Welcome to Wellness Wednesdays: Shoulders

 “The way we carry our shoulders and arms sends a message to the world. Not surprisingly, many common expressions incorporate these messages into our daily conversations: shoulder a burden, shoulders to the wheel, lean on my shoulder, pull your shoulders back, chip on your shoulder, broad shoulders, stoop-shouldered, shouldering responsibility, standing on someone’s shoulders, built upon someone’s shoulders, looking over your shoulder, carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders. These expressions convey a mood, an attitude, a certain level of competence, which we assume by how we carry our shoulders. When we stand with our shoulders open and back, we feel more alive and positive. When we stand with our shoulders drooped and forward, we feel less energetic and sadder.”

-Judith Hanson Lasater, Ph.D., P.T in Yogabody 

Food: If you have shoulder pain try eating foods that are more energetically vibrant. Fresh, organic, or homegrown vegetables and fruits. Salads that are picked right from your garden or dinners made at home reduce the energetic infusion of others into your food. Eating energetically clean meals will reduce stress in your body. When the body is stressed the shoulders will naturally rise up to the ears to protect the vital organs. In this case the lungs and heart.

Yoga: Inhale.

• Practice #1

Draw your shoulders up to your ears.

Exhale. drop your shoulders away from your ears.

Do this 7 times.

• Practice #2

Lie down on your belly

hands on the ground, directly below the shoulders

Toes tucked under

inhale

Push with your toes forward as you push into the floor with your hands up into cobra.

Slightly lift your hips off the ground and soften into the lower back.

Stretch your chin to the sky to stimulate the throat chakra

Draw your shoulders away from the ears-feeling your shoulder blades slide down the back

lift your chest towards the ceiling

broaden the front of your chest

Stay here as long as you like

When you are ready to come down - rest on your belly for half the time you were up

• Practice #3

Lay on your back

Draw your left knee to your chest and hold it with your fingers

stay here for 3 breaths

cross your knee over your body, placing the knee on the floor, a yoga block, or a pillow

Twist and stretch your right arm out to the right side

Turn your head to face the right thumb

This practice will help to stretch the muscles in the shoulders and spine to increase blood flow and flexibility

• Practice #4

Lay on your back

Legs spread wide and arms spread wide. This will relax your shoulders.

• Practice #5

When sitting in an office chair all day long place a small pillow under your tailbone and tilt your hips forward. Allow your belly to go forward and be soft. This will relax your spine and shoulders

*Tip:

Get a standing Desk! Read more here.

Self Love: Hold your head up high. Envision a string on the top of your head gently pulling your head to the sky. Be aware the space your ears need. Drop your shoulders down and back. Allow your chest to rise up and forward. Walk through this world with the space you deserve to take up in this world. Breathe. Absorb natural confidence and watch how the world changes around you. It all starts with the shoulders.

Be Well.

LeLa