by Radha Yudhavir

Created on: August 21, 2010

The Rag doll stretch yoga pose is built on the instinct of simply letting yourself limp, in order to relax. In doing this pose you mimic a flaccid rag doll and let your body droop without making any effort to control your movements. This way you nourish your hips, spine, and arms. In addition it also calms your mind and helps you to be at peace with yourself.

This is an ideal way to beat stress at the end of a tiring day. It is an easy pose to do, as you do not have to exert yourself in any way. It is also an instinctive pose, and you will find toddlers doing it when they play.

But although it is an easy an instinctive pose, those with any hip, spine or lower back related ailments, or extremes of blood pressure should consult their physician.  Also learn to do this exercise under the guidance of a qualified yoga therapist.

Stand erect, with your feet spaced apart and with a shoulder’s distance between them. Inhale deeply, and as you exhale, bend down forward from your hips and lower your head. Your nose can come down to the level of your knees as you bend your body in the shape of an upturned ‘U’. Let your hands down loose and do not place your palms on the floor. You may close your eyes after bending forward.

If your palms touch the floor and impede your keeping your body limp, you may fold your arms from the elbows and hold your left upper arms with your right palm and your right upper arm with your left palm. Relax all the muscles of your abdomen, arms shoulders and legs and let your body hang limp. Gently sway your torso from side to side.

You may bend your knees slightly forward so that they do not inadvertently stiffen, and ensure that all you muscles are relaxed. As you sway your body from side to side as a swing, keep breathing normally. You can introduce a variation here by lifting your back a bit and letting your hands straight down.

If need be you can stand on a platform so that your arms do not touch the floor and repeat the swaying motion. Let you arms sway like a pendulum.  Make circles with your arms in a clockwise and in an anticlockwise manner to relax better. Let your spine also swing freely by gently shaking your hips.

After doing this movement for as long as you are comfortable, you may slowly raise your torso up. You need to come up slowly, literally bringing up one vertebra at a time, to bring up your back followed by your neck and head. As you straighten up, you may breathe slowly for some time before you open your eyes.

At the end of this exercise you will feel relaxed with all the tension and stress having disappeared or considerably reduced.

Sources:

Yoga - Rag Doll
http://www.101bodybuilding.com/yoga/yoga-rag-doll.ph p


My Top 5 Favorite Yoga Poses
http://www.wellsphere.com/yoga-article/my-top-5-favo rite-yoga-poses/3984

Rag Doll Yoga Pose
http://www.ehow.com/video_4976809_rag-doll-yoga-pose .html

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