Serenity Breathing - Capitol Hill Massage

Serenity Breathing

25 Feb Serenity Breathing

Serenity Breathing

Purpose

To release tension in the mind and the neck when . . .
• Many muscles in the neck are tight
• The muscles have forgotten how to relax
• The neck is painful and sustained stretching is too challenging
• You are trying to restore a healthy relationship between breathing and neck muscle movements

Serenity Breathing

Sit with a comfortable upright posture. Allow your head to fall slowly toward your chest until the first feeling of tightness at the back of your neck. At the same time breathe out slowly and deeply.

Now, slowly roll your head and neck toward the right shoulder as you breathe in (arrows # 1, 2 above). Roll your head as far as you comfortably can, guided by a feeling of pulling on the opposite side of your neck (the left) or a bit of compression on the same side of your neck (the right). Stop at the point where your head is beside the shoulder. Don’t roll backward from here!

At this point, allow your head and neck to slowly roll toward the centerline again, as you breathe out (# 3, 4). Time your exhalation and your motion to coincide so that you have finished breathing out by the time your head is flexed forward in the midline of your body.

Continue the rolling motion toward the left shoulder as you begin inhaling again (# 5, 6). Complete the inhalation and the rolling at the same time. Now neck roll toward the midline and exhale at the same time (#7,8).

Continue rolling from side to side, inhaling as you roll toward the shoulders and exhaling as you roll toward the midline. As you proceed with the movements, let yourself breathe and move more and more slowly. Eventually, it should feel like your neck is moving without effort, almost as if it is the breath that moves the neck. Do the serenity roll for a couple minutes the first time and slowly work your way up to 5 minutes.

This information is not intended as medical advice. It is not a substitute for any type of treatment that may be prescribed by a physician. All responsibility for liability, injury, risk or loss related to the use of this material is assumed by the person using this material.
Copyright © 2009, by Doug Alexander
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