The Skinny: How to do the child’s pose
Ready for a fitter, happier, and healthier you? The DI is here to help. Each week, we’ll feature a new tip you can easily incorporate into your daily regimen to promote oneness of body, mind, and spirit.
Ancient secret: It ain’t easy being … Zen?
Yoga, a meditative practice with ties to both Hinduism and Buddhism, focuses on uniting the physical body with the intellectual mind for a oneness of spirit. Not as metaphysical as it sounds, yoga simply asks that you not separate your mind from your body ? think of yourself as a singular entity.
(This is a key element in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. When we think about diet and exercise, we often polarize what we know we should do from what we actually do. Yoga assists in the melding of mind and body.)
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Almost every gym in the area offers some sort of yoga class, and most will let you try one for free. If you’re interested, start with something easy ? look for the words “gentle” or “Hatha” in the class title.
“Limber” is not only a state of body, it’s a state of being. Get yourself in a constructive mindset for the day with this basic morning move:
The Child Pose
1. Sit on your knees, feeling your hips relax onto your heels.
2. Slowly, from your lowest vertebrae to your highest, bend toward the floor, your arms stretched out in front of you. Feel your spine relax as your forehead rests lightly on the ground in front of your knees. Focus on letting your stomach press into your thighs.
3. Exhale, keeping air expelled for approximately 10 seconds.
4. Release the pose by pushing yourself up into a seated position with your hands under your shoulders as you inhale.
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