Smooth Moves for a Mellow Morning

Tara Stiles

Make your way to your back.  Take a few moments to hang out here.

Stretch your left foot across your body and reach with your toe. Reach with your left hand across our body to complete the stretch.  Your body will look like an X.  This feels really great on the spine and is a nice gentle way to start waking the body up.  Do this on the other side.

Bring one knee into your chest. Make circles with the knee to create a gentle release in the hip joint.  Reverse.  Bring both knees into your chest and roll to the right side. Take a moment here.  (Try not to fall back asleep! Sometimes I do!) Carefully push yourself up into a comfortable crossed legged seated position.  It's nice to think of this as coming out of a long Savasana.  Adjust yourself for a brief meditation.  Even if you only have a minute, taking 60 seconds to listen to your breath will help a lot.

After you've finished your meditation come to the side of your bed sitting up with your feet hanging over onto the floor.  (Don't worry, you don't have to get up quite yet).  Take a stretch folding your torso over your legs and shake your head and neck out a bit.  Roll up slowly, stacking your spine, back up to sit.  Take a side stretch by
placing one hand to the side of you for support and stretch the opposite arm over your ear.  Feel the stretch all along your side body and take a few deep breaths into that area.  Reverse.  Interlace your hands and stretch your palms straight up and lengthen both sides of your body.  Keeping your good alignment, plant your feet into the ground firmly and stand up slowly.  Interlace your hands and stretch over your head one last time and breathe into that and release your arms down by your sides.  You're ready to start your day now!

I hope Yoga For the Morning sets your day up great and have a great day!

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