41 Comments
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KaliaKali's avatar

Wow. I needed this! I’m dealing with a couple of compression fractures due to cancer lesions in my spine, and my body has been so hypervigilant and tense that I have not been able to sleep much for weeks. I think I will try number three and then I can try the others after the verteoplasty is done. I think you may have just saved— if not my life —then my sanity. Thank you.

Sarah Felker's avatar

Thank you! I love your posts.

VarianaVolk's avatar

Thank you, Sarah!

Christopher Michael's avatar

Holy cow! I got a proper bolster and tried that first position, and my legs and hips started bouncing, then tremoring, totally involuntarily. I just let it go for nearly 30 minutes. I feel so much more relaxed, it's unreal. Thank you so much for this!

VarianaVolk's avatar

That's wonderful! Thank you for sharing your experience, Chris! Glad you felt the difference. Enjoy!

Beth C Coddiwompler's avatar

I am so grateful to you for sharing this information!

VarianaVolk's avatar

I am glad you found this helpful!

Sail into Consciousness's avatar

Wonderful! I am so happy and grateful for finding your article in my feed! I needed this information. I am going to practice. 🙏

VarianaVolk's avatar

🙏🏻🤍

Mao Zhou's avatar

This is gold! I’m going to incorporate these postures for a few weeks and see what happens. I really have a tight psoas! 😑

Roland's avatar

Huh, I intuitively discovered that what you call the "Constructive Rest" pose is... sometimes preferred by my body when lying down. Good to know the reason behind it.

Kitty P's avatar

Me too! That’s how I always start out in bed. If I don’t fall asleep like this I will straighten my legs just as I’m drifting off.

Mary M's avatar

Thank you! Looking forward to the Alexander Technique article.

Caroline Slatton's avatar

I did Pose 1 today for 20 minutes. It took about eight minutes for things to start releasing, I was so pent up. My legs shook like jello twice for about 30 seconds each time. Oh my gosh, I bet I’m crying tonight.

VarianaVolk's avatar

HI Caroline, thank you for sharing this. 20 minutes is generous and your body clearly needed it. The shaking is exactly what it sounds like, the nervous system letting go of stored patterns. If emotions come, let them. The body doesn't separate tension from the feelings that created it.

Christine Paquette's avatar

Thank you for such a thoughtful and thorough post!

Saving it for sure.

Suzanne Peters-Float's avatar

Thank you so much for this, from someone who struggles to switch off and when l do get around to doing some yoga and stretching, remember how wonderful my body and mind feel afterwards!

Amanda Pepe | Healing 🌿's avatar

I loved this read. So helpful. You see a lot of these poses in yoga too.

VarianaVolk's avatar

Thank you, Amanda!

toolate's avatar

THANK YOU. in the first drawing the bolster appears to be oriented lengthwise or cranio-scarily?

VarianaVolk's avatar

With a standard bolster, yes, lengthwise. But it can be anything really, a folded blanket, a couch cushion, whatever supports the pelvis and legs fully.

Jen Barnes's avatar

Thank you!

Aaron Gray's avatar

Awesome science here, love the detailed research and easy application. Thank you so much for putting this together!

Yvette Putter🇨🇦's avatar

Wow, thank you so much for these clear and easy tutorials.