Your morning practice doesn’t need to be a big production! You don’t have to commit to a certain amount of time or even work up a sweat!

The goal for me is to feel what my body needs as I roll out of bed, get on the floor and move for just a few minutes.

A regular movement practice, like yoga, helps you understand your body’s needs. So this isn’t my regular yoga practice, this is just a little bit of movement in the morning to feel better and energize me for the tasks ahead. My regular (and longer) yoga practice helps me know that I hold tension in my hips and low back.

The quiet and still part of my yoga practice helps me understand where, body ad/or mind, the tension comes from. So in the morning, I move the hips and back slowly, feel the sensations of the body and remind myself how I mindfully want to approach the day. I let my body bring awareness to my mind.

During the day, you can allow the mind to bring awareness to your body. When you feel tension in the neck, shoulders, hip or back, PAUSE. Do a few gentle movements to connect with your body. Give the body some nourishing movement so that you can ease the tension away and prevent the lingering pain.

This kind of movement is different from “exercise or physical activity” minutes that count towards aerobic or strengthening that I need each week. For this type of movement I’m interested in knowing the minimum effective dose (like medication!) that I need to keep pain under control or away completely during the day. To understand what you need and how much, move your attention back and forth throughout the day between your body and mind. Stay connected to your Self through this awareness as a way to manage your daily stress and pain.

Namaste,

Stephanie