Your intent for today’s practice is to feel your breath. Each time your focus drifts away from the sensation of breathing, as it will many times, congratulate yourself kindly for having noticed, then gently bring your attention back.
Do each pose for five to eight breaths (or five to eight breaths on each side, if it’s asymmetrical). Do five to eight rounds of abs.
Never stretch into pain. Take care of your body. If you’re pregnant then skip the abs exercise and don’t do anything that doesn’t feel right.
Take three deep breaths, focussing on the sensation of breathing.
Gentle stretch: Lying down spinal twist
How to do it: Lie on your back and bring your knees in to your chest. Use your arms to steady you while you lower your knees and feet all the way down to the floor on the left side. Don’t worry if your shoulder comes up off the floor. If your knees and feet don’t reach the ground then put something underneath them so they can rest. Bring your knees as close to your armpit as you can get them. Find a position for your right arm which feels good for your back, perhaps reaching to the right, or arm above your head. Take five to eight full, absorbent breaths into where you feel the stretch. Then bring knees back to centre, one by one, and repeat on the other side.
Abs exercise: Twisted Root
Something zingy: Unlocking the Shoulders
Do these with your legs in Horse (see Dec 11th) or in Warrior Two (see Dec 7th), so you can connect to your feet, legs and pelvis at the same time.
Final relaxation: Lie on your back in a warm place for at least a minute and let tension drain from your body.