Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Restorative Yoga for College Students

Advice for Desk-bound Students from E-College Finders:
It’s important to recognize our bodies’ need for movement. When we don’t move, we not only lose flexibility and slump our shoulders, but we also inhibit our circulation. This blocked blood flow, blocks the flow of prana (life force) or qi (“chee”) as it’s called in Chinese medicine. Blockages equals a plethora of ailments—lack of lymph drainage, lethargy, excess muscular/emotional tension amongst others.

But what to do—you’re working toward your degree, working in an office—there’s no escape. There is Yoga. Yoga, done on the mat, at the beach, or at your desk can provide a compensatory series of stretches and strength balancing postures to help re-balance the computer-weary body.

The ancient practice, born in India, has fantastic physical benefits for the mind, body and spirit: the whole kit and caboodle. Yoga coordinates breath with movement as it asks you to release and surrender rather than strive and “do”. To bring yoga to the computer-bound, we’ve polled the yoga community and compiled experts’ suggestions for alleviating the elearner’s common cramps and preventing potential complaints.


Here's my offering:

I'd like to recommend that students take a break from their studies to go upside down by taking the pose "Legs-on-a-Chair." This will help them to relieve stress, get rid of neck and back pain and it will help send any fluids that are stuck in the legs and ankles back to the heart to be recycled.

To read the whole article visit E-College Finders and read Off the Mat and at the Desk: A Comprehensive Yoga Guide for College Students.