A two-birds-one-stone approach to easing your body and mind through mindful stretching.
With fall in full swing, many of us are looking for self-care habits to stay peaceful as we head into the colder months. With shorter days and fuller schedules, it can be tricky to make time for both movement, and mindfulness practices. So why not try something that combines the two?
If you’ve ever been interested in meditation and you’re looking to move your body more, mindful stretching might be for you. Mindful stretching involves moving through different stretches to bring length and ease to your muscles, while also focusing awareness on your breath and what you feel in your body and mind.
At Flexibility with Vera, mindfulness is a core element of all of our stretching classes. Mindfulness can be a lofty word, so here is a list of you can bring it to your stretching practice.
1. Intention
What do you want out of this class? How do you want to feel after? Which of your goals led you here?
2. Breathe
Are you holding your breath? How is breathing feeling? How is your breath affecting your stretches? Do you feel an increase in your depth when you breathe out?
3. Timing
Can you slow down a little more? Can you find some rhythm in your movements? Are you moving at a pace that feels best for you?
4. Form
How is the stretch feeling in your body? Can you make any small tweaks to your form to get more out of your stretch?
5. Recovery
How are your muscles feeling? How can you care for yourself between sessions? How does rest feel?
Mindful stretching is a wonderful tool for our mental and physical health. If you’re new to mindful stretching, taking classes that incorporate some of these prompts can be incredibly useful.
Why not see for yourself? Try out a class in the on-demand library.