Namaste

March Equinox 2010 opening the heart

From Nancy James

Do Daily

Start the day by taking several deep breaths, breathing in slowly, then letting out all the way till your body itself starts the next in-breath. In all these exercises, hold for four of these long, slow breaths.

  1. SOLDIER — Stand erect, shoulders back, feet hip-width, arms at your side. (4 BREATHS) Clasp your hand behind your, raise them slowly as far as you can. (4 BREATHS) Go immediately into the next exercise.
  2. WARMING UP SPINAL FLUID —Stand with knees slightly bent, feet hip-width or a bit wider apart. Raise your arms chest-high with the part from elbow to hand parallel to the floor. Begin slowly to twist to the right and then the left, and speed up as you feel stable. Be sure your head turns as far to the right and left with each breath as you can manage. Do this for 25 breaths. This is best done early in the day and is excellent for heating up your spinal fluid, straightening out kinks, and revving you up to face the day. (I have been doing it daily for 40 years.) It can also be done in a seated position.
  3. DOOR JAMB — Hold one hand on a door jamb and stretch out and back. Exchange hands and repeat.
  4. DOORWAY — Stand in a doorway and place arms outstretched on the wall on either side of the door. Hold head back and lean into the doorway. Hold for four slow breaths.
  5. ARMS UP, LEAN BACK— Raise arms above your head and lean back as far as possible. Hold your breath as long as you can. Then bend forward and place hands on or near the floor, bending legs as necessary. Hold for four slow breaths.
  6. TOUCHING FINGERTIPS — Raise one arm above your head and bend the elbow, and put your other arm behind your back and try to touch fingertips. Hold for four slow breaths. Then switch arms. Finally, put your hands in a prayer position behind your back (palms in or out, whichever you can manage). Hold for four slow breaths.
  7. BACK PRAYER — Stand erect, shoulders back, feet hip-width, arms at your side. Take two slow breaths. Clasp your hands behind you, raise them slowly as far as you can and hold for two slow breaths. Go immediately into the next exercise,
  8. ARMS FRONT, SIDE, TO CHEST, FRONT — Standing erect, hold arms out in front of you, palms parallel. On an in-breath, slowly move arms to the side and back as far as possible, then on the out-breath bring palms together again. Next, on in-breath, bring palms to chest and thrust elbows back; on out-breath, bring palms together and move them out in front again. Alternate these two exercises four times, slowly.

Do as situation arises

  1. WAITING — While standing around waiting in any situation (such as for a pot to come to a boil, or the microwave oven to finish heating), cross your arms in the back and breathe slowly.
  2. BETWEEN ACTIVITIES— Whenever you finish one activity and are about to start another, stand still with chest out and shoulders back, long enough to take one very slow, deep breath.

changing seasons

See also Season and 12 solstices and equinoxes. Back to March equinox 2010 schedule.

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