Morning energiser How do you start the day? Do you hit the snooze button several times until you’re running out the door late, stressed and still half asleep?
Take advantage of the bright summer mornings. Use the natural morning light as a wakeup call. Is your alarm loud and harsh? Try a more natural sounding alarm such as bird song or a light, which mimics the onset of dawn.
Try to give yourself an extra 30 minutes in the morning and start the day with some gentle stretching exercises or energising Sun Salutations. Coordinate your breath with each movement, allowing your breath to lengthen and energise your body. Your muscles will feel tighter in the morning so don’t overdo it. Listen to your body and keep the movements gentle and flowing. The more you practice this routine, the easier it will become.
Inhale with a full body stretch.
Exhale and hug your knees to your chest, exhaling all the residual air out of your lungs and gently massaging you digestive organs. Repeat x 3
Exhale and hug one knee to your chest.
Inhale allow the knee to drop to the floor.
Exhale and hold.
Inhaletake the knee to the opposite side. Keep the shoulders in contact with the floor. Allow a gentle rotation of the spine, which will massage and stimulate the internal organs.
Inhale return to the centre and repeat on the opposite side.
Sit in an easy cross leg position. If your pelvis rocks backwards or you feel that you cannot sit upright, sit on a cushion. Ensure you are sitting tall and the spine is long.
Inhale, raise one arm up, keeping sitting bones in contact with the floor
Inhale, raise one arm up, keeping sitting bones in contact with the floor
Exhale gently reach to the side, keeping sitting bones in contact with the floor.
Repeat on the opposite side. x 2
Inhale lengthen spine.
Inhale lengthen spine.
Exhale, gently rotate the spine, taking the gaze over the shoulder. This will stimulate the digestive organs.
Repeat twice each side.
Repeat twice each side.
Cat, cow postures – Start in a neutral kneeling position with wrists directly under the shoulders and knees under the hips (or slightly behind).
Inhale, gently drop the belly to the floor, stretching the front of the body.
Exhale, round through the spine and arch the back towards the ceiling.
Repeat a few time then exhale and sit back on the heels (extended child’s pose)
Follow the above with a few rounds of energising Sun Salutation. Gradually work up to a full Sun Salutation. Complete 3 – 6 rounds. 1 round is completed on the right and left leg.
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| (shiningsoulyoga.com) |
For an alternative low-intensity Sun Salutation keep the movements smaller and provide additional support by substituting the following into the Sun Salutation sequence:
2. Inhale, reach towards the ceiling. Keeping the eyes forward.
3. Exhale, bend the knees and place hands on the thighs to add support to the lower back in forward bend.
5. Inhale, step back with the right leg and then the left to a kneeling position.
7. Inhale to baby cobra. Extend only from the upper back and keep the lower ribs in contact with the floor.
8. Exhale to extended child’s pose (as illustrated above).
Start the day with an element of calm….it is sure to carry on throughout the day.