Corpse Pose (12): Lie down with your back flat on a mat. Bring your feet a little greater than hip distance apart and let them fall open. Bring your hands down at your sides with palms facing up and about 12" away from your hips. Rest your eyes by closing them, or place a scented eye pillow over your eyes. Relax for five to 10 minutes.
Legs-Up-Wall Pose (13): From corpse pose, bring your rear as close to the wall as possible. Take a deep breath. As you exhale swing your legs straight up the wall. Relax for five minutes.
Give Yourself a Hand
Prayer pose is a wonderful way to stretch the wrists. Firmly press your palms together so you stretch the wrists and work the arms. Hold this pose and breathe for four breaths (A).
From prayer pose spread your fingers, really stretching them out, and hold for four breaths (B).
Make a fist and gently rotate your hands counterclockwise for eight rotations as you inhale and exhale. Then rotate your hands clockwise for eight rotations (C).
Release your hands and gently hold your right wrist with your left hand. Take a deep breath. Exhale as you gently pull on your right wrist with your left hand. Repeat for the other hand (D).
Feel the tremendous release in your hands. This is particularly important for people who do hand work, such as sewing, knitting or crochet.
Take A Breather
Proper breathing is vital to relaxing and rejuvenating the body.
It causes a warming effect in the body, sending warm oxygenated blood to your tired aching muscles, making them feel rejuvenated and refreshed.
Bring one hand to your waist and one to your chest.
Take a deep breath through your nose. Inhale deeply enough to feel your waist expand.
Exhale slowly through the nose, emptying your lungs completely and feeling your waist collapse.
Never hold your breath while in a posture. Keep your breath steady and relaxed. If you have a hard time breathing, you may be working beyond your limits. Back out of the pose a little and remember to always go at your own pace.
Source
Kat Robinson is a nationally recognized yoga instructor and has been featured in Fit Yoga magazine. She's the owner of Active Kat Yoga and I Gotta Notion! sewing and machine embroidery in Fairdealing, MO. Visit Kat's Web site at activekatyoga.com.
Legs-Up-Wall Pose (13): From corpse pose, bring your rear as close to the wall as possible. Take a deep breath. As you exhale swing your legs straight up the wall. Relax for five minutes.
