Good things come in small packages. And we think this is particularly true for the Mini Prana Bolsters, Toronto yoga teacher David Good talks us through five ways to use it.
1. Supported Back Bend
Place the Mini Prana Bolster just below your shoulder blades, allowing your shoulders to touch the floor. You can keep your arms overhead or by your sides. If you find it's too intense for your lower back, use the bent knee variation.
Relax for 3-12 minutes.
2. Side Lying Pose
Lay on your side with the Mini Prana Bolster under your rib cage. Support your head with your lower arm or a folded blanket. Your top arm can reach overhead or bend at the elbow and rest on your side. Throughout this lateral bend, breathe and focus on the opening the top side of your rib cage.
Relax for 3-12 minutes on each side.
3. Supported Cobra Pose
Place the Mini Prana Bolster under the bottom of your rib cage to support a cobra pose. You can straighten your arms, or bend your elbows for an easier modification.
Focus on extending your spine, not compressing the low back, by drawing your heart forward. Hold this pose for 1-3 minutes.
4. Core
Place the Mini Prana Bolster between your inner thighs and squeeze to fire up your core. If needed interlace your fingers behind your head for support and lift your shoulders off the floor. Scoop your core in and up, drawing your pubic bone toward your sternum bone.
Adjust your arm and leg positions to vary the intensity. Bend your knees to lower the intensity, or keep them straight to increase it. Also, increase the challenge by reaching your arms forward or straight up. Hold for 5 slow breaths, then release. Repeat three times.
5. Meditation
Find a comfortable seat on your Mini Prana Bolster by sitting crossed-legged, your pelvis higher than your knees. Tilt forward to add a small natural lumbar curve. Draw the belly in and up.
Commit to meditating five minutes every day. As you become more comfortable, increase in five-minute increments.
David Good
David Good teaches Hatha and Restorative Yoga in Toronto, Ontario. David believes in opening your mind and heart to a new way of thinking about the body and its potential. For a full schedule of David's classes visit davidgoodyoga.com. Follow David on Facebook and Twitter.
