![]() ![]() ![]() Is it short, is it long, is it more in the chest or can you feel it in the belly too – notice without judgement. Start by just noticing the breath before you change it in any way. Place one hand on your heart and one hand on your belly. Sit in a comfortable seated position with the hips raised on a brick or a cushion. You will do this by bringing your attention to the breath before you start which will give you an anchor to come back to when you get distracted with your ‘to do’ lists throughout your practice (which is completely natural and part of the practice!). You will also tap into the calming effect of yoga and embed it into our mindframe for the day ahead. This sequence will gently mobilise all the joints and surrounding muscles first before progressing towards actively stabilising them. There are two main aims, from a physical point of view, you want to achieve in your morning practice – mobility and stability (flexibility & strength). These three foundational poses are very strong poses when they are approached by actively pressing into the ground, hugging the muscles to your midline and drawing your navel towards your spine.ĮXPLORING A GENTLE MORNING FLOW IN YOUR PRACTICE These poses will strengthen and warm up your muscles by using a pressing action into the ground. In the following poses after the initial warm up you will find three isometric poses – Tadasana/Mountain, Plankasana/Plank & Utkatasana/Chair. The second way is with isometric contraction, or by actively pressing against a surface until you feel a warm sensation in the muscles. The first, which you will be more familiar with, is through a series of gentle mobilising movements at the very start of the practice. In the sequence there are two different ways you will warm up the muscles. If you pull Blutac without warming it up first it will rip in two! ![]() Your muscles are like Blutac – if you spend a bit of time gently lengthening and contracting the fibres of the muscles they become more stretchy and smooth. Warmed up muscles will be more obliging and supple. In this calmer state of mind you are focused and able to make informed decisions.īefore you start it is good to gently warm up all the joints and muscles – like you are politely asking them permission to move. When this conscious breath is practiced as part of your daily routine it rewires your brain to naturally reach for this calmer reaction rather than a ‘flight or flight’ response to situations. Morning yoga stimulates the gut, promotes good digestion for the day, boosts the metabolism, builds a strong immune system, balances hormones, tones your muscles, improves posture and spine health, gives you energy, improves circulation, supports good heart health, builds healthy lungs and most importantly is proven to make you happier! Breath awareness in yoga triggers the ‘rest, restore and digest’ nervous system through the vagus nerve which runs from the brain stem down the spine. Ask yourself what do you need physically? What do you need mentally? What are your energy levels? What is your mood today? What are your limitations? What is the rest of your day like? Where do you need mobility? Where do you need stability? You may not easily have the answer to each question but it will help remind you if you have an injury you are minding, if you need to go easy because you have a full day ahead or if you are dealing with something else in life that might require you to be extra kind to yourself. You are also more inclined to make healthy choices throughout your day when you have started with some self care.īefore each morning practice take a few moments to work out how your practice can support you today. Embedding a self care routine into your day cultivates a sense of calm, makes you feel more cared for and listened to – and in return makes you more caring and available to listen to others too. This more upright posture has a very positive effect on your mood and creates emotional openness for the day. Gentle movement realigns the spine and helps you to stand, walk and sit more comfortably throughout the day with awareness of your posture. Starting the day with your practice ensures that it is consistently part of your routine and doesn’t get lost on a busy day. It gets rid of stagnation and brings mobility and stability back after a prolonged static period of sleep. Starting your day with a morning movement routine is the best way to get the day started physically and mentally. ![]()
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