Semi supine position – active rest.

Why do we need an active rest?

With our hectic lifestyles, we are accumulating a lot of tensions in our body during the day. Five to ten minutes of semi-supine help to release accumulated tensions as well as calm our mind and provide stress relief.

What will you need for semi-supine?

• Quiet space for ME time. Enough to lay down comfortably.
  • If laying down on the floor
    – a yoga mat or
    – a blanket will be optimal.
  • Alternatively, any flat firm surface available and suitable for laying down will serve the purpose.
• One or, perhaps, a few paperback books under your head.
  • Consider enough books so that when laying down, a line that connects the chin and the forehead will be parallel to the floor.
• Loose, comfortable cloth suitable for the environment.
• Warm, cosy socks (or bare feet, if preferred) – no shoes.

The detailed instructions for semi-supine.

• Fall gently back into the width of your back.
• Pay attention to your surrounding
  • listen through your ears,
  • look through your eyes,
  • feel the smells through your nose.
• Allow your neck to be free.
• Let the spine release into length.
• Allow your jaw and tongue be released.
• Think of your head moving away from your sacrum.
• Think of your collar bones floating away from each other and away from your shoulder blades.
• Think of your elbows pointing slightly out and down.
• Release your hip joints.
• Think of your knees moving away from your hip joints.
• Think of your head, arms and legs coming out of your back… all very gently.
• Think of your bones being supported by the ground, just like on the picture.
• Take note of your breathing.
• Observe your sensations without judgement – just notice.
• Repeat the sequences to suit your comfort level.

A variation on the semi-supine position.

If it is hard to maintain your knees in the pointing up position without muscle tension and/or you are feeling some discomfort or pain in the lower back, you can use the chair or firm cushions to support your legs.

The chair is also helpful in the early stages to ease the tensions and to promote spine lengthening.