This Week's Theme: Lighten Up

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Feeling heavy after all that Thanksgiving feasting? I'm not talking about actual weight.

I'm talking about that slumpy, slouchy, draggy feeling. The one that works just fine for the post-turkey-nap, but makes you feel like Eeyore at the office.

Well, lighten up! This week we're going to cultivate a little lightness in the body by practicing some gentle spine lengthening and backbends.

TWO-MINUTE DIY PRACTICE: STANDING CAMEL
Full camel is a pretty intense pose that you usually want quite a bit of warm-up for. So in this DIY practice, we're just going to remain standing and do a mini version.

Practiced mindfully, this is a wonderful backbend that can help counteract spinal compression and make you feel tall and light.

Remember to move slowly and mindfully, expanding the back rather than crunching it.

This backbend can be as deep or shallow as you need. It could even be just a micro-bend and still be beneficial. Listen to what your body needs.

1. Start in standing (mountain pose). Tuck your tailbone and pull your belly button in-and-up to protect your lower back.
2. Inhaling, lengthen your spine by pressing your feet into the ground and reaching the crown of your head up toward the sky.
3. Exhaling, just drop your shoulders down and back.
4. Inhaling, reach your fingertips up to the sky.
5. Exhaling, place your palms on your lower back. Elbows squeeze gently toward each other.
6. Engage your quadriceps to steady your legs as a counterbalance because we're going to start the backbending...
7. Inhaling, keep that tailbone well tucked, your belly engaged and your gaze forward as you lengthen your spine once again - this time reaching your chest up toward the sky. This is mostly upward movement.
8. Exhaling, drop your shoulders down and back as you gently bend the upper back. Keep the spine expansive, reaching the chest up toward the sky. You can drop your head back if it feels good or just keep looking forward (in which case your chin will be very close to your chest). Choose the head position where your neck doesn't have to strain.
9. Breathe.
10. Remember to move as slowly and gently out of the pose as you did coming into it. Lead with the heart, not the head. No struggle, no strain. Maybe relax into a forward bend, child's pose or head between the knees as a counterpose for the spine.

If you want to use this as an opportunity for meditation, focus on cultivating that quality of lightness. Can you use your breath and mindfulness to lighten whatever is weighing heavy on your body, mind or heart?

As always, take what serves you, leave what doesn't. It's all good.

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