Exercise and Massage for HSPs
Highly Sensitive People have special exercise needs!
Ask your doctor before starting any new exercise regimen.
There are other places I have mentioned exercise on this website. However, if you don't make it to those pages, you won't benefit from the information to be found there. The purpose for having a web page devoted just on exercise is to give you tips on how you, as a Highly Sensitive Person, can work out and stay comfortable, during and after exercise, while regaining energy and muscle tone without terrible relapses of pain!
The Situation
Highly Sensitive People need exercise just like everyone else does. The trouble is, when you have Fibromyalgia, Arthritis, Chronic Fatigue or other stress syndromes that affect your muscles and skeletal system, it is hard to know what to do, for how long and when to do it.
The Frustration!
It is important that you understand that you have not lost your mind. I know in the past you have probably questioned yourself over and over again as to why you can't exercise anymore, tried to find a solution to your weakening muscles and how you have come up with basically nothing that seems to work for you. And, how if it worked one week it may not have worked the next!
The Facts!
By now, you have probably heard from someone you need to exercise, that exercise will make you feel better, make you stronger and take away your pain. Well, this is true for some. The facts are these:
If you have Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FS) or Arthritis, exercise will help you to lose weight, feel more energetic and less depressed, but it will not take away your pain. It may even add to your pain if you are not choosing the correct exercises!
If you have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), you may have a 'delayed pain' response after exercise. CFS sufferers commonly do not feel the 'negative' effects of exercise until 3-4 days later when they experience headache, back pain or other aches. They may not even associate the pain to the exercise performed days before since they felt fine at the time. Now they have fatigue and pain and don't understand why. This can become an ongoing cycle of frustration.
To distinguish between the two, CFS is mostly a 'fatigue' type syndrome, where Fibromyalgia is mostly a 'pain' syndrome. They often overlap with each other, with the deciding factor being whether you relate more to pain, or fatigue, interfering in your daily activities.
About Those 'Noodle-like' Muscles!
Without muscle, we lose energy. Without muscle, our joints are not held in place. Without muscle, our hearts shrink. Without muscle, we lose strength. Without muscle, we gain weight (muscle burns calories). I could go on. Without muscle, we lose our youth and our health. We lose our energy!
There are stretches and exercises you can do to increase the flexibility and tone of your muscles that may help you to overcome myalgia. I will share these with you below, as well as relate each exercise to a specific chakra, but first I'd like to share a couple of things with you.
Nutritional Deficiencies
...prevent tissue repair and can cause pain!
If your diet lacks in quality foods (a proper balance of proteins, carbohydrates and fats), vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids, or you have digestive problems which make it impossible for your body to absorb nutrients from your foods, your body will not be able to repair itself. If this is ongoing, you will develop pain because the body is 'tired' and you will develop the inability to recover quickly, if at all.
Neurostructural Integration Technique (NST)
Highly Sensitive People often have an underlying emotional component to their syndromes. This does not mean that your troubles are all in your mind. I will repeat this. Your troubles are not all in your mind. They are in now in your body as well!
Negative emotions can hang around and lodge themselves in your body parts. Did you know that 90% of all people suffering from Fibromyalgia are women? Why do you think that is? It is because women are the receptors. We carry things around inside of us. This is especially true for our emotions.
This is where NST can help. NST is a massage technique that is very, very gentle. Your body is gently touched in certain places (you can leave your clothes on) to free up blocked energy paths that cause pain and fatigue. As this energy is released, so is are the traumas and emotional associations causing the blockage.
I am searching for NST practitioners in the area. As soon as I know more, I will list the practitioners here so you might know who to contact. You may refer to the NST website for more information. On this website, it mentions a Judy Maurer in Tacoma, Washington. Judy is no longer at the Medwoman Center. I was able to find out that she has moved and her new phone number is 253.219.5711. From what I have read, Judy is trained in advanced NST and Bowen, and she able to train others in the art.
Combining NST with proper nutrition, energy balancing and realistic goal setting can help you get back on the path of health and wholeness!
For more on Nutrition, visit 'Eating, Naturally!' or 'Stress Syndrome Management'.
Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)
EFT is an acupressure method using your own fingers to tap the same energy meridians of your body as applied in acupuncture, but without the needles! It helps to remove emotional energy blockages. For more information, refer to my 'Fibromyalgia' webpage.
"Our unresolved negative emotions are major contributors to most physical pains and diseases." - Gary Craig
Chakras and Massage
By massaging particular areas of our bodies, we not only help to soothe and balance the chakras in those areas, but certain body associations as well. Below, you'll find the areas of your 'person' that your chakras are connected to and responsible for governing. This information is of benefit in determining 'energy' blockages. For example, if you are having trouble with Irritable Bowel, it may be of benefit to massage the 2nd (Solar Plexus Chakra-Adrenals & Upper Abs - yellow) and 3rd chakras (Sacral - Womb & Spleen - orange) as well as to perform relaxing exercises in those areas (below). You might also visit those Color Therapy Boxes for a boost of revitalizing color! Meditation can help as well.
If you massage the...
Top of the Head/Scalp - 7th Chakra: The Crown: Pituitary, Pineal & Hypthalamus Glands - Violet. Massage helps with head injuries, stroke, stress, confusion, headaches, mental clarity, depression, motor thinking and functions, balance of left and right hemispheres of the brain, Central Nervous System.
Face - 6th Chakra - The Third Eye: Pituitary & Thalamus Glands - Indigo. Massage helps with sinus blockage, allergies, nasal congestion, hay fever, nose bleed, headaches and migraines (can be sexual tension, by the way), strokes, nightmares, gum, toothache and eye (vision) problems.
Throat - 5th Chakra - The Throat: Thyroid, Parathyroid & Thymus Gland - Blue. Massage helps with stress, nervousness, metabolic problems, energy and immune system stimulation and absorption of calcium, ears, mouth, neck.
Shoulders also fall under the 5th chakra. Massage helps with nervousness, upper back tension, lung and spinal problems.
Breast/Chest - 4th Chakra - The Thymus, Heart: Heart & Lungs - Green. Massaging the breast line (across top of rib cage) helps with breast cysts, milk production, lymphatic disorders, lungs, heart, circulatory system, arms, hands.
Upper Abdomen -3rd Chakra - The Solar Plexus: Adrenal Glands, Pancreas & Upper Abs - Yellow. This chakra governs both sides of the rib cage and shares the waistline with the 2nd chakra (see below). This chakra helps with chronic fatigue, high blood pressure.
Right Rib Cage: Massage helps with the liver, gall bladder and stones, colitis, constipation, upper colon and mucus assimilation.
Left Rib Cage: Massage helps with the upper colon, stomach, ulcers, digestive aliments, spasms, pancreas, blood sugar imbalances and diabetes.
Waistline: Between the Solar Plexus and Sacral Chakras - Massage helps with Lower colon, lower digestive disorders, small intestine and spasms. By massaging the waistline area on the back of the body, hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, kidneys, high blood pressure, infections, arthritis and the adrenalin glands are also helped.
Lower Abdomen - 2nd Chakra - The Sacral: Womb & Spleen - Orange. Massage helps with female and male reproductive disorders, kidney, bladder and urinary tract infections, arthritis, problems with the womb, lower back, painful menses and sexual problems. This chakra shares the waistline with the 3rd chakra (above).
Pubic Area/Seat - 1st Chakra - The Root: Base of Spine - Red. Massage in the tail bone area of the lower back helps with large intestines (constipation), reproductive disorders, lower back and lower limb problems (feet, legs, bones), tail bone, sciatica, testes, ovaries and adrenals.
None of the chakras work completely independently of the others. The radiance or the blockage of one will affect the energy levels of all the rest. Once again, balance is the key to energy and health!
"Back to the subject of exercise!"
You may copy this page, or sections of it, but you may not be able to copy the illustrations. If you would like pictures of the illustrations, contact me and I will send them to you via email attachment.
The Two Forms of Exercise We All Need
There are two forms of exercise and you need both. The first is aerobic (breathing and fat burning) and the second is resistance (muscle building by controlled movements using force against force). However, for some, it is a major challenge just to do the warm up exercises that are supposed to precede these two!
With Fibromyalgia, Arthritis, Chronic Fatigue, IBS or any other Stress Syndrome, the only aerobic activities I suggest from the start are light walking or gentle swimming. If you have no knee problems, you might also use an exercise bike. You will want to stick with exercises with minimal risk of falling. Even if you do not have osteoporosis (arthritis), this general rule will help you not to overly jar your muscles.
When walking or swimming, start with only two or three sessions a week, for only 5 minutes at a time, for the first two weeks. Make sure there is a day of no exercise in between each day that you do exercise. This may seem kind of 'sissy', but this gives you time to see if you are going to experience any after effects. No after effects? Then you can increase to 5 minutes 3-5 times per week for the third and fourth weeks, but still only for 5 minutes per day. Once you are working out 5 minutes per day, 7 days per week, you can increase your time by 5 minutes per week. When using an exercise bike, follow the plan below as if you were walking. Always stop if you don't feel well.
Example:
Week 1 & 2: 5 minutes per day x 2 days
Week 3 & 4: 5 minutes x 3 days
Week 5 & 6: 5 minutes x 5 days
Weeks 7 & 8: 5 minutes x 7 days
Weeks 9 & 10: 10 minutes x 7 days
Weeks 11 & 12: 15 minutes x 7 days
Weeks 13 & 14: 20 minutes x 7 days
Weeks 15 & 16: 25 minutes x 7 days
Weeks 17 & 18: 30 minutes x 7 days !!!
Calculate Your Target Heart Rate
Subtract your age from 220
To find the lower end of your THR multiply your answer x .6
To find the upper end of your THR multiply your answer by .8
Example:
220 - 60 (years of age) = 160
160 x .6 = 96
160 x .8 = 128
This individual does not want to drop below 96, or rise above 128, while exercising.
When exercising, stay between your two numbers!
To determine your heart beat per minute, take your pulse by counting how many heart beats you feel in your wrist (using the tips of your middle three fingers below the base of your thumb) in 15 seconds and multiply by 4. This will show you your 'number'. If it is lower than your lowest THR, pick things up a bit, if higher than your THR, slow down, your are hurting yourself.
When To Perform Resistance Exercises
Once again, you'll need to take baby steps. If you don't, you may set yourself back a month or so!
When you are ready, perform resistance exercises only twice a week. More than that may be too stressful for you. I suggest performing reps with exercise bands or very light weights (2-5 lbs.), but only after you can manage the stretches on this page.
Definition of a Rep
Rep (short for repetition):
How many times you repeat a movement in each set.
Another Form of Resistance Exercise:
Calisthenics - Muscle Against Muscle
When using muscle against muscle, start out slowly. You want to focus on tensing and then releasing a particular muscle group for a certain amount of time. Then you'll move on to the next group and repeat.
Start with no more than 10 seconds of tension in each muscle group and add 5 more seconds each week until you can hold the muscles tense for 25 seconds before relaxing. So by the fourth week, you should be able to tense your muscle groups for 25 seconds.
For example, let's say you want stronger biceps. Sit straight up in a perfect posture position, bend your elbows at your sides, like you are holding a rolled up rug, palms up. Now curl your fingers closed (make a loose fist). Keep your lower arms at waist level. Now slowly tighten up your upper arms and give a squeeze that lasts 10 seconds and relax. Lower your arms. To make this sqeeze more dramatic, you can keep your arms by your sides and begin tensing up as you lift your arms. This makes the whole arm work out it's muscle groups together. You shouldn't be feeling it in your shoulder. Focus on the biceps, your upper arm muscles. In nearly all of the exercises below, rather than doing reps, you could do a 'tense/release' form of exercise instead. This is helpful if you are bedridden or incapacitated in any way.
And now...
The HSPs Exercise Plan!
You may not be able to perform the following exercises at all to begin with. You might have to begin by just going through the motions, without using too much energy at all. Try just flexing and relaxing your body parts. It's OK. It is up to you to decide what you can and cannot do. Don't let others tell you that you are not doing enough. Only you know what you are and are not capable of. You are the only one that lives inside of you, unless you are pregnant.
Try not to be too much of a coward (easy to do when you fear more pain!), but don't stress yourself either. Don't worry about sets. Highly Sensitive People do better with just going through each exercise once and moving onto the next exercise than to wear themselves out with repeating sets, at least in the beginning.
The purpose for these exercises is to relax, not to build muscle or loose weight. These exercises are simply meant to help you to loosen up, help your body to relax and to ease pain.
The exercises are color coordinated to match the chakras they are associated with. Some of the exercises are shown twice in order to reveal an easier technique, or start and finish positions. They are not necessarily meant to be performed in the order shown. You might want to create your own routine out of them and add some of your own moves. I suggest warming up the larger muscles of the body first, then stretching out from head to toe.
Again, the exercises below are to be used as a starting point for those coping with Stress Syndromes. Therefore, these are only 'Beginner' exercises, which may also be used to increase the energy of the associated chakra energy center and the muscle groups involved.
Some HSPs visiting The Captains Lady do not suffer from physical Stress Syndromes. If this is the case, or when you have worked up to a higher fitness level, and would like more of a challenge, I suggest adding resistance bands to your HSP workout. Also, invest in learning Yoga or Tai Chi. Besides swimming, they are the most 'healing' of any exercises you can learn to perform.
Chakra exercises below also make wonderful warm up and cool down exercises for before and after you perform aerobic activities.
Good Posture is Key to Reducing Pain!
It is important to know what good posture is, and isn't, and then to keep it! Standing and sitting in improper positions causes pressure on joints and muscles. I promise that if you keep your head straight and shoulders squared for one week, you will see a big difference in the way you feel, especially if you suffer from head aches, stiff neck and painful shoulders. Practice sitting up a little straighter, not sitting on the round of your tailbone and keeping your chin directly over your chest and not tucked into it.
Good Posture
Now for Those Pain Reducing and Relaxing Exercises!
Hands & Wrist
Hands & Wrist - With all of the computer use, whether it be at work or at home, fingers and wrists take a beating. This exercise keeps the fingers and the wrists limber and relaxed. Form the letter "O" by lightly touching your thumb to each fingertip. After each "O" straighten and spread your fingers. Use the other hand to help if needed. You might use a table to support your forearms.
Chakra#1 - RED - Root (Life-Force) Exercises
Toe Grabber
Toe Grabber - Lay a towel on the floor in front of your chair. Place your feet on the towel with your heels nearest the edge closest to your chair. Keep your heels down and your foot slightly raised while you scoot the towel back under your foot with your toes. When you have pulled back as much of the towel as you can, reverse the motion and scoot the towel out again. Reverse feet and perform the exercise with your other foot.
Tip Toes/Calf Raise
Tip Toes/Calf Raise - This exercise strengthens your calf muscles and the muscles in your feet. I may help to improve balance. Holding onto something for support, get into your good posture position and raise up on your toes for a count of 10 seconds. Lower slowly. You don't have to go real high. Try to remain steady and balanced. You can try one leg at a time, but it is easier to do both feet at the same time. You can do this sitting down as well. Don't do this exercise if it makes your ankles jerk. Try performing this exercise 3 times (equals 30 seconds total).
Back Kick
Back Kick - This is a great hip exercise. Hold on to a counter top, table or chair for support. Move the leg back and up. Keep your knee straight and do not lean forward. Keep good posture. Switch legs and repeat. Perform 5 reps with each leg.
Knee Strengthener #1
Knee Strengthener #1 - Sit in s chair and cross your feet at the ankles. Your legs can be bent (as shown) or nearly straight. Push forward with your back leg and backwards with your front leg. Exert pressure evenly in this locked position for a count of 10 seconds. Relax. Switch legs and repeat. Make sure you breathe normally. Try 3 reps per leg.
Knee Strengthener #2
Knee Strengthener #2 - Sit in a chair and straighten your knee by tightening up your thigh muscle. Place your hand on the top of your thigh and feel the muscle tighten (see picture). Hold for as long as you can up to 30 seconds and relax. Repeat with your other leg. Try working up to 30 seconds and making small clockwise circles with your foot at the same time.
Pushing Feet
Pushing Feet - Lie on your back with legs up in the air, knees a little bent, but not completely. With your feet flexed and toes pointing toward your head, push into your heels. Relax for a couple of seconds and repeat another 4 times, as long as you are comfortable. This exercise is good for grounding the Root Chakra.
Knee to Chest
Knee to Chest – This position stretches the abdominal muscles, lower spine, buttocks, hips, hamstrings and knees. Lie on your back and slowly bring one leg up to your chest, or as high as you can without experiencing any pain. You can keep your opposite knee either bent or straight, whichever is more comfortable. Feet should be placed about 2 feet from your rear end. You can clasp your hands around your thigh (under your knee) or around your shin below your knee-cap. Gently pull and squeeze the knee toward the chest. Take a breath and exhale while pulling the knee in even closer. Inhale as you release the knee back to a more relaxed position. As you are doing this exercise focus on the area where your legs and your rear end meet. Keep your shoulders and the spine relaxed. Perform 5 reps and repeat using the other leg. You may want to hug both knees to your chest for a moment in between each rep.
Hamstring Stretch
Hamstring Stretch – Hamstring muscles are the most powerful muscles in the body and effect your lower back. There are three ways to stretch these muscles as seen in the illustration above.
#1. Lying on your back, bend one knee and lower your foot to the floor, bring the other leg up and grasp behind the back of your knee. Then slowly straighten you’re your leg holding it there for 30 to 60 seconds, or until you feel discomfort. Bend your leg at the knee and rest your foot on the floor. Repeat with the other leg. Do 5 reps with each leg.
#2. Using an exercise band, place the band around the ball of your foot before gradually straightening your leg. Band should be 6-8 feet in length. Hold for 30-60 seconds and repeat with other leg.
#3. Use a door-way to support your leg. Keep your knee straight. You may be able to hold the stretch longer because this is easier, but stick with 30-60 seconds in the beginning. Switch legs.
Gentle Back Twist
Easy Back Twist – Lie on your back with arms stretched out in a “T” position, palms facing down. Bend your right knee and place your right foot on top of the left knee. Grasp your right knee with the left hand and gently draw the knee toward the floor on the left side of your body. Keep the right shoulder pressed to the floor, turn your head to the far right, and gaze at your right hand. Hold for 30-60 seconds, or 5 breaths. Release the knee, extend the leg to the floor and repeat with other leg.
Bridge Pose (with arms relaxed by your side) - Beginner
Bridge Pose – This pose is the opposite of the Cobra (see Heart Chakra Exercises). Lie on your back with your arms to your sides, palms down, hands flat. Bend the knees, keeping your feet on the floor and in alignment with your hips and knees. Heels should come just to line of your finger tips. Exhale and lift your hips an inch while keeping your waistline on the floor. How does this feel? If you have no pain, you can continue to bring your hips up, one vertebrae (spine bone) at a time, so that your waistline is off the floor. Your body should be straight from your shoulders to your knees (not arched). Use your arms and balls of your feet for balance. Slowly lower, one vertebrae at a time, to the starting position. Exhale on lifting, inhake on lowering. Repeat 5 times.
Chakra #2 - Sacral (Womb) Exercises
Hip Rotation
Hip Rotation – Stand up. Keep your knees slightly bent. Move your pelvic area forward, just a little, so it is in straight alignment with the rest of your body. Then, start to make little circles with that part of your body. With each turn, make the circle larger until you have performed 5 circles to the left. Repeat moving 5 circles to the right with each circles getting larger.
Pelvic Tilt
Pelvic Tilt – Lie on your back with your arms to your sides and your palms facing the ceiling. Bend both knees, feet flat on the floor, with knees hip width. Exhale and scoop your spine into the floor as if someone were sewing your belly-button to the carpet. Hold for a count of 5. Then, inhale and release while making a small arch with your lower back for a count of 5. Don’t lift your tailbone off the floor. Repeat. Focus on keeping your shoulders relaxed. Repeat this up and down movement 5 times.
Rock and Roll
Rick and Roll - Lie on your back and pull your knees up to our chest with your hands holding the backs of your thighs. Rest in this position a few seconds. Get comfortable. Then, gently roll your knees from side to side using your hips to rock yourself. Keep your back and shoulders flat on the floor. For those with spinal curves, you may want to place a flat towel under the arch of your back for support. Start 10 rocks for 5 reps on each side.
Goddess Pose
Goddess Pose – Lie flat on your back and relax. Bend both knees and bring your feet close to your rear, allowing your legs to fall apart naturally. Do not make your legs stretch further than they fall naturally. Lay like this for a couple of minutes. Gently bring your knees together and then open them again. Repeat this movement up to 5 times. Breathe deeply and relax. It is normal to tremble a little but you should feel no pain. If you feel any discomfort stop. Bring your legs back together. Gently straighten the legs, one at a time, focus on your breathing, relax for a moment and sit up slowly or straighten the legs one at a time and go into the Relaxation Pose below.
Tip: If this position causes discomfort, it could be from tight muscles that are not allowing the body to relax. Work on some stretches that tone the lower abs, inner thigh, vaginal muscles and rear end.
Relaxation Pose
Relaxation Pose - Imagine a healing white light entering your body with every breath taken in and all of your tensions leaving you with every breath expelled. Begin relaxing all of your muscle groups, starting at the top of your head and working down to the bottoms of your feet. Consciously make your jaw relax, your shoulders relax, your chest area relax, your stomach relax and so on. Lay there completely relaxed for a few moments, roll to your side, slowly push your self up to a sitting position with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Sit this way until you feel your thoughts are collected and you’ve come back to yourself. You don’t want to stand up half asleep!
Chakra #3 - Yellow - Solar Plexus (Tummy)
Chair Stretch
Chair Forward Bend – This is great for everyone! Sit in a chair with knees wide and your feet in alignment directly under them, then slowly bend over and let your trunk, head, arms hang between your legs. Rest your hands on a bowl or pillows if they do not touch the floor. Gently, tuck your chin in a little in order to feel a stretch in the back of your neck. Hold this position for as long as you can only for up to 30 seconds. Then, begin to uncurl yourself out of position, without using your back muscles, by pressing your hands to the floor (or bowl) and begin moving up until your hands are on your knees. Then pause. Place your hands on the side of the chair seat. Pause. Push your trunk up while your head is still hanging forward. Pause. Straighten your head. Pause and breathe for another 20 seconds or so before moving.
Easy Forward Bend
Forward Bend – Stand with feet about hip width apart with knees slightly bent. Inhale while raising arms above your head with palms facing each other. Exhale while you bend forward at the hips and slowly lower hands to the floor until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings. Hold position for 30-60 seconds while breathing normally. When coming up, roll up slowly, arms hanging, chin tucked to the chest. Once you are all the way up, lift your head gently. You can do once or up to 5 times. The Intermediate Forward Bend, below, can be used once you master the Beginner's Forward Bend.
Tip: A soothing variation to this exercise is to pretend you have a broom handle held in both hands as you are bending and straightening. Roll the broom handle up your body from your toes to your hips, then lift your head tall while bringing the handle out and up over your head. Bring the handle back down to your hips, drop your head down, and then bend at the waist and roll to your toes.
Cat/Cow Pose
Cat/Cow Pose – Get on all fours, like a cat. Make sure your hands are aligned under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. The bottoms of your feet should be facing the ceiling (toes pointed). Your spine should be straight. Inhale slowly, tuck in your lower tummy and round your back like a Halloween cat. Head should be down. Then reverse the position by allowing your spine and tummy to sag, like a cow, while bringing your head up and back. Don’t force it. Just relax. Make sure you are inhaling sagging (cow) and exhaling while arching (cat). Repeat cycle 5 times.
Chakra #4 - Green - Heart
Cobra
Cobra – Lie face down on the floor. Place your palms on the floor, fingertips in line with your shoulders. Elbows back and close to your body. Make sure your feet are together. Begin with your forehead resting on the floor. Slowly extend your head so that your chin touches the floor, then lift your head off the floor while raising your upper body. Use your upper back muscles to lift with, not your arms. Look up as far as you can while feeling a stretch in your upper back. Come up only as high as what is comfortable. Perform 5 cycles, then rest for a moment while lying on your cheek.
Back and Shoulder Stretches
I have displayed a variety of shoulder and back exercises so that you might find one that works best for you. Standing, sitting and lying down can all make a very big difference. You need'nt do all of these exercises. Choose one or two favorites and practice with those.
Stretching Your 'Angel Bones' - Stand in your 'good posture' position, pull your shoulders back (the elbows will follow), squeeze, then release. You should feel a stretch in your upper chest. If not, square your shoulders a little more. Repeat 4 more times, or until tired.
Figure 2.
Shoulder/Back Stretch - Lie on the floor with your forehead against the carpet or a towel. Toes are pointed straight out and the bottoms of your feet face the ceiling. Raise your shoulders arms off the floor, swinging back just a little, then release. Perform this up/down movement 5 times or until tired. If you cannot get your shoulders or arms off the ground, just flex your muscles as if you are going through the motion without moving your arms off the ground at all. Flex 5 times, or until tired.
Figure 3. (Right, standing with arms up.) Figure 4. (Face down.)
Figure 1. (Top left.) - The man on the top left is performing the same exercise as in Figure 1. and Figure 2. above him.
Figure 3. (Top Right) - In the standing exercise, raise your arms as illustrated, press the arms backwards and give the back and chest a stretch, then move your arms back into position and repeat 4 more times, or until tired.
Figure 4. (Face down.) - In the floor exercise, lift your arms up off the floor with elbows in a bent position, then lower to the floor again. Repeat 4 more times, or until you are tired.
Perform this exercise as the one above, only with arms outstretched to the side.
Perform this exercise as the one above, only with arms outstretched in front of you. Make sure your forehead in resting on the carpet or towel and you do not have your neck arched.
Arm Circles
Arm Circles - Stand as seen above in the illustration. Using your arms, make small circles that get larger and larger to the count of 5. Reverse direction and do the same. Stop if you experience any pain or feel fatigued. Perform 5 circles to the count of 5 in both directions. This looks simple, but can be tiring in the beginning!
Chakra #5 - Blue - Throat
Neck Turn
Neck Turn - With head up and shoulders relaxed, turn slowly to look over your right shoulder, then your left. Tilt your head to the right and to the left. Tilt your ear a little closer toward your shoulder, but make sure you are not bringing your shoulder to your ear. Only go as far as you can comfortably go. Do not do these if you feel any pain, numbness, heaviness or tingling in your neck, arms or hands.
You may also gently tuck your chin to your chest and then raise your head and tilt your head upwards as if you are looking at the ceiling. While your head is in the upward position, lift your bottom lip and jaw and give the skin on your throat a good stretch. This helps to get rid of the 'gobbler' we women hate!
Chin Tuck
Chin Tuck - In this exercise you'll need to get into a 'good posture' position first by straightening your shoulders, as if you were a soldier (and maybe you are!), and then imagining you are a puppet and a string is being pulled from the very top and center of your head allowing you to straighten even further. Now, without gliding your chin forward at all, only backwards, make yourself double chinned. Then come back to your center position. This exercise is also called the Dorsal Glide and this is actually what you are doing, sliding your chin back and center, back and center. Never forward. It strengthens the cervical (neck) area of the spine. Repeat 5 times.
Neck Roll
Neck Roll - Stand in your 'good posture' position (see exercise above) and gently roll your head to the left for 5 circles. If you feel any tension, stop and massage lightly with your finger-tips, then go on. You can also pause for a moment when you feel tension and wait for it to pass. Do not continue if you have pain of any kind. Do not jerk the neck. Be gentle and slow. Repeat on the right side for 5 circles.
Chakra #6 - Indigo - Third Eye
(True color not shown here.)
To exercise the Third Eye Chakra, you'll want to engage in meditation exercises that are spiritually related. Rather than focusing on a mental picture of the beach or repeating a mantra (words or sentences), try focusing on the energy of the universe and of God's power to restore, heal and to bring enlightenment. Before doing the following exercise, read the information in 'Meditation Pose' below (in pink). Then, once you are in your meditation pose...
...imagine...
you have a third eye in the middle of your forehead. Through this eye you have the power to see what your eyes cannot. There are different ways of using this meditation to discover psychic/spiritual answers to any questions you may have. For example, you may be trying to make a decision about something that requires a yes or no answer. Clear your thoughts until your mind is a blank screen. On this screen, place a yes on one side of it and a no on the other. Decide how your screen will answer you. Perhaps the answer will light up in a particular color. Maybe the incorrect answer will disappear from the screen all together. An arrow may point to the correct answer. Once you have determined how you will distinguish the answer, ask your question. This may lead to more questions or you may have a new one. Proceed from there. Don't try to force the answer. Just go with the flow. There will be time later for reflection, agreement or disagreement. This is an excellent tool for getting in touch with your higher power, your intuition.
There are other meditations you can try as well. If you suspect someone you know of having health problems, you can place a mental picture of their body on this 'blank screen' in your mind and by use of a predetermined color, you will be allowed to see that color show up in the areas of their body that are affected by stress.
Another meditation that increases the power of the Third eye is to clear your mind and then visualize a gold light directly over the crown of you head. Once you feel ready, begin to pull this gold light down through the top of your head, through your body, chakra by chakra, stopping at each one to see how your body feels and reacts to it. Do you feel any relief? How about resistance? Imagine, once you have pulled the light through your body, that your body is radiating with a warm glow from the center of your being. Then imagine this loving light traveling through your arms and legs, springing from your feet, your fingers, and encasing you with a sense of love and compassion for yourself, for the world and everything in it. Stay here as long as you wish. When you are ready, come back to the world and the room you are in. Take a few deep breaths to relax and come back to yourself. Open your eyes when you are ready.
Chakra #7 - Violet - Crown
Meditation Pose
For a Meditation Exercise click 'here'!
Simple Breathing Exercise
There are elaborate breathing exercises, but try this simple one on for size. For 10 minutes, sit quietly and listen to your breath. If you get distracted, let the thoughts pass and resume listening to your breath. Begin by exhaling all the air from your lungs. Then, inhale through the nose for a normal count of 10, hold for 10 seconds, exhale to a count of 10 and repeat. Working up to 20 minutes is the goal. See if you can do this every day or whenever you need a stress reliever.
If you have chronic pain or headaches...
please visit my 'Chronic Pain' web page for tips on how to cope with and manage your pain. There you will find causes of pain, suggested vitamins and supplements, instant techniques to reduce pain, the Anti-Inflammaory Diet and the Auto-Immune Diet, and a few pain relieving stretches as well.
I absolutely love this book!
Stretching Anatomy, 2007. Arnold G. Nelson & Jouko Kokkonen
If you are searching for a book that will show you how to stretch every muscle in your body, this book goes into great detail in showing you the basic moves and the muscles that are worked in each stretch. It also offers 5 levels of 'stretch training' and teaches you to build and tone muscles by holding poses for a certain amount of seconds. Very informative, easy to follow and no equipment necessary.
May Love & Energy Be Yours!
Acknowledgements
Some figure illustrations are by Mary Ann Zapalac from the book, Wheels of Life: A User's Guide To The Chakra System, by Anodea Judith, Ph. D., 2004 (an excellent read on chakras), and also the book, Backache Survival: The Holistic Medical Treatment Program for Low Back Pain, by Robert S. Ivker, D.O., 2003, which I recommend for anyone with chronic back pain. Others are from Group Health Physical Therapy.
