How to use your body to soothe your mind.

Calm Practice

Twists

Twists help to bring balance to our nervous system. They are calming when we feel anxious and stressed and uplifting when we feel flat and stuck.

Here are a few ways you can use twists:

• Seated Twist: Start in a seated position, inhale deeply and on the exhale being your left hand to your right knee as you reach your right arm behind you to rest on the  floor. Remain fairly upright through your spine. Inhale two (2) breaths before exhaling as you move back to center. Repeat on the other side. For a more fluid movement, inhale at the center, exhale to twist, inhale in the twist then exhale as you return to the center before flowing to the other side. 
• Standing Twist: Stand with your feet hip-width apart and begin to rotate from the hips and torso, twisting left and right in a rhythmical sway. Allow your arms to be heavy and to naturally follow your movement, gently tapping the sides of your body.
• Supine Twist: Lie down and bring the soles of your feet to the floor with your knees pointing towards the ceiling. Extend your arms out to the sides. Allow both knees to fall over to your right while keeping your shoulders on the floor. *You might need to support your knees with a bolster or pillow under them. You can move you head to gaze to the left. Repeat on the other side.

Spend about 1 – 5 minutes in this practice. Imagine that the twist is wringing out anything you no longer what to hold on to, just like wringing water out of a sponge.

*

Join a Yoga class at a local studio or on the Peloton App to experience different variations of twists with a community. Last weekend I joined one of Denis Morton’s 20-minute Yin Yoga classes on the Peloton App. We ended this class with an extended Supine Twist on each side, using a bolster (or pillow) for support. I highly recommend this class to calm your mind, release tension from your body, and feel less stuck.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reference

Ballagh, R. (2024). Twists. 101 Ways to Find Calm: How to Use Your Body to Soothe Your Mind. P. 60-61.