Welcome back to our final week of the New Year, New You series! I hope you’ve been able to incorporate some of our tips from the past few months — the power of writing things down, finding tranquility in nature, the joy of adding creative flair to your everyday. Remember, growth is about putting one foot in front of the other, even when you’d rather crawl back into bed. And sometimes, the best thing to do is to do nothing! Therefore, our final tip entails surrendering and completely letting go through relaxation (called savasana in yoga). This is truly one of the hardest yoga poses to master.
To begin, come to a comfortable position on your back. Draw your shoulder blades flat under your body so that your shoulder heads can drop closer to the earth and your chest blossoms. Open your feet the width of your yoga mat (about 2 feet) and let them splay open. Turn your arms so that the palms of the hands face up. If you find this challenging — as many people do —try to draw those shoulder blades down more toward your feet.
Close your eyes and connect to your breath. Once you’re settled into the pose, begin to observe the sensations in your body and alleviate any tension or tightness you may be feeling. Soften your jaw and relax the space between your eyebrows. Rest here for five to 20 minutes.
To come out of relaxation, begin to wiggle your fingers and toes, ankles and wrists. Gently roll your head from side to side. Savor this process. Hug your knees to your chest and rock from side toside to massage your lower back. Roll onto your right side and press up to a comfortable seated position. Take a few deep breaths here and slowly return to your day more aware, tranquil, and ready to face reality.
Kimberly Wilson is the founder of Tranquil Space Yoga and Tranquil Space Foundation. Visit kimberlywilson.com.
