stressless mind - a state of tranquility
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Modified Yogic exercises - Destressing of the body
It is very essential to have a destressed body in order to reach a state of stressless mind. A body which is physically stressed or tired can generate or aggravate the mental stress. The vertebral column and its associated array of, tiny as well as huge and powerful muscles(numbering around 100) which are being subjected to a day to day physical stress building and its accumulation
due to our normal activity of standing erect, walking, running, jumping etc. This physical stress is basically a byproduct of our ability of standing erect. The nature"s method of relieving this stress is by way of a good sleep or reclining down atleast for 6-8 hours a day.
In case if this does not gets effected , the stressed spine and its tired muscles give out constant mild or strong pain or irritation impulses to the brain , which leads to a continuous attrition in the brain and then thereby the mind becomes stressed. This stress when combined with other mental stresses generated due to the society, job, finances , family etc. becomes more than enough for the mind to handle and thus it gets stressed.
The ancient Indian philosophy of Yoga already envisioned it , and incorporated Yogic exercises to relieve beforehand physical stress in order to reduce the mental stress. There are a number of Yogic exercises described, but presented herewith are a few exercises based on Yogic philosophy , modified or even devised anew to achieve the aim of reducing the physical stress of the spine.
The objective of all Yoga based exercises is to stretch certain joints and muscles in a particular direction which shall counter the day to day physical stress . This stretching shall relieve the stress applied to the joint capsules, ligaments, tendons, fascias, muscles and even the bones.
It improves blood circulation in these areas thus leading to a better viability of these tissues, removal of accumulated unwanted excess tissue fluids (cause of fatigue) plus removal of tissue waste products.
CARE should be taken to do the exercises in a slow and gradual manner,increasing the stretch and pressure to reach naturally permissible limits initially, stay shortly (10 - 30 seconds) at this point and then gradually return to the original state. Repetition of a few times of one type of exercise in one sitting would be enough.Exercising once a day is enough but may be done twice with a gap of 8 to 10 hours.
CAUTION :
- The Yogic exercises are not to be done with speed or excessively repeated.
- Don't overstretch the joints. The stretchability shall increase with the time to a limit.
- Don't exercise on full stomach, when feeling hungry, during illness or weakness.
Exercises
- Exercise no: 1 - Place the feet 18 to 24 inches apart, hands stretched above head, bend the body slowly forward, try to touch the floor or as low as possible with the tips of fingers, stay there for 10 to 30 seconds then retrace slowly and relax. Repeat a few times.
- Exercise no:2 - Place the feet as before, hands on the waist, bend to one side as much as possible, stay for 10 to 30 seconds, retrace slowly and relax.Repeat a few times then do it on the other side.
- Exercise no:3 - Place the feet as before, hands on the waist, bend the body backwards as much as possible easily without falling, stay for 10 to 30 seconds, retrace slowly and relax.
- Exercise no. 4 - Place feet as before, one hand on waist and raise the other hand vertically up at the shoulder, try to push it up as much as possible as if you are attempting to touch the ceiling, stay for 10 to 30 seconds, retrace slowly and relax. Repeat a few times. Repeat on the other side in reverse.
- Exercise no. 5 - Stand close to the wall, face opposite. The heels should be 2 to 3 inches away from the wall. Now with the feet firmly in position slide down your bottom by bending the knee and the hip joint simultaneously till you acquire an " h " shaped position i.e. back of the thighs in firm contact with back of legs, front of thigh in firm contact with the abdomen and the bottoms a few inches above the floor.Stay for 10 to 30 seconds, stand up slowly, relax and repeat a few times.
- Exercise no:6 - Lie flat on the floor or hard bed, raise both lower limbs with simultaneously bending the knees, so that the front of the thighs comes in contact with the abdomen then. Then use both the arms to press the buckled lower limbs to your belly as firmly as possible, stay for 10 to 30 seconds, release slowly, relax and repeat for a few times.
- Exercise no:7 - Lie flat on floor or hard bed.Rotate your body on the vertical axis so that you are completely on one side.Fold the hand on the underneath side and place it under your head like a pillow. Now bend the knee of the lower limb on the upper side bringing as close to the abdomen as possible, stay for 10 to 30 seconds, release slowly, relax and repeat a few times.Do it for the other side in reverse.
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