As December approaches, we often look for ways to lighten our moods and hearts. It's an easy time of year to get lost in election results, the potential difficulties of family gatherings, the change in weather and amount of daylight, and the desire to hibernate. Here's a mini-lesson to help you along the path toward lightness, whether it's mental, emotional, or physical.
1. Sit towards the edge of your chair with your feet on the floor. Look slowly up towards the ceiling a couple of times and notice which parts of your spine move and don't move. Find a point on the ceiling that you can look at easily, and remember where it is.
2. Bring your palms together in front of your chest with your finger tips pointed to the ceiling (a common prayer pose). A couple of times, keeping your palms touching, gently raise your hands straight towards the ceiling to a comfortable height, then slowly bring them back down to neutral.
3. Repeat Step 2, allowing your eyes and head to follow the movement of your hands so you look gently toward the ceiling as your raise your hands, then come back to the horizon as your hands come back to neutral.
4. Repeat Step 2, but this time, gently look down towards the floor as you raise your hands, then bring both back to neutral.
5. Let your hands rest, and repeat Step 1. See how far and easily you can look at the ceiling now, and how much of your spine is moving. You may experience a sensation of lightness or openness in your chest.
May you have a warm and plentiful Thanksgiving, surrounded by people you love.