Desk Yoga - "The do Nothing Posture"
by Juien Reeves
With all the craziness at work, it is worth taking a little time to just sit. That's right, I'm talking about doing nothing, letting everything go. No stretching, no bending, no knee-hanging, just sitting in a chair with your breath, inhaling and exhaling without distractions.
It sounds easy enough, but I say its much trickier than you might think. Some say doing nothing is the most advanced yoga posture there is. Fortunately, the flexibility of this posture is of the mental kind rather than of the braiding-yourself-into-a-human-floor-rug variety.
Furthermore, the Do Nothing has an air of dignity to it, reminiscent of the erect royal figures of ancient Egyptian statues. So while doing nothing won't be working any of the major muscle groups perse, it does help to calm and tone the nervous system; it may even encourage your inner king and queen -- which is great provided you don't accidentally start shopping like one!
- Find a straight-backed chair and an out-of-the-way place, the quieter, the better.
- Sit firmly, feet and knees together, with the soles of your feet flat on the floor.
- Press your back straight against the chair, with your head in line with your spine, your chin perpendicular to your neck.
- Let the palms of your hands rest flat on your thighs just above your knees (right hand on right thigh, left hand on left thigh).
- The idea is to sit tall, yet without rigidity.
- Either close your eyes or pick a spot in front of you to focus on.
- Gently press your lips together and begin breathing freely through your nose.
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