She’s one of my favourite humans and fitness / yoga masters and I can’t wait to share her and her magic with you today. So without further ado, please enjoy the following post by the amazing, the inspiring, the perfect Melanie Richards, enlightened yoga expert and owner of the ever popular and much beloved Happy Tree Yoga in Westmount:
Social Gals and Gents work hard, and play harder, especially during high party seasons like yes, the holidays. So bring a little yin to your yang lifestyle this season with these three restorative yoga poses, perfect for refueling and rejuvenating post-party minds and bodies.
1. Child’s pose
Starting on all fours, sit back on your heels with your forehead on the ground.
Child’s pose, known as the posture of safety and security, is a great go-to when you need a mini retreat from the world. The head is below the heart bringing more blood flow to the brain, which is excellent for headaches. Having the abdomen against the thighs massages the digestive system, which is rather fabulous when you’ve had one too many hors d’oeuvres. 😉 And when you breathe deeply, the breath gets redirected into the kidneys, cooling the adrenals, calming frazzled nerves.
2. Supported Belly Twist
Sitting on the ground, set up a bolster or some pillows perpendicular to your right hip. With the feet on the ground a little wider than hip-width apart, float the knees over to the right. Bring your hands around to the right side and twist your abdomen onto your prop. Relax with arms on either side of your bolster or pillows and turn your head toward or away from your knees, whatever feels most comfortable. After five minutes, repeat on the other side.
Warning: this magical twist feels so soothing and comforting, you might just fall asleep mid-pose! When you twist to your right, you’re massaging your over-taxed liver and on the left, you’re calming your stressed out stomach. With the abdomen pressed up against your prop, the pose also helps cool the kidneys. Plus, twists are known for being outstanding detoxifiers!
3. Legs-up-the-wall
Sit sideways right up against a wall and swing your legs upward as you come to lie flat on your back.
Kick off your four-inch stilettos and put your feet up – the wall that is. Legs-up-the-wall, also known as the great rejuvenator, helps reduce swelling in the legs and diminishes the appearance of varicose veins, upping the glam gam quotient. It’s perfect as a 10-minute pick-me-up between events or as a way to prepare for a good night’s sleep after a long day.
So there you have em Social Gals and Gents, some basics that go the distance. For more tips and yoga chat, head to our website. Even better: come visit.