Sudokasana : Supine Side Bends Session 10

FIRST EXERCISE OF SESSION (2 minutes)
Lie on your back with your legs in the crooked position. Straighten one leg and lift the arm of that side overhead. Place the other arm across your trunk. Press the foot of the bent leg into the floor so that you roll over onto your side. Check your body is in line. Place the hand of your top arm on the floor to aid your balance. Press your arm and leg downwards – gradually increasing this pressing down of arm and leg until reaching your limit of muscular contraction – hold for about 5 breaths and then gradually reduce the muscular contraction (the downward pressing of arm and leg). Allow yourself to roll onto your back. Repeat to the other side.

SECOND EXERCISE OF SESSION (2 minutes)
Straighten both legs along the floor and have your arms close to your sides. Activate your feet and legs as though you are standing – i.e. your toes should point up to the ceiling. Slide both legs sideways along the floor until as far apart as feels comfortable. Establish the feeling of your legs being active (as though you are standing). Lift your head and move it sideways and then lower it. Then lift your shoulders, move them sideways (same direction as the head), and lower. Continue moving your head and then your shoulders sideways until your trunk has as much of a sideways bend as is comfortable. Then slowly draw the leg of the stretched side inwards as close to the other leg as is comfortable. Slide the arm of your stretched side along the floor away from your trunk – move the arm as far from trunk as is comfortably possible while still keeping the arm fully resting on the floor with palm facing upwards. Breathe slowly and deeply. Hold for 4 breaths and, slide your arm back to your side, then slowly move your trunk and head back to the central position in the same manner that you moved it sideways; then move the leg back to being as far out to one side as feels comfortable. Repeat to the other side. Then slide your legs along the floor until they are together and then lift them into the crooked positions – that is knees pointing towards ceiling with soles of feet on floor.

THIRD EXERCISE OF SESSION (2 minutes)
Bring your legs together and lift one leg to place its’ foot on the knee of the other leg (with the lifted knee pointing towards the head.) Move your arms to shoulder level – palms facing upwards. Exhaling, lower the legs to one side (and then if you have time turn the head to face the opposite direction). Inhaling, (bring your head back to centre and then) lift your legs back to centre. Exhaling, lower legs to other side and, inhaling, lift knees back to centre. Repeat 1 to 2 more times. Then return the lifted leg back to beside the other leg and repeat with the other foot resting on a knee.

FOURTH EXERCISE OF SESSION (4 minutes)
Move into a comfortable position for practising a relaxation of your choice. You could try the following: Be aware of the areas of contact with the floor – backs of heels, backs of legs, back of pelvic girdle, back of shoulders, back of arms, and back of head. Imagine you can give your weight to the earth through these areas – imagine yourself sinking or settling down into the earth a little. Feel the earth supporting you. Imagine that energy from the earth flows into & through the areas of contact – imagine the earth energy filling the full length and breadth of you. Enjoy. Remember not to rush sitting up (and then standing) after practising relaxation as it causes one’s blood pressure to fall, which can cause dizziness if one moves too quickly.