A Handful of Poses To Awaken and/or Rest and Sleep

These poses can be done laying on your back, supine or laying on your front, prone while in bed. Be inclusive, intrinsic, intuitive & conscious while feeling, breathing and listening; you may fade in & out of this wise presence. However, the more you practice the more awake & aware you will become.

1.) Supine/Prone Tree (Vrksasana) - lay long with one foot placed in towards the thigh, up near the groin, switch sides, lay in pose for a similar amount of time.

2.) Supine/Prone Butterfly (Baddha Konasana) - rub feet together with knees splayed apart, opening/stretching the adductor muscles (inner thighs including groin) – prepares the body to awaken.

3.) Supine/Prone Twist (Jathra Padangusthasana) - bring knees towards the chest then place knees to one side, rest, then move to the other side – beneficial for the internal organs, especially after a 12 hour fast when the stomach and intestines are relaxed. According to the article Fasting the Right Way, in the magazine Energy Times (Enhancing Your Vitality Through Nutrition Health & Harmony; June 2014), Campanile, MD, recommends a daily mini-fast of 12 hours to help with fat burning and increase metabolism, among other benefits.

4.) Feet to Hands or Child (Apanasana or Balasana) - bring knees towards chest and hold the soles of the feet or lay prone & bring knees underneath, place tailbone towards heels & rest head.

5.) Upright Legs or Sit Through to Upright Sitting (Supta Dandasana or Dandasana) - lengthen legs up & hold legs, feet or toes, rub up & down legs while stretching them towards the sky or bring legs through, to the front of the body, from Child to sit upright, tailbone through to the top of the head aligning while lengthening legs long. Both poses can stretch the hamstrings group of muscles and back.

Rise and shine with these beneficial poses to start your day the happy, healthy, wealthy and wise way!  Use reverse order to fall asleep, dreaming sweet!