Before getting into the Yoga poses it is first essential to carry out some gentle warming up.
- Sit crossed legged and upright, or if that is not comfortable for you, simply find a sitting position that suits you but make sure your back is straight.
- Push your shoulders back and down, straighten your spine and lift your head so that you are looking straight ahead.
- Inhale and exhale deeply, calmly and slowly through your nose and feel yourself relax.
This should take around four to five minutes before you feel relaxed and at peace with the world.
Yoga Pose 1:
Now start to lift your face upwards as you slowly inhale until you are looking at the ceiling, hold for a moment and then as you breath out gradually lower your chin to touch your chest.
Five repetitions should suffice.
Yoga Pose 2:
Keeping your chin in touch with your chest and your shoulders down, inhale and slowly roll your head to the right feeling the neck stretch as your ear goes above your right shoulder.
At the same time reach out with your left hand and touch the floor as far from your body as you can. As you exhale gradually bring your head and arm back to the original position. Perform the same sequence on the other side of your body.
Repeat this sequence five times.
Yoga Pose 3:
Remaining in this position slowly and completely rotate your head from left to right then right to left being sure to keep the back straight and shoulders down. Repeat five times each way.
Yoga Pose 4:
Remain in the position and place your hands , palms down behind your back in line with your hips. As you inhale deeply and slowly, lift your face to look at the ceiling, pushing your rib cage out while arching your back. Exhale and let your chin touch your chest as you bring your arms to your front and your hands on your knees.
Repeat five times.
Yoga Pose 5:
In the seated position bend your body forward with your head touching your knees (or near) and extend your arms as far back and as high as they will comfortably go while slowly inhaling. Hold the position for a moment then exhale and regain your original pose.
Five repetitions are sufficient.
When completed, sit quietly in the starting crossed legged position with shoulders down, back straight and facing straight ahead.
Breath in and out deeply and slowly for two to three minutes before standing up.
There are other Yoga poses that can help with neck strains and pains but these five should be sufficient to relax the muscles and alleviate the discomfort before graduating onto the more complex poses and meditations.
Finally some of the routines described here can be adapted to your everyday work life if you are sitting at a desk. Rotating the head and shoulders and raising and lowering the head can all be carried out in the work place. Just remember to combine with the deep and slow breathing described above.
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