Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Holiday Yoga - Heart Opening Recline


Sit cross-legged on the floor, with a bolster placed directly behind your hips, and have a folded blanket handy to use as a pillow. Recline until your back and head are resting on the bolster and place the blanket under your head. Rest the backs of your hands on the floor alongside your torso. Stay in this position for up to five minutes, breathing deeply and feeling the weight of your spine sinking into the bolster.

My version:
Do your best to sit cross-legged on the floor, being careful not to "pop" your bum knee. Recline 1/2 way down towards bolster and blanket and stop due to sharp pain 1/2 way down back. Slowly lower body the rest of the way to the floor, gripping blanket and bolster for support. Stay in this position until someone comes along to help you back up. Be grateful you have a bolster and blanket, as you may wind up sleeping on the floor for a long time.

Benefits: Opens the chest; creates more room for the lungs to expand and deepens breathing. It is also an eye-opener to how long you would lay on the floor in a life threatening situation before anyone would trip over you. Better get one of those alert beeper thingys.

21 comments:

Green-Eyed Momster said...

LMAO! The same thing happens to me when I get on the floor!
I haven't done Yoga in a long time! And, now I've put on so much depression weight, I'm not sure I ever will again!

Hugs!!

diane said...

Tracey: I've found that the extra weight acts as a cushion on the floorboards. Also, I forgot to mention that it's also a good idea to have the remote control to the vcr handy, in case you're stuck there for a long time.

mo.stoneskin said...

So what actually happens when you "pop" your bum knee? Maybe a video demonstration would be a good idea?

;)

SkylersDad said...

"I've fallen and I can't get up"!!!

diane said...

Mo.: A weasel jumps out.

Chris: Wait. Stay right there while I get my camera.

Vic said...

Diane this made me laugh out loud. I thought it was purely a self-improvement how-to post until I got to the second half.
Can I have a bowl of pretzels next to the bolster?

diane said...

Vic: You ARE the pretzel. Besides, according to my calculations, you should still have a bag of candy corn stashed in the house somewhere. Maybe in your snood.

drollgirl said...

bahah! i think your version is the more realistic one. yoga helps and is great and all, but some of it is IMPOSSIBLE.

diane said...

Drolly: Yoga DOES help. . . .me to appreciate having a carpeted living room. Wish I had your sofa though, mine's falling apart.

Faux Naif said...

thanks for your comment, you always say the nicest things! i did yoga for a long time, but i quit it when i became too busy. i miss it a lot - i used to be super bendy (think elastic band), and i feel really stiff all the time now.

diane said...

Faux Naif: The great thing about yoga is, you can do it at your own speed, truly. If all you want to do is curl up in a ball, do that, it's great for your spine. :)

Joanna Jenkins said...

Yep, I could ONLY do this if someone was home and I could bribe them with something they really, really want so they'd help me up versus looking at me in that position and just stepping over me :-)
xo

diane said...

Joanna: But what if the thing that they really, really want is to look at you in that position & step over you? Lord only knows, Cute Hubby would let me lay there for hours, just chuckling and stepping over me. I think your best bet is to have one of your girlfriends "spot" you when you attempt it. We sistas have to look out for each other.

Cait said...

Its so cold here with all the snow we've gotten..I wouldn't dare lay in the floor..just yoga in bed..hahahaha..speaking of which it wasn't easy getting that someone out of bed yesterday to shovel snow. Finally, he did, & was mad at me for shoveling. Sometimes, you just can't win. Especially, in our subzero temps this week.

diane said...

Cait: SUBZERO!!!! You poor girl.

Fragrant Liar said...

Yikes! I thought yoga was supposed to be relaxing and good for you! No? Say it ain't so, cuz I'm starting some yoga after the first of the year.

diane said...

Fragrant Liar: Start slow.

Stephanie said...

ROFL I guess yoga should be done with a buddy!

marian said...

hehhehehe darling I have never tried Yoga but think I need to as it sounds so beneficial!
Honey hope the week goes well for you dear!
xx
marian

Jack Daniel said...

Hey how funny...I like chilling in this position! I really do!

Funny picture. :)

diane said...

ModernMom: I think buddy yoga is found in the Kama Sutra.

Marian: It's only funny when someone else gets hurt.

JD: I think that says a lot about how open you are. xo