These past weeks over the holidays have been tough . Misia and I missed Gerry,.. after having spent many, many Christmases together. This whole pandemic thing is getting to be a bit much.  I walk daily and yet the  call to a deeper physical practice is clearly needed to sustain my limber, mobile and pain free body.  I have always had a morning  movement practice of one kind or another since I was 21.

It is then that I began a life long journey with yoga.  I say, "Yoga is for Life."  Now the practice includes a movement based on Yoga, Karate, Chi -gong, Continuim, and Osteopathy; working on a recipe for life long health . Creating the energy you seek begins with a balanced and mobile pelvis!

Yes, it all starts in the pelvis. Yes - when the pelvis is aligned and relaxed and well and the body is in daily mindful movement, the whole spine floats, which impacts the very essence of your well being.  The pelvic floor governs the engine or mobility of your magnificent structure. The Dorsal column of the spine, governs the Cerebral spinal fluid that helps to keep the structure, connective tissues and organs in their rightful place; the blood and circulation of the whole system is enhanced, as well as the function and firing of the endocrine and nervous systems, so critical to health.

Try a few exercises daily to keep the spine and pelvic floor balanced and well.  One of the ways I do this, is through floor work - initially on your stomach, come into a sphinx pose which many of you know, lying on your stomach with your elbows and hands on the ground supporting your torso leading up, while keeping the pelvic floor stable on the ground.  Simply notice how your two hip bones hit the ground and line up.  Notice if the right or left hip feels tight or pulls on either side or up as you extend gently up. Notice how this affects the muscles of the core area that extends from the pelvic floor, down your legs, or up, into your lumbar spine, as well as through your inner core. 

Continuing on your stomach, explore swaying your legs from side to side at first to loosen your hips and then simply to allow your bent knees to sustain you there, for a few minutes and then explore taking your calf or ankle with your grasp back towards you. Hold this like a Yin pose, for a few minutes.  Feel the lengthening of the muscles of that leg, in the quadriceps and outer thigh.   Do both, and recheck your hips.  Do they feel any more level or aligned or relaxed?    Continue on your stomach,  knees bent, try crossing your legs at your pelvic floor, and with the support of the other leg, bring either leg towards you with some gentle resistance.  Feel the stretch in the pelvic hips. Please practice these  movements with care.

Try taking both your legs together and grabbing your ankles fully to eventually move into Navasana or boat pose, to lengthen the core and to stretch the entire spine.  Support yourself there, feel into your pelvic floor again, and lengthen the inner Iliacus psoas muscles that extend internally deep into the core at your waistline and down into your groin. The Iliacus psoas  muscles comprise of two muscles the Iliacus and the psoas muscle, although they are discussed as one; indeed a very important set of muscles to stretch or to strengthen or to balance to release your pelvic floor, and to allow through daily practice to better align the pelvis and to allow the spine to float as I mentioned possible.  This iliopsoas exercise has also been noted to help reduce anxiety and to improve your physical, emotional and mental health, and particularly important for those who sit for extended periods of time during the day. 

As with all good yoga practices when you bend in one way for an extended period of time it is imperative and mindful to bend in the opposite direction for at least half the amount of time.  Please practice these movement suggestions at your own pace and  or with the help of a guided practitioner. 

A new Website is about to launch where you will have access to videos to show you in real life how to do these things, as well as to offer you guided meditation, Chi gong yoga, The Eight Piece Brocade  and simple mindfulness techniques to help you to live a freer, happier and more balanced life. Watch for this. OM.