This is a simple centering morning practice known in Sanskrit as Aparna Kriya which means morning, cleansing. It should be practiced every single a.m. If joints are healthy, food digests correctly. Agni is the fire in the belly that digests our food. When Agni is slow, food becomes AMA. AMA (toxicity) builds in the physical body when our digestive fire isn’t strong enough.
In the morning, you mostly feel stiffness in the joints. Popping and cracking in the joints are due to dryness and roughness. The synovial liquid in the joints can be sticky and thick – we want it to be smooth which in turn holds the nourishment in the tissue and the joint.
Do this joint series slowly – to move energy thru the full body, concentrate more on the exhalation and include it with breath practices.
Perhaps a ujjiya breath with lips softly together, jaw unhinged – think “ahhhhhhhh” on the inhale and a bit of a longer “ahhhhhhhhhhh” on the out breath. See my blog on my site on Breath. Another pranayama suggestion (moving breath of energy thru the physical body) is a count of four through the joint movements and also thru the range of motion. The breath should be slow, long and smooth.
This simple, undemanding practice will leave you feeling a freedom of ROI movement you didn’t know existed and leave you feeling full of energy and a liberation. Note: alternatively, do this seated in a chair – it’s all very doable in a chair.
view the practice here…. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgOq0p3_4Ko
Peace, love & dogs,
Linda Benton