix yourself
to get comfortable. Just give yourself a few moments to notice what
is going on. Simply lying down like this and noticing yourself without
doing anything is of enormous benefit. Notice the breathing to help
you quiet busy thoughts and to bring you into the present moment, allowing
the concerns of the day to fall away. |
