Yoga Pose to Aid Digestion through the Holidays

In this season for celebration there are often times when the digestion system becomes a bit, shall we say, overtaxed.   Rich foods and larger quantities add up to unhappy tummies.  Relief is at foot in the form of a simple yoga pose, Rock Pose of Vajrsasana, that can be used to aid digestion in a healthy, natural way.

This posture gets its name because it is said to give you the ability to digest rocks - not that I recommend you testing out the name to that degree!   However, it's beneficial effects on the digestive system are quite valuable as well as it's ability to make you solid and balanced as a rock.

To come into Rock Pose, begin by kneeling on both knees with the top of the feet on the ground.  Then sit back on the heels.  If you are uncomfortable in this position, you can place a small pillow between your heels and your buttocks.  Keep the spine straight by placing the heels on the sitting bones, lifting the chest and sternum slightly upward, and gently stretch the back of the neck straight by pulling the chin toward the back of the neck.  The head stays level and centered and the muscles of the neck and throat remain loose.  The legs can be apart or together, but try to fit the heels right into the little notch at the top end of your femur, just under your buttocks where the sitting bones are and where there is an acupressure point which invokes a sense of calm and stimulates digestion.

In this position, breathe deeply through the nose, consciously moving the breath into the digestive areas.  Just three minutes a day is a wonderful gift to your digestive system.

© 2009 Jamie Durner. All Rights Reserved.

 WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Jamie Durner, BodyMind Coach™, holds multiple certifications across the health and wellness disciplines including Nationally Certified Massage Therapist, Registered Kundalini Yoga Teacher, and Credentialed Life Coach. She is the creator of the “Total Self Mastery” self care program and publishes “Healing and Harmony” monthly Ezine and blog with easy-to-use, FREE tips to move beyond chronic imbalance and into healing and harmony (sign up at www.jamiedurner.com).  She is a nationally published author in the book “Yoga in America”, HealthWise Magazine, Ezine Articles, and HealthyWomanGuide.com.  She is also the yoga expert and instructor for Your Health Professional online professional exercise program.