Body Movement Exercises

 

  • Begin by placing feet shoulder-width apart.  Hands are in prayer posture.  Close eyes. 

Allow yourself to feel the ground beneath you.  Also begin noticing your breathing.

  • Open eyes.  Bobbing of arms-start slow, slowly…

Goal: loosen shoulders, joints, and head—releasing all that is heavy.

  • Make circles with feet.
  • Move shoulders back—release (breathe too).  Repeat four (4) times.
  • Move shoulders forward—release (breathe too).  Repeat four (4) times.
  • Move shoulders up—release (breathe too).  Repeat four (4) times.
  • (Place) hands on shoulders—paint circles (with elbows), wider each time, then reverse.
  • (Place) chin on chest—head looks over left shoulder, forward (center), (then) right shoulder.
  • Sway arms—up and down; start slowly (letting your) head follows.
  • Sway(swing) (your) arms-side to side; start slowly (letting your head/torso follow)
  • Extend left arm, (with) right hand grasp left wrist

A. Extend/reach as high as possible

B. Reach to (the) right side

C. (Reach) back up, stretch(ing) as high as possible

D. Close eyes as releasing and pay attention to how the left side feels

  • Repeat cycle with right arm.
  • (Place) chin on chest, slowly going down one vertebra at a time.  When all the way down, let arms dangle; return up one vertebra at a time
  • Stretch (your) chest, clasping hands behind back, slightly pull down
  • Stretch (your) back; hug yourself
  • Make hand into cup at waist

A. as breathing in, bring cup up to shoulders

B. as breathing out, push cup back down to waist

C. as breathing in, extend arms out coming in front of face, above head

D. as breathing out, hands separate and come down on each side, reforming cup

Repeat 3-5 times.

 

Final Prayer

 

A.  Form prayer hand, feet grounded:  I open my hands to the heavens and receive from God all that is good

B.  and let it flow through my body,

C.  and give it to the earth and receive from the earth all that is good

D.  and give it to the east—to the west

E.  to all human beings, to all creation

F.  and from all human beings and all creation I receive what is good.  Put it together and let it nurture and grow in my heart.