Yoga is a practice that often seems confined to a class, to a studio. This life science is a process of building self-awareness, through breathing, postures, movements, and meditation “on the mat,” and by our actions in the world “off the mat” that helps others. The on-the-mat processes are similar to what we do throughout the day. By learning how to position yourself, whether seated, reclining, or standing, you may breathe, think, and move more effectively and comfortably.
Proper positioning is difficult to develop. It appears that people are slumping over or slouching even more without even realizing it. Our chairs, sofas, car seats, and wheelchairs often encourage a rounded back. Add cell phones, computers, and low tables or countertops, and we are perpetually hunched over. However, we were not designed to live this way; our spine is shaped to support us in an upright position.
Adaptive yoga is a practice of using props such as pillows, towels, yoga blankets, bolsters, and blocks, plus other creative modalities to develop a preferred position while seated or lying down. The intention is to create support for you to experience a neutral spine and to have the natural curves of the bones supporting you without strain. Every person has different medical issues and should review with his or her health provider if any exercise is recommended.
Consider this approach to sitting: Build from the feet up toward the crown of your head. The reason-If you have your feet angled, twisted or bent, you can foster tension in your legs, hips, spine, neck, and shoulders.
- Position your feet flat on the floor and your heels under your knees. This may involve shifting forward on the chair and adding pillows under your bottom or behind you.
- Add pillows under your bottom, or support under your feet, to create a slight downward slope from your hips to your knees.
- Separate your feet and knees the width of your two fists, side by side. This is considered “hip-width” apart, similar to how your legs are positioned while standing upright, also known as “Mountain Pose.” When seated, this is called “Sitting Mountain.”
- Position your elbows by your hips or waist, turn the palms of your hands upward, and rest the hands on the tops of your thighs. This opens your chest upward. When you have the hands turned downward, this encourages slouching.
- Look forward, and breathe in through your nose slowly to a count of 2, 3, or 4. No strain, please. Then exhale through your nose, if possible at the same pace. Try this a few times.
- After several warm-ups, you may press the feet more firmly downward, and as you inhale, raise the spine (not the shoulders) and gently extend the top of your head (not the chin) upward. Slowly lower the spine as you exhale.
- You may add lifting your belly up and forward as you inhale, and drawing it back toward your spine as you exhale. This is a new way of exercising your belly muscles while focusing on the rhythm and ease of your breath. Also known as the “seated sit-up.”
This little series of positioning, breathing, and focus can be practiced anywhere, relieving mental and physical tension, plus building a bit of core strength.