Robyn's Yoga Articles:
Finding Inner Freedom Isis Scrolls, July, 2008
Half Dog For Shoulder Pain: Isis Scrolls, September, 2008
Plank Pose Alignment and Modification: Isis Scrolls, October, 2008
Yoga New Year's Ritual: Isis Scrolls, January 2009
Summer Sensations - A Yogi's Path: Isis Scrolls, July, 2009
Yoga Retreats - How to Choose The Right One: Articlesonline, November, 2009
Yoga Myths: The Arcata Eye Newspaper, November, 2009
Mexico Yoga Retreats - Five Things to Consider: Articlesonline, December, 2009
Yoga Therapy for your Neck: Inner Freedom Yoga Newsletter, December, 2009
Ask The Yogi Articles: A question and answer column from the Isis Scrolls Journal, Arcata.
Finding Inner Freedom: Isis Scrolls, July, 2008
Q: Dear Yogi, I often feel frustrated and dissatisfied about the state of my relationships and career. I’m constantly feeling down on myself for not having it “figured out” by now. Can practicing yoga help me with these struggles?
-Rita
A: Dear Rita,
Thank you for your question. You are definitely not alone in feeling frustrated and down on yourself. It seems to be part of the human condition to struggle and feel dissatisfied with our selves and with aspects of our lives. In fact the Buddha, who was a Yogi himself, acknowledged the existence of dissatisfaction (dukkha) as the first step on the path towards freedom.
Yoga practice is ultimately about “Self-Realization.” It is meant to bring us into relationship with an exquisite core presence that cannot otherwise be experienced with the ordinary thinking mind. It is about discovering our true nature, the part of us that is beyond our personality, worldly identity, life struggles, beliefs, and ego concerns. This is what I call our Essence or Spirit. In Yoga, it’s known as Atman, or Self. So we want to know or realize this Self.
This Self is considered unchangeable. It’s always present and cannot be affected by anything that happens in life, including bad grades, a divorce, getting yelled at, and getting laid off. It also cannot by affected by what we think or believe. In fact, it is the presence and power behind all thoughts. This Self is said to be completely free, wise, peaceful, blissful, aware, and whole. In other words, it’s perfect and complete. It does not need anything to complete it or change it. When we connect with this Essence, we connect with our own inherent peacefulness and bliss and we are more able to let go of struggle or at least see it more objectively and less personally. After all, this struggle and these thoughts, are not who we are. Who we are is perfection and awareness.
The Supreme Self, the still center
of your own being,
holds you together when
everything else is falling apart.
Good and bad swirl around it
like children swinging around a maypole,
but the center holds fast.
-Gurumayi Chidvilasananda
Suggestions for a Practice of Self-Connection:
Start by putting aside your worldly concerns, and closing the door to any distractions to your designated practice time. Then sit down and set the intention to connect to your Essence. Take a few minutes simply to sit still and breathe. Watch the breath as it moves all the way in and all the way out, without controlling it. Become fascinated with this pulsation of life inside of you, without any judgment of how it “should” be. Then notice the gap between the breaths, the still point of silence at the end of each inhale and exhale. This still point can be a doorway into your Self, that center behind all movement and thought. Spend a few minutes here.
Then try adding this mantra, So’ham, into your breath cycle. Repeat silently to yourself “Hum” as you inhale and “Sah” as you exhale. Ham means “I”, and Sah means “That.” I am That. “That” signifies Essence. I am Essence, or I am this Great Presence. This mantra can be quite a powerful reminder of Self, of who you truly are deep within.
Now, begin your physical postures. Continue to watch your breathing as you practice and repeat the So’ham mantra with the breath. You are cultivating a deeper awareness and the ability to become more present. Let your body follow whatever sequence of postures feels most supportive on this day, not what your mind says is right. What would feel good to your body now? As thoughts arise, kindly let them go and return to your breathing and the sensations of your body without any judgment about them. Feel free to let out a sigh, a moan or tears when emotions or thoughts arise. Making sound is a great way to let go of tension and stuck energy, bringing you into more authentic connection with your Essence. Keep returning to the breath and bodily experience. When you finish your postures, give yourself a long rest on your back (the corpse pose) and settle into the stillness and bliss of your great Self.
Each posture can be a pathway into your center. Commit to a regular home practice and you will discover you feel more connected to your Self. You may notice a heightened awareness for your needs and a greater ability to honor them. You may notice you’re less likely to believe your negative inner voice, and are more kind and compassionate towards your self as well as others. Ultimately, you may find many moments throughout the day where you can simply breathe in the stillness of Essence, and breathe out Peace.
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Half Dog Pose for Shoulder Pain: Isis Scrolls, September, 2008
Dear Robyn,
I’ve been experiencing pain in my right shoulder when working at my computer for the last few months. I thought yoga was supposed to help, but now I notice downward dog and table position aggravate my pain. What do you suggest? Thanks, Anne.
Dear Anne,
Yoga can actually help your situation quite a bit. The funny thing is that the poses that can worsen your injury if done incorrectly are the same ones that can be the most healing if done with proper alignment and action. Downward Facing Dog Pose is a great example. Often in this pose, the lower and upper arm bones succumb to the pull of gravity and the shoulders and base of the wrists collapse, causing wrist and shoulder misalignment and thus pain. However, activating the muscles that oppose the gravitational pull can lead to great shoulder relief. To work in this pose properly, I would suggest first learning to apply the proper actions in the pose I call Half Dog. This is like downward dog on your knees.
Half Dog Pose: To start, set the intention to be kind to your self. This will create a sweet tone for your practice. Now, from all fours, place your wrist creases parallel with the front of the mat, align the middle of the wrist with the outer shoulder muscle, and spread your fingers out like a sunflower. Then allow your heart center to “melt,” creating a valley between your shoulder blades as you recognize your desire to heal your body. (Avoid collapsing fully here if that melting action easy for you). This opening of the back of the heart is the action you’ll need to recreate once in the Half Dog pose. Now walk your knees back about 8 inches and reach your hips back over your knees, so your thighs are vertical. To protect your wrists and shoulders, root down through the finger pads while strongly lifting up through the arm bones. Lift them up so much that your armpits get hollow (without letting them roll inwards towards your ears). Maintaining that action, allow the area between your shoulder blades to “melt” down towards the floor again as you stretch long from your hands to your hips. The opposing actions of the arm bones lifting and the heart melting, create great strength in the arms and upper back, while also opening the upper back. In fact, these actions, when applied daily in this and other poses, will realign your shoulder and may even completely resolve your shoulder pain, especially if your computer position is ergonomically correct! Once you can perform Half Dog without pain, attempt the complete Downward Facing Dog with the same actions. Please keep in mind that many people have an inner torso rotation which needs to be addressed before applying the above actions. This is where a yoga teacher with a trained eye becomes invaluable.
HOW IT WORKS:
We often have to use under-used muscles to create proper joint alignment, working against our habitual postural or movement habits. When this happens, those under-used muscles get stronger and are more apt to hold the joints in proper alignment. In turn, when the joints are aligned, the muscles are closer to their optimal length and they are “happier!” They no longer “complain” from being over-stretched or over-worked from misaligned positions.
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Plank Pose Alignment and Modification: Isis Scrolls, October, 2008
Dear Yogi,
I always have trouble "feeling" the correct position that my body should be in for Plank pose. Usually my teacher comes over and tells me that my middle is sagging. But I feel that if I raise my middle, my butt also goes up and my lower back gets irritated. Any ideas?
- Janet
Dear Janet,
You are correct to be concerned about your lower back alignment in Plank Pose. A sagging middle or a lifted pelvis in Plank pose can lead to wrist pain and lower back discomfort over time. Good Plank pose alignment is exactly like good Mountain Pose alignment: your thigh bones should move toward the back of your legs and your tailbone should move toward your heels. However, in plank, the inner thighs and belly muscles have to work much harder against the pull of gravity to keep your lower back, legs and pelvis (the heaviest parts of your body) in good alignment! Thus, if your middle is sagging in Plank pose, most likely it is because you are not accessing the inner thighs and lower belly muscles (which scoop your tailbone down) in that pose. To learn to access these important muscles, I suggest finding them first in Mountain pose and then practicing Plank pose on your knees for a while (which is much easier than the full Plank pose), before returning to the full pose.
Here’s How:
Come to a standing posture with your feet parallel and hip width apart. Place a yoga block on the narrow setting between your upper inner thighs. Slightly bend your knees and pull your block back with your inner thigh muscles, without locking your knees. Your legs should be straight. Feel how your sit bones expand and your low back curve increases? This is important yoga therapy for aligning your lower back curve. Now, keeping your block pulling back and more weight in your heels than your used to, gently scoop your tailbone down toward your heels. You should feel your pelvic floor and lower belly tone and lift. These are the core muscles you’ll need to call upon for the full Plank pose. Now if you lift your arms up parallel to the floor, you’ll be doing plank pose on your feet! Let’s put these exact instructions into Plank pose on the knees.
Come to Plank pose with a yoga block on the narrow setting between your upper thighs and your knees on the floor. Because of gravity’s pull, your pelvis and belly will want to sag towards the floor. To use your inner thigh and belly muscles for good alignment, inhale and slightly lift the block with your inner thighs and you will feel your thighs and sitting bones lift and expand, increasing your low back curve. Keeping your thighs lifted, exhale to scoop your tailbone toward your heels. You will feel your legs firmly hug the block and your sitting bones narrow. This movement should tone the pelvic floor muscles and lessen and lengthen the low back curve you had before, without being so powerful that it either flattens or rounds the back or pushes your hips and thighs down again. You are now in the optimal position for the low back and hips in Plank pose. The block is a great teaching tool to help you activate your inner thigh muscles. Once you have found them, you won’t need to use the block anymore. I also recommend using a mirror at your side to check your alignment.
Once you are able to keep good alignment consistently with the knees down, try the full Plank pose again. The instructions are the same as above.
Take care and enjoy your new core strength!
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Yoga New Year's Ritual: Isis Scrolls, January 2009
One of my great interests is how to apply the teachings of yoga in my daily life. How do I keep the presence of mind and connection to spirit that I feel on the mat as I step off into the busyness, responsibilities, and stresses of daily life?
Yoga Off the Mat: Practicing yoga in your daily life includes how you relate to yourself, to others, and to the planet. With the symbolic time of this "New Year," we can bring our yoga off the mat by taking the opportunity to reflect on the past and to set conscious intentions for the future.
To bring consciousness/awareness to your life is a central element of yogic practice. For me, I notice where I hold myself back with limiting beliefs and habits. I may tell myself I'm not good enough or that things aren't going right. Then, when I remember the Tantric teachings, I ask myself, "says who?" These teachings remind us that we are limitless, perfect and supremely intelligent. They tell us that we already have everything we need to flourish. We need only remember this timeless truth and open our hearts to the abundant offerings of Grace, to see the perfection and beauty in ourselves and in the unfolding of each moment.
A New Year's Ritual (Or for any time of year): This ritual yogic practice can be a very powerful way to make conscious tranformations in your life. On a piece of paper, make a list of any habits, burdens, beliefs, or attitudes that no longer serve you that you would like to release from your life. They are like stuck energy blocking your experience of inner freedom. On a separate piece of paper, write a list of new habits, beliefs and attitudes you would you like to magnify in the new year. Then make a simple affirmation summarizing each list, for example: "I release insecurities and fear. I live with compassion, faith, and abundant joy." Build a fire, an ancient symbol of tranformation, or visualize one in front of you. Now say your affirmation for the first list and repeat the word "svaha!" three times, throwing the list into the fire. Watch it burn into oblivion, symbolizing the dissipation of this stuck inner energy. Do the same for the second list, sending an offering of wishes into the fire to be taken up like a prayer of smoke to some higher spirit. Remember that you can continue to use your affirmations with a fire visualization each time you find yourself stuck in limiting thoughts. ("Svaha," pronounced swaha, an ancient Sanskrit term of renunciation, is traditionally uttered with the gesture of making offerings into a fire).
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Summer Sensations - A Yogi's Path: Isis Scrolls, July, 2009
Isn't it amazing how we get so busy during the summer months, with garden and house projects, family gatherings, travel, weddings, music festivals and camping trips? I love how in the summer time, we’re called to spend more time outside communing with friends and nature and basking in the joys of life.
In Anusara Yoga®, basking in the richness of life is part of our spiritual practice. We endeavor to engage with the full range of life experiences as they arise in each moment. Like the tomato plants stretching towards the sunlight, we strive to drink in life's rich nectar through our whole body and the five senses: the taste of sweet summer berries, the touch of the warm sand between our toes, the delicate fragrance of the roses, the precious bird songs of early morning, and the outrageous visual displays of flowers and grasses shining in their full glory. When we let our senses guide us, we find that we can open to the present moment just as it is, and we feel more joy in our heart, awake in our body, and alive in our spirit.
With summer’s abundance of delicious scents, colors and tastes, it’s a perfect time to practice drinking in life through your senses. Next time you see a sunflower, take a moment to let its exquisite radiance pierce your heart. When you pop a blackberry into your mouth, pause to savor the rush of flavor hitting your tongue. Next time you’re at the beach, stop to let the ocean’s roaring vibration penetrate your being. Next time you’re in downward dog, open your mind to all of the senses simultaneously and notice how alive you feel.
This is fully experiencing life. This is fully living. This is yoga.
May you joyfully drink in the precious nectar of these final summer days as if they were your last. May you take this opportunity to practice opening to the full spectrum of sense experiences, without judging one as greater or lesser. May this practice open your heart with gratitude for the many gifts of this life, and may the gratitude of your heart touch everyone you meet.
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Yoga Retreats - How to Choose The Right One
Published in the Arcata Eye Newspaper, November, 2009.
As a leader of tropical yoga retreats in Hawaii and Mexico, I’ve researched numerous resorts and retreat centers to find the locations most suitable for the clientele I want to draw. Retreat centers range from the rustic to the luxurious, from mountain to beach settings, and from remote to city center. Below are some considerations for what to look for in your search for the ideal yoga retreat.
Know what you want. Do you want to retreat into yourself or have a social outdoor adventure? Some centers have several groups intermingling at meals, at the pool, dance parties, or are centrally located in a town with street noise, music, etc. Others have space for only one group, or are in remote locations with no cars in sight. Many are in between. I’ve found that even if there are plenty of extra activities offered, one can always choose to abstain, stay quiet, take naps, receive bodywork, etc, as long as the setting is tranquil.
Creature Comforts: Are you wanting an exclusive resort/5-Star hotel experience, or do you prefer the somewhat rustic or low-budget experience? Yoga retreats cover the full range and are usually priced accordingly. Spend some time researching what is offered and the quality of the accommodations before you sign up.
Is the retreat located at a center that caters to yoga retreats? If not, they may not be equipped with yoga props or have the familiarity with how to best serve the yoga group’s unique needs.
Is it located at a retreat center or at a hotel? Depending on what you’re wanting from your retreat, one of these is better for you. Would you rather be removed from the daily distractions of shopping, driving, internet and busy streets, or would you prefer to be in town where you can walk, bike, drive or bus to local attractions? Being at a retreat center where there’s plenty of acreage isolating it from the outside world can be very conducive to going inwards and focusing on your practice, personal well-being, rest and relaxation. Many retreat centers offer both, where you can choose to stay exclusively on their campus or you can elect to attend excursions to explore the local environment and attractions.
Are all meals included? I have found that sharing meals with my retreat participants is a very bonding experience for the group. It’s a time when we can get to know each other and strengthen our connections. It is also a treat not to have to fuss with money and tips at each meal when it’s all-inclusive. However, if you’re more of the adventurous or solitary type, you may prefer a retreat not including all meals where you can go off to explore the local fare.
Are extra sight seeing trips included in the retreat price? Again, depending on your goals for your retreat, you may prefer extra adventures are included. If they are, you can be sure you’re paying for them, whether you attend them or not. If you want to explore the area around your retreat, then the extra adventures can be a blast and another great way to bond with your group while deepening your understanding of the local culture and environment. On our retreats, we like to make these extras optional and then the participants can decide which trips they’d like to attend and the facility will still offer a reduced rate for minimum group sizes. Some centers may have more than one group staying at a time, and they offer a different adventure each day for whoever wishes to attend.
What kind of yoga is being offered? There are so many styles of hatha yoga taught these days, that it is important to know what style you prefer in order to avoid getting stuck with a teacher or style that is extremely challenging or unsuited to your nature. Most ideal is if you know the teacher you’re signing up to spend your week with. Next best is if you at least know that you like the style of yoga that they teach.
Best of luck and have a great retreat!
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Yoga Myths - Published in The Arcata Eye Newspaper, November, 2009
Have you been meaning to start yoga for the last 5 - 25 years? Have your friends been telling you how great they feel after yoga class and nudging you to come along? Are you afraid you’ll be too tight to do it “right?” If you replied yes to any of these questions, you are not alone. Although millions of people are now incorporating yoga practice into their daily lives, many more millions are still interested but too intimidated to start for several reasons. As a certified Hatha Yoga instructor teaching in Humboldt County for the last 15 years, I have heard many of them. But mostly, I hear how much better people feel when they finally begin classes. I’d like to help you enjoy yoga by dispelling some of the myths out there that are just not true.
The Myths:
Yoga hurts
Yoga is for flexible people/pretzels
Yoga is standing on your head
Yoga is a religion that will conflict with my current beliefs
Yoga classes are too easy and I need a workout
Yoga is too hard and I just want to relax
Branches of Yoga
Let’s begin by clarifying that the kind of yoga we’re discussing here is called Hatha Yoga. It’s the physical branch of yoga incorporating postures and breath. Originally practiced as a way to open and clear the energetic channels of the body in order to achieve higher states of consciousness, it is now more commonly practiced as a form of exercise and as a great way to achieve optimum overall mind-body health. Some other branches of yoga are Karma Yoga (the yoga of service, ex. Mother Theresa), Bhakti Yoga (the yoga of devotional love, ex. the Hari Krishnas), Jnana Yoga (the yoga of Self-knowledge, meditation). Within Hatha Yoga, there are numerous styles, based on the wisdom of the individuals who developed them. Many of these are mentioned below.
Unlocking the Myths
Yoga hurts. If yoga hurts you, you are either pushing too hard, you are in a level that is too advanced, or you are not getting enough instruction to stay safe. In choosing a style and teacher, choose one that can address your physical limitations. In Anusara Yoga, we are highly trained to teach with good alignment and to offer modifications to those who need them. Iyengar Yoga also emphasizes proper alignment and the use of props to modify poses. More gentle styles of yoga are Viniyoga, Bliss Yoga, and Restorative Yoga. If you have injuries or pain in your body, consider some privates with a qualified teacher, or starting with Yoga Therapy Workshops to start unwinding your tension before you step into regular classes.
Yoga is for pretzels. Yoga will make you more flexible and relieve your stiffness. Sure, you may never be able to tie you legs behind your head like some people, but you will certainly find more ease in your body if you start going regularly. In our classes, we have a full range of flexibility levels, from the circus-acrobat teenager to the 70-something senior. Again, finding the right style, level and teacher who can help you with your limits is key to finding joy and relief in yoga.
Yoga is standing on your head. There are hundreds of postures that we can do with our bodies besides standing on our heads, from various standing poses, to sitting, to lying down, bending forwards and backwards and twisting. Inversions (going upside down) are not for everybody although they can be extremely therapeutic. You are always welcome to skip any poses that are not appropriate for you.
Yoga is a religion. Although it comes from India where Hinduism reins,
yoga is not a religion. It is a science and a philosophy for harmonizing our body, mind and spirit. It teaches what most religions share: there is a deeper essence that is bigger than our individual identity, and through the practices, we can connect more fully to that essence, or Self, which is eternal. Yoga, which often translates as union or to yoke or join, is about unifying the individual with that universal source/essence/spirit (or whatever you choose to call it). By opening, aligning, and clearing the body/temple, Hatha Yoga helps us to feel whole and to realize this great inner truth.
Yoga classes are too easy and I need a workout: Oh, not to worry! There are many styles of yoga that will ask you to work muscles you have never felt before. Some will make you hold poses longer, some will flow you more quickly from pose to pose, often with music, working your whole body, from shoulders and back to legs, hips and buttocks. Many people work up a great sweat in practice and have to bring a towel to dry off! Some styles that offer more of a workout: Anusara, Ashtanga, Bikram/Hot, Flow, Iyengar. Just start with the most basic level and make sure you are getting good alignment instructions, as when we don’t align our joints properly, injuries can occur.
Yoga is too hard and I just want to relax: Try Restorative, Yin, or Bliss Yoga. They are more gentle or completely geared for relaxation, holding poses (often supported with props) for 5 minutes each or longer. Just remember to find a qualified teacher who brings in good alignment.
Just as we each have our favorite flavor of ice cream, we will each find our favorite style of yoga, if we’re willing to do a taste test. And not only do we test the style, but we test the teacher. Ultimately, we will find that we must resonate most with the teacher and their unique presentation of their style. We may also find that on some days we prefer a more gentle yoga while on others, we crave more of a workout, or that as we mature in our practice, our needs change and we seek out a new style or teacher to fit those needs.
Yoga has been gaining popularity all over the world in the last decade because it works. It has helped millions of people improve their health and well being at very little cost. Overall, yogis notice feeling less pain, increased flexibility, more strength, reduced stiffness, less stress, more energy, more inner ease and joy, increased immunity and so much more. Now are you ready to start classes? Just find a level and a time that works for your schedule and take the leap into a new adventure!
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Mexico Yoga Retreats - Five Things to Consider in Your Search for the Perfect Retreat
Published in Articlesonline, December, 2009
Yoga Retreats can offer deep healing and great adventures into the body, mind and soul, and Mexico is one of the top destinations for American teachers offering retreats. However, if you search Mexico Yoga Retreat on Google, there will be over one million hits that come up. So how do you choose? Here are five things to consider in finding your perfect yoga retreat:
- Do you want to be pampered and pay $500 - 1,000 per week extra, or are you happy with clean and comfortable lower budget accommodations? In Mexico, you can find the full range, from private open-air palapas on the beach in Yelapa, to 5-star hotels in Cancun or luxury resorts in Careyes or Isla Mujeres. Once you decide your budget, you can weed out several options.
- Do you want to be near a beach or in the mountains? There are numerous retreats offered at Mexico’s beautiful beaches, from Sayulita on the west coast, to the brilliant blue waters of Tulum and Cancun in the Caribbean, to Todos Santos or Cabo San Lucas in Baja. A popular mountain destination is the town of San Miguel de Allende, an artists’ haven and home to a host of expatriates.
- Do you want to be in a tranquil setting, removed from traffic and busy tourist hot spots, or do you prefer easy access to shopping and nightlife outings? Some retreats are in the middle of it all, others are just a short ride away from the action, and a few are remote enough to keep you grounded in yoga and communing with the simplicity of nature and your inner self.
- Do you want to have cultural or nature excursions included in your retreat? Many retreat centers are located in natural environments with free access to local cultural experiences, wildlife areas, and outdoor activities. However, if you prefer to experience guided tours, boat trips, guided hikes, etc., there will be a fee. If your retreat includes these adventures, you will be paying for it up front. At our retreats, we’ve found that people like to be spontaneous day to day. When they arrive, they need time to relax, catch up with the time zone, and unwind. Once they settle in, they often elect to go on an adventure or two and they can join up with others to keep the prices down.
- Do you know what kind of extras you’d like to experience? Do you want to go to museums, snorkel, scuba, horseback ride, see waterfalls, go fishing, shopping, hiking, bird-watching, paragliding? Research the area you’re going to in advance to see what adventures might be offered. Or vice versa: research the activities you want to participate in to see where in Mexico to best find them.
- What kind of yoga is being offered? There are so many styles of hatha yoga taught these days, that it is important to know what style you prefer in order to avoid getting stuck with a teacher or style that is extremely challenging or unsuited to your nature. Most ideal is if you know the teacher you’re signing up to spend your week with. Next best is if you at least know that you like the style of yoga that they teach. Search Google for your style of retreat in Mexico to narrow down the choices.
Once you get there, remember to deeply relax and drink in the bounty of your life that allowed you to experience the gift of a yoga retreat in Mexico!
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Yoga Therapy for your Neck: Inner Freedom Yoga Newsletter, December, 2009
Neck pain is one of the most common complaints in our western cultures. It often stems from our forward head position, required in so many activities, from using the computer, to washing the dishes, eating a meal, reading a book, etc. Because our eyes are in the front, most everything we do requires we bend the head forward, and thus the natural concave curve of the cervical spine tends to flatten. By counterbalancing our often unconscious daily activities with conscious actions, yoga can help restore our comfort and ease.
Try this bridge pose variation to strengthen the back of the neck and allow your muscles to release:
Lie on your back with your arms along side and your knees bent, feet placed under the knees and hip width apart. Bend your elbows 90 degrees so that your finger point to skywards. With an inhale, press your elbows back into the floor so that your shoulder blades tuck more under your heart and your heart lifts. Notice the position of your head. Is your chin tilted up towards the sky? Down into your throat? Tip your chin just slightly up away from your throat so that you don not feel any tension in the muscles at the front of your throat. Keep that going as your press the back of your skull into the floor, feeling the muscles in the back of your neck contracting. Hold for 5 – 10 breaths. Relax and repeat 3 times. That’s it! This simple exercise, along with more awareness of your head position during daily activities, will help bring the curve in your neck back to its optimal position, offering you less pain and more freedom. Enjoy!
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