Two poses for today are Knee to chest pose and Spinal Twist

Knee to chest pose and Spinal Twist

Knee to Chest Pose

A classic yoga posture, Knees-to-Chest Pose has many therapeutic benefits. Because it’s performed on your back, it is sometimes referred to as “Supine Knees-to-Chest Pose.”

Steps

1. Begin by lying on your back, with your legs and arms extended.
2. As you exhale, draw both of your knees to your chest. Clasp your hands around them. If it is possible for you, wrap your forearms over your shins and clasp each elbow with the opposite hand.
3. Keep your back flat on the mat. Release your shoulder blades down toward your waist. Broaden across your collar bones.
4. Draw your tailbone and sacrum down toward the mat, lengthening your spine even more.
5. If it is comfortable for you to do so, softly rock backward and forward or side-to-side for a gentle spinal massage.
6. Tuck your chin slightly and gaze down the centerline of your body.
7. Hold for up to one minute. Keep your breath smooth and even.
8. With an exhalation, release and extend both legs along the floor and rest. Repeat up to six times.

Benefits of Knees-to-Chest Pose

Relief from excess digestive air, indigestion, bloating, flatulence, acidity, and constipation. It is often recommended for those suffering from irritable bowel syndrome.

In addition, this pose helps to keep your low back limber. It is often used as a soothing counter-pose to backbends and spinal twists. Because your body is compact in the pose, your thoughts are more easily drawn inward, which is useful for calming the mind and rebalancing your energy.

Spinal Twist Pose

Steps

• Lying on your back, bring your arms out to the sides with the palms facing down in a T position. Bend the right knee and place the right foot on the left knee
• Exhale drop the right knee over to the left side of your body, twisting the spine and low back. Look at the right fingertips.
• Keep the shoulders flat to the floor, close the eyes, and relax into the posture. Let gravity pull the knee down, so you do not have to use any effort in this posture.
• Breathe and hold for 6-10 breaths.
• To release: inhale and roll the hips back to the floor, and exhale the leg back down to the floor
• Repeat on the other side.

Knee to Chest and Spinal Twist Poses provide relief from indigestion, bloating, flatulence, acidity, and constipation.