Another relaxing (yet incredibly effective) water relaxation pose (that also includes a chest/heart/lung opener)…

**Supta Baddha Konasana (or Reclining Bound Angle Pose).**

One of fabulous tips included in Frank Lipman’s book, the New Health Rules….

** If you are a newbie to this pose (or if you feel any discomfort in your thigh/groin area add some support by using cushions/yoga blocks under your knees).

Lie on your back, torso arched and supported with a bolster/foam roller/firm pillows/yoga blocks with your legs extended. Slowly bend your knees and slide your feet up, bringing the soles of the feet together.

Relaxing and letting the knees fall outward toward the floor (adding support if needed - ideally, you’ll be here awhile).

Arms rest alongside your body on the floor, palms facing up. (I like to make imaginary snow angels until I find a “good” spot to hang out - not the deepest most painful stretch but one just below it where I can simply be, breathing, relaxing, meditating).

5 minutes minimum.

To release: use your hands to bring the thighs together and lift the knees up. Roll over to the right and slowly push yourself up from the floor (like you would do after a wonderful yoga class) - head coming up last. Slowly!

Some of the many benefits include:

activates organs located In abdomen area (ovaries and prostate gland, bladder, and kidneys) improving blood flow
great hip opener: stretches groin, thighs, and knees
improves posture
calms the nervous system
gently stretches the chest and lungs
relieves mild headaches
quiets the mind

May also help with the following conditions/symptoms:

Anxiety
Stress
Sciatica
Headache
Mile Depression
Fatigue
Menstruation
Mild depression
Respiratory ailments
Menopause

Don’t practice Supta Baddha Konasana (without proper supervision and support) if you have any of the following health conditions:

Lower back injury
Knee/groin/hip injury
Pregnant (or recently given birth)

In Chinese Medicine: Water symbolizes both life and death: it is the womb from which all life emerges and the abyss to which it returns. As the universal oneness that exists beyond and within all individuals, water is similar to the Tao itself. Though separate lives coalesce out of its unity, they are like drops of water temporarily distinct from the sea; it is only a matter of time before they rejoin their eternal whole. #woodbecomeswater #chinesemedicineineverydaylife #playaroleinyourhealing

In the cycle of a day, Water governs night and sleep. At night, most people lie dormant, restoring their energies for the new day. At this time our tissues, cells, and organs rest in a state of reduced activity that engenders repair. Water is the source of creativity governing the formlessness out of which ideas cohere. It is a space without boundaries, and thus the haven where imagination thrives. 98% of our bodily substance is composed of water, which also hangs in the air we breathe and vitalizes the food we eat. Water is so much a part of life that life cannot long exist without it (so make sure to always stay hydrated! 😉😉)