grounded in gratitude: a brief Yoga practice to cultivate the spirit of Thanksgiving ' T
is the month of Thanksgiving, and the approaching holiday season can bring a whirlwind of emotions, expectations and self-imposed stress. A yogic mindset can help us keep
things in perspective, find peace in each moment, and remember the “reason for the season.” This brief yoga sequence will quiet your mind, connect you to your breath, and help you cultivate a sincere sense of gratitude. Consciously being grateful can change your life, and the science of gratitude (yes, it’s actually a researched science) has discovered that a grateful heart has many benefits, including positive emotions, reduced stress, improved relationships, increased productivity in the workplace, and improved physical health. Gratitude is a chosen attitude, and a skill to be learned. Let the month of November be a time to strengthen your gratitude “muscles” and keep them firing, so that the spirit of Thanksgiving is something you embody and share with the world. Your grate- ful heart will not only give you a sense of overall well-being; it will touch and uplift those around you and will be a magnet for peace, joy, and love.
1) Constructive Rest Position: a grounding pose to connect to your breath and heart
Lie down on the floor (yoga mat optional, but a soft surface
is preferable), and place a small pillow, yoga blanket, or folded towel under your head to provide support for your neck. Bend both of your legs, placing the feet on the floor, and bring one hand to your stomach and the other to your heart. Tune into the waves of deep breath that flow through your torso, and to the rising and falling of your hands in response to your breath.
Begin to think of something for which you are profoundly
grateful. As you think of this blessing, continue breathing deeply and notice where you feel gratitude in your body. Say “thank you” three times as you connect to your body, mind, and breath.
2) Supine Gentle Twist: rotates the spine and opens the heart and shoulders
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Stretch your body out on the floor and pull your right knee
to your chest. Place your right foot on your left thigh, extend the right hand out to the right (resting on the floor), and gently move your right knee over the midline of your body (towards the left) with your left hand. Once again, make a gratitude connection, thinking of a blessing in your life (it can be the same one or something different). Breathe deeply. Repeat on the left side.
3) Cat/cow rolls: spinal extension and flexion
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