Chair Yoga For Dummies
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Chair-sitting posture
If you, like most Westerners, are accustomed to sitting on furniture rather than the floor, you may find that holding a floor position for an extended period of time is something you have to work up to. Try a chair-sitting position first. 1. Use a sturdy armless chair and sit near the front edge of the seat, without leaning against the chair back. Make sure that your feet are flat on the floor. If they don't quite reach, support them with a phone book. 2. Rest your hands on your knees; palms down, and then close your eyes. 3. Rock your spine a few times, alternately slumping forward and arching back, to explore its full range of motion. Settle into a comfortable upright position, midway between the two extremes. 4. Lift your chest, without exaggerating the gentle inward curve in your lower back, and balance your head over the torso.The easy posture
Posture should be steady, easy, and comfortable. The basic Yoga sitting position is called, appropriately, the easy posture (Westerners sometimes call it the tailor's seat). Beginners should start their floor sitting practice with this posture.
This is a comfortable sitting position for meditation and breathing exercises. The posture also helps you become more aware of, and actually increase, the flexibility in your hips and spine. Therefore, it's a good preparation for more advanced postures. In this posture, and the ones that follow, raising the buttocks off the floor on a firm cushion or thickly folded blanket is helpful, as it allows you to sit comfortably and stably. 1. Sit on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you. Place your hands on the floor beside your hips, palms down and fingers pointing forward; shake your legs up and down a few times to get the kinks out. 2. Cross your legs at the ankles with the left leg on top, the right leg below. 3. Now press your palms on the floor and slide each foot toward the opposite knee, until the right foot is underneath the left knee and the left foot is underneath the right knee. 4. Lengthen the spine by stretching your back in an upward motion and balance your head over the torso.Note: In the classic posture, you drop your chin to your chest and extend your arms and lock your elbows. But to start, rest your hands on your knees, palms down and elbows bent, and keep the head upright. This is more relaxing for beginners.
Be sure to alternate the cross of the legs from day to day when practicing any of the sitting postures because you don't want to become lopsided.