For this exercise, you’ll need a pillow, bolster, or cushion. Arrange yourself with the cushion underneath the shoulder blades, supporting the upper back and encouraging the heart space to expand. You may want a second pillow or other prop underneath your head. It’s important that you’re comfortable, so take the time to get your setup […]
Category: Practice & Play
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Draping: Side Opening
For this exercise, you’ll need a pillow, bolster, or cushion. Arrange yourself comfortably on your side, with the cushion underneath your side ribs. Rest your head on your arm or another pillow, and extend the other arm overhead along the floor. It’s important that you’re comfortable, so take the time to get your setup right […]
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Hip Circles
Begin in a comfortable semi-supine position on the floor. Allow yourself to be supported by the surface underneath you for a breath or two, releasing into gravity. Float one knee up toward your torso and grab onto it with your hands. With your arms supporting your folded leg, you can release the muscles of your […]
Begin on your back. Bring one knee and the opposite elbow toward one another across the midline of your body on an exhale, allowing the head and shoulder to come off the ground. Release this contraction. As you begin to inhale, place your foot on the ground and reach your knee in the direction of […]
This movement is adapted from Thomas Hanna’s Somatics. Begin in a comfortable semi-supine position on the floor. Allow yourself to be supported by the surface underneath you for a breath or two, releasing into gravity. For this exercise, the feet might be a bit farther apart and the arms spread a bit wider than usual. […]
Begin in a comfortable semi-supine position on the floor. Allow yourself to be supported by the surface underneath you for a breath or two, releasing into gravity. On your next inhale, rock the tailbone toward the floor, lengthening the belly and allowing it to balloon upward with the incoming breath movement. On the exhalation, allow […]
Begin on the floor in a comfortable semi-supine position. Allow yourself to be supported by the surface underneath you for a breath or two, releasing into gravity. Draw both knees up toward the torso, then drop them over to one side. Extend your top arm in the opposite direction from your knees, coming into a […]
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Side Stretch
Reach overhead and clasp one wrist with the opposite hand. Using gentle traction on your wrist, lengthen into a gentle side stretch, feeling for opening and release in the space between the ribs. Soften the jaw, soften the belly and soften the knees, allowing for a generous, spontaneous breath through an open mouth. If it’s […]
Use all ten fingers to explore the muscles of the jaw, neck, and scalp. Allow your breath to arrive and depart without holding. Follow your pleasure. What feels good today? When you’re finished, take your work with you into the next thing you do.
Clench the teeth lightly a time or two to locate the temporalis muscle on the side of the skull above the ears. Using fingers, knuckles, or the heels of your hands, gently massage this muscle, allowing the jaw to release into gravity and the breath to expand and deepen. Remember to bring the hands up […]