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Breath Breath & Movement Practice & Play

Unraveling the Spine 2

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 […]

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Breath Breath & Movement Practice & Play

Unraveling the Spine 1

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. […]

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Abdominal Release Breath Breath & Movement Practice & Play

Waking Up the Spine

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 […]

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Abdominal Release Breath Practice & Play Rib Swing

Diagonal Stretch

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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Breath Practice & Play Rib Swing

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 […]