Welcome back.
If you have been following along,
This is another short practice.
Part of the reset series.
We will focus on shoulders and neck.
Releasing tension where we habitually hold stress.
Many of us have the habit of guarding ourselves in stressful situations by tightening the muscles of the neck and shoulders.
So in this short practice,
We will focus on releasing tension,
Creating a little more ease and freedom of movement.
We'll start in a seated position.
You can sit on the ground if that's accessible to you.
You can sit cross-legged.
If you're sitting cross-legged,
Maybe having a blanket under your sitting bones.
Can help elevate the hips a little.
You can also use a block instead of a blanket.
Another option is to come to kneeling.
And have a block or two between your legs.
This is my favorite position where you can really.
.
.
Take the hips out of the equation and still have your upper body nice and upright.
You can also sit in a chair.
So find that posture.
That is available to you.
Maybe close your eyes.
Or keep a soft gaze on the ground.
With your spine elongated.
Relax the shoulders.
Release any tension in the facial muscles.
Take several slow,
Deep breaths.
Breathing through your nose.
Focusing on sensations of breathing.
With your next exhalation,
Gently draw your chin to your chest.
Relax into the stretch in the back of your neck.
Take a slow,
Deep breath in.
On the exhale,
Roll your right ear to shoulder.
On the inhale,
Bring your chin back to your chest.
Exhale,
Roll your left ear to shoulder.
Inhale back to center,
Chin to chest.
Exhale,
Right ear to shoulder.
Inhale.
To center.
At scale.
Go to the other side.
So begin to create these half circles.
Nice and slow.
Letting the neck muscles relax.
Notice how your breath can support this movement.
Exhale.
As you bring your ear to your shoulder.
Inhale.
Bringing your chin back to your chest.
Next time your right ear is to your shoulder,
Stay there.
To deepen the stretch.
Turn your gaze down towards the hip.
Chin towards your armpit.
Try to keep your upper body vertical,
Not shifting your upper body,
Just creating a little deeper stretch in your neck.
Inhale.
Exhale,
Bring your chin to your chest,
Roll.
Your left ear to shoulder.
Come back through center,
Create several.
More of these half circles.
Next time your left ear is to your shoulder,
Stay there.
Then deepen the stretch by turning your gaze down towards the hip.
Chain towards your armpit,
Stay there for a couple of breaths.
Softening with each exhalation.
Inhale.
With the exhale,
Come back to center.
Lift your head.
Look straight ahead.
Take a slow deep breath in through your nose.
Keeping the chin level,
Turn your head to the right,
Looking over your right shoulder.
Try not to twist your upper body.
Inhale,
Come back to center.
Exhale,
Go to the other side.
Looking over your left shoulder.
Inhale to center.
Exhale to the right again.
Inhale back to center,
Exhale left.
Back to center,
One more time to each side.
Shoulders still.
Come back to center.
Do a few shoulder rolls.
Transition to standing.
Coming to mountain pose with your feet about hip-width distance apart,
Open your arms out to the sides.
Relax your shoulders.
You might already hear,
Notice how your arms feel on each side.
Maybe one arm is a little higher than the other.
Just notice how that feels.
And then turn your thumbs down,
Palms facing back.
Then the opposite palms up.
Opening.
Thumbs down,
Palms back.
And turn the other side.
And the other way.
Keep going.
Notice how this feels.
How much.
Range of motion you have on each side.
I had a chronic injury for many years in my right shoulder.
So this affects how I can move on my right side.
You might notice that my right arm is not the same level as my left.
So we each have some.
Asymmetries,
Whatever it is,
If you can.
Relax into the motion.
Soften all your facial muscles.
And then next time your palms are facing back,
Sweep your arms back behind.
Take them as far back.
As they would go.
Then inhale,
Open your arms out to the sides,
Palms up,
Take your arms up overhead,
Hands on the sides of your head.
So just your fingertips touching the sides of your head,
Hands are not together.
Now open your chest,
Take your elbows back,
Squeezing the muscles between your shoulder blades.
On an exhale,
Draw your elbows together in front of you,
Tucking your chin slightly to your chest.
Inhale,
Open.
Elbows go back.
Exhale,
Elbows forward,
Maybe touching.
Keep going on the inhale,
Open.
On the exhale,
Draw your elbows together.
Let's do two more.
Squeezing the shoulder blades.
Next time you open your elbows,
Take your arms out to the side.
Again,
Turn your palms back,
Thumbs down.
And then palms up.
Open the shoulders.
Keep going.
Next time your palms are facing back,
Reach your arms back behind.
A spar back behind.
As possible without moving.
Rest of your body.
So you want your body to be vertical,
Just your arms reaching back.
Take your arms out to the sides,
Open your palms up.
Again,
Bend your elbows,
Take your hands on the sides of your head.
Open the front of your body,
Take your elbows back.
Then draw your elbows towards each other,
Chin down.
Inhale,
Open.
Exhale,
Elbows together.
And one more.
Open.
Draw your elbows together.
As you open your elbows,
Release your arms down.
Do a few shoulder rolls.
Notice how your shoulders feel.
Then open your arms out.
Cross in front,
Open,
Cross the other arm on top.
Let's do a few more of these.
Release your arms on the sides of your body.
Pause here for a moment.
Let your attention drift into your body and notice how you feel.
Thank you so much for practicing with me today.
If you want a little longer movement session,
You can choose another video from the reset series.
And I look forward to seeing you next time.
