Yoga at Your Desk

How long have you been sitting there staring at thatup and open your eyes. Feel any better? We store
computer? How does your back feel? Not too good?tons of tension in the neck and shoulder area ~
Getting tired? Stiff from sitting?every now and then let it go.....
Practicing yoga at your desk will revive andSit up straight and to the front part of your chair
re-energize you. If you allow your brain to take a(please use one without wheels or make sure it is
break, and allow your breath to rejuvenate yoursecure - I don't want you to go rolling around
body ~ you will come back more focused and moreunexpectedly). Keep your feet planted on the floor.
productive.Try rolling your spine forward and back to let the
Take a break - close your eyes and let your breathmuscles stretch, massage the inner organs and let
travel around your body a little. Like a virus scan,the blood flow through your spine.
scan your body and allow your breath to erase someAs you inhale, bring your head back and arch your
tension. Breathe into tight spots and then visualizespine (shoulders move backward) so that your belly
those spots releasing as you exhale. You will feelrounds out in front. Then as you exhale, bring your
even better if you break away every hour or twoshoulders forward and exaggerate the spine curve
and stretch some muscles.out to the back. So when you inhale your shoulders
In our society stress at work is a prevalent reasongo back and you stretch the front side of your
for hospital visits. Back pain, headaches and otherbody, and when you exhale the shoulders come
stress related ailments are popular medical visitforward and you stretch the back. When you exhale
complaints. Take some time for yourself, for yourbring your belly button in towards your spine to help
health, and breathe a little.you release all the air out of your lungs. Your lower
You can reboot your body like you reboot a stuckback moves too; tilt your tailbone back on the inhale
computer. Pause a minute~ and allow your brain toand then tuck it under on the exhale. Attach your
rest, let your muscles release some of the tensionbreath to the movement to get the most out of the
and stress. Try this...pose.
Close your eyes, sit all the way back in your chair,Moving the spine around allows the vertebrae to
straighten up through your spine, and let your headre-lubricate, the muscles to stretch a bit, and the
hang down towards your chest. Now roll your rightinner organs a gentle massage. Attaching your breath
ear up over your right shoulder and relax the musclesto your movement gives your brain a rest from the
in the left side of your neck and the top of the leftrat-race and promotes a mind-body connection.
shoulder. (Avoid forcing or pushing your head to theThe breathing helps to remove toxins from the lungs
side - just let it hang out there.) Breathe. Gently rollwhen you exhale and invigorates the muscles when
your head back down towards your chest and thenyou inhale. When you inhale think about filling your
roll the left ear up near the left shoulder. Breathe.lungs with air. Let the ribs move out to the sides and
Repeat as needs to loosen up those neck andfill your belly with air just like a balloon. When you
shoulder muscles. To complete the exercise, gentlyexhale let it all out, and let the tension leave your
roll your head forward again and then lift it straightbody at the same time.