Day 10 –  On your knees with a cushion, or sitting in a chair, start holding a strap wider than your shoulders above your head, reach up from your tailbone with a long spine and neutral pelvis, then lean to the right with straight arms.  Keep slight tension on the strap with a loose grip in the hands.  Keep length in both sides of the waist as you inhale length in the spine, then exhale leaning to the right continuing to gently pull on the strap with straight arms.

Choose a comfortable position for your neck with your shoulders softened down from your ears, allowing for space on both sides of your neck. Either gaze up towards your top hand or straight ahead.  Continue this stretch for five breaths being mindful to breathe through the lenghtening and release through the shoulder and the QL (quadratus lumborum).

You may feel this stretch all the way from the outside of your left leg (IT band), up through the waist (the QL), near the armpit (the lattisimus dorsi), the outside of the arm (the tricep) and to the wrist.  Breathe slowly and avoid collapsing into the right waist; keep the right side long.  Keep the muscles in the face and your gaze soft.  Invite the softening and lengthening throughout your side body.

After your fifth exhale, inhale back to center with your arms evenly above your head, connect to your long spine and neutral pelvis, then exhale to repeat this stretch leaning towards the left side.  Continue lengthening and reaching for five breaths.  Keep the arms straight and long, gently keeping tension on your strap, and keeping space on both sides of your waist, and both sides of your long neck. Keep your shoulders down from your ears.  Continue breathing slowly, inhaling and exhaling through the nostrils, and keep your face and gaze soft.

After your fifth exhale, inhale back to center, gently drop the strap then close your eyes, sit back on your heels, set your hands on your thighs, breathe and feel what you feel.  Repeat one more set on each side.  With each breath, keep that spine long and feel the expansion in your rib cage on both sides, into your back, and under your collarbones.  With each inhale, keep the shoulders down from the ears.

Enjoy the openness in your shoulders and back.  Notice how this pose creates space in your abdomen and invites expansion for your breath.  Sigh and smile.   Namaste…

Yogamama Meels