Day 19 | Face the Sky

Trying something new and exploring new perspectives inspires the Beginner’s Mind. Your mind awakens to observe and sense "normal" things as new and wondrous. With this comes a sense of presence, which reduces stress and energizes. 

Presence pause: What does it feel like to explore your posture?  To stand with your feet slightly separated, spine straight, and arms on your outer thighs. Roll the shoulders back and away, creating space in the chest.

How does your mind feel after a few deep breaths in while holding this posture and fully engaging your lungs? How does it feel to consider an even more expansive stance? Are you willing to try? What sensation arises in your chest at the thought of another step?

Action:

Inhale and place your right leg about three feet away from the left one. Turn the right foot out to your right. Slide your left foot slightly inward, making a 45-degree angle with the leg. Exhale completely. Breathing in, extend your arms at shoulder level, palms facing the floor. Lean your torso to your right. As you exhale, bend sideways to your right. Bring your right arm down. Let the right fingertips rest inside the right foot.

Roll your shoulders back and away from your ears, allowing the chest to open to the ceiling. Inhale and lift your left arm to the ceiling, stacking it above the right arm. 

Gaze up and face the sky. Tuck the pelvis inward, engage the core muscles, and hold the posture for several breaths. Keep the legs straight and active by engaging the muscles of the buttocks and thighs.

Inhale and slowly come back to the center. Join the feet together to come back to the starting position. Repeat and face the sky on the other side and explore new perspectives in presence.

 (Bonus : this is a yoga posture to improve lung capacity.)