A Millstone around the neck?
CHENNAI : The yogic neck loosening exercises that one needs to follow for a good posture
Preparation: Warm up your body with a five minute walk. Loosen your arms and shoulders. Sit on the floor or on a chair with your back held upright. Keep the back of your neck straight and bring your chin in the neutral position, neither too raised nor too low. Finish few relaxed breathing cycles.
● Inhale at the neck neutral position and drop your chin to your chest to a slow count of four. Exhale. Hold for four counts (breathe normal). Inhale and bring your chin up to the neutral level for four counts and take your chin up to face the ceiling for four slow counts. (Total eight counts). Exhale. Look at the ceiling and hold for another four counts all the while breathing normal. After an inhalation move your chin slowly down to your chest (eight counts) and exhale. Witness all the tightness in the back of your neck dissolve. Feel relaxed. Repeat the sequence for one round if required.
● Place your neck in the neutral position. Inhale and drop your chin to your chest. Exhale and hold for four counts. Next inhale and move your chin across the collarbone and take the chin to the right shoulder. Your chin should make an attempt to touch the right shoulder. Exhale. Hold for four counts. Return the chin to the chest in the center. Inhale and move the chin to the left shoulder. Exhale and hold for four counts while breathing normal. This completes a half circle. Witness all the tightness on the side of your neck dissolve. Feel relaxed.
Repeat the sequence for one round if required.
Contraindications: People who suffer from chronic spondylosis must get a go-ahead from their doctor before commencing yoga. If you have work/posture related neck pain you may not be able to perform the full range of motion of the neck but with practice the neck will slowly recover. Avoid making full circle with your neck when suffering from spondylosis.
● Starting from the neck neutral position, inhale and bend your neck to the right so that your right ear touches (or almost touches) your right shoulder to a slow count of four, exhale. Hold for four counts while breathing normal. Release the neck, inhale and return to neutral position for four counts. Inhale again and bend your neck to the left so that your left ear touches your left shoulder for a slow count of four. Hold for four counts while breathing normal. Inhale and return to neutral position.Witness all the tightness on the side of your neck dissolve. Feel relaxed. Repeat the sequence for one round if required.