Stretching in Yoga is typically done as a warm-up to your practice, however that is not the only time stretching can be useful.

During times of additional physical or mental exertion, we are placing quite a bit of stress on our bodies. Our heart rate and blood pressure can elevate, muscles tighten and we can be subject to headaches, stomachaches, and enough pain in our bodies to make us wonder if we have the flu.

This is the perfect time to take a break, take things down a notch - and stretch your body. From now until December 31st, I will be focusing on stretching, breathing and gently pushing stress and strain out and away from your life through Yoga.

The Holidays are a time of joy - a time to celebrate. And, for those of you who do not observe any holidays in particular at this time of year - it is still very beneficial to your mind, body and spirit to take the coming weeks to concentrate on creating additional peace and joy in your life.

Today I will give you instructions for properly stretching the neck area. This is what I consider to be "tension central" in the human body and making this area looser and more flexible can literally make you feel mentally alert and physically relaxed at the same time.

As an additional benefit, by the daily practice of stretching the neck, the facial muscles are also relaxed, which can ease tension lines in the forehead, around the mouth, decrease puffiness beneath the eyes and even smooth some of the lines in the neck itself.

INTRODUCTION

Neck stretching exercises are useful for warming up and relaxing your neck, head and face. This relieves mental tension, and can put you in a happier state of mind in a short period of time.

You can perform neck stretches in a seated pose, such as Lotus Pose or Easy Pose, and they can also be performed when standing in Mountain Pose or even while sitting in a chair.

As you perform neck stretches, you should focus on sending your breath to the muscles in your neck, your face and head - creating a mental image of relaxation at the same time.

Waves crashing on a beach that get smaller and smaller until stopping altogether is one of my favorite things to imagine. Each wave represents stress, and the beach your body. As the waves loose their power - the stress looses its place of importance in your life and you can feel a renewed sense of empowerment.

My instructions here are given to you in three parts, and you can perform them one following the other, varying the order you do them in, or you can simply use one at a time to add peace and quiet to your day.

FRONT/BACK INSTRUCTIONS

1. Begin in your choice of positions - Lotus, Mountain or simply seated in a chair. If seated, place your hands on top of your legs, palms facing down.

2. Exhale and lower your chin toward your chest. Visualize the open space you are creating in the back of your neck.

3. Inhale and raise your chin toward the ceiling. Visualize the front of your neck and throat and the gentle stretching and opening of that area. Make sure you keep the back of your neck long, and DO NOT allow your head to drop back.

4. Repeat steps 2 and 3, four or five times and return your head to center, with your eyes looking straight ahead.

SIDE TO SIDE INSTRUCTIONS

1. Begin in your choice of positions.

2. Exhale and lower your right ear toward your right shoulder. Make sure you keep your jaw and shoulders relaxed.

3. Inhale and return your head to an upright position.

4. Exhale and lower your left ear toward your left shoulder.

5. Inhale and return your head to an upright position.

6. Repeat steps 2 to 5, up to five times and then return your head to center, with your eyes looking straight ahead.

HEAD ROTATIONS:

1. Begin in your choice of positions.

2. Lower your chin to your chest and circle your head around to your right shoulder.

3. Lift your head up, lower your head to your left shoulder and circle your head back down to your chest.

4. Keep the back of your neck long as you rotate your head in a smooth, continuous movement.

5. Repeat the head rotations 2 to 3 times, then switch starting directions.

NOTES TO STUDENTS

As you move your neck and head in these exercises, keep the tranquil image in you mind and do your best to block out all else. When it comes to working with your brain, don't be discouraged if you find the clutter of thoughts doesn't go away at first. All things do come around in time - with patience and persistence you can accomplish anything.

Your breath should be even and smooth during these stretches. In/out deeply and comfortably - never forced.

During these (and any) Yoga movements, you should never feel strain in your body. Be sure you are not exceeding your own physical limits and only go as far as you can go without pain of any kind.
Be sure to keep your jaw and shoulders relaxed at all times. This is very important as tension in these two areas that goes unchecked can undermine your efforts.

For those of you who may need them, links to Lotus and Mountain asanas are at the bottom of this article.

IN CLOSING

As always, use good judgment when stretching your body. Neck injuries of any kind, past or present, must be considered before attempting to perform any of these exercises.

As you progress into more advanced Yoga practices, your time performing these stretches may increase. However, since stretching the body head to toe is vital to a healthy Yoga practice, it should never be skipped or gone through in a rushed manner.

Relax - treat yourself well!

Pax et bonum