Halloween can be creepy and spooky, but it can also be lots
of fun. Getting dressed up in a costume,
taking the kids trick-or-treating or watching a scary movie are all ways to
celebrate the death of the summer season and the darkening of the days. It’s also a good time to take a break from your
normal routine and try these four fantastic yoga poses. They will keep your spine flexible, stretch
your thighs, open up your hip joints, and help you relax deeply. Enjoy!
1. Cat Pose (Marjaryasana)
Boo! Have you ever
seen a cat puff up when they are scared?
Try it! Begin on all fours. Breathe in and lift your chin and tail. When you breathe out push your back upward
like a cat. Look back at your belly
button. You can even hiss to push all
the air out of your tummy. You should
look like a scaredy cat, or a cat just waking up from a nap. To warm up your back, time your breath with
your back movements. Breathe in while
lift your chin and tail, then breathe out all the way and curve your back like
a cat. Keep going until your back feels
warm and fuzzy.
2. Frog Pose (Bhekasana)
Bubble, bubble, toil and
trouble. Fire burn and cauldron
bubble! Forget about witches and
goblins, Frog Pose is a fantastic way to stretch your thigh muscles or
quadriceps. Lay on your tummy. Bend your knees so your feet touch your tail,
or come close. Press on the top of your
feet with the palms of your hands. Lift
up your chest and breathe. Flex your leg
muscles. Open up your ribcage in the
front of your chest. Breathe
deeply. Croak, croak!
3. Lizard Pose (Utthan Pristhasana)
Lizards may be slippery and slimy, but Lizard Pose is
one of the best poses for opening up your hip joints. From all fours, step one foot forward to the
outside of your hand. Stretch your other
leg behind you with your toes curled under in a wide lunge. Bring both hands to the floor inside your
bent leg. If it feels nice, rest on your
forearms like a lizard resting on a rock.
Keep your back straight. Breathe
in and lift your head and chest slightly.
Breathe out and gently press your hips toward the floor. Take 8 deep breaths on this side, then switch
legs so you stretch the other side too.
4. Corpse Pose
(Savasana)
Ah, death… the final and most complete form of rest thus
far discovered by the living. It’s something none of us like to think about,
but all of us have to find our peace with. Corpse Pose is our path to
practice. It is the way most yogis relax
and reflect after practicing yoga. It’s
a great way to focus on being still and quiet as you pay attention to your
breathing. Lay comfortably on your
back. Separate your legs and let your
feet flop open. Relax your arms next to
your body. Separate your teeth and relax
your jaw. Close your eyes. Can you feel the tiny space between your
eyelid and eyeball? Notice all the
little things you feel in your body.
Pretend to be dead but keep breathing! Breathe slowly and deeply. Feel the air flowing gently past your
nostrils. Breath is the one gift we so
often take for granted, but without it we would not be alive. Stay here until you feel totally relaxed.
Whatever you do this Halloween, be sure to make doing yoga
part of your plans. It’s a great way to
slow down, tune in to your body, focus on your breathing and just take a break
from everything you have going on. Happy
Halloween!
