yoga tip-tension and release

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Relax and Renew: Tension and Release

It's a paradox that sometimes tension is the best way to create release. In fact, we experience this each time we practice yoga. Our practice is, in some ways, all about creating tension that we can finally release when we move into Corpse Pose (our final resting posture). But we can use the same principle in smaller ways, including for relaxation during the day. Try this: Lay down on the floor or on a comfortable couch or chair. Begin to systematically tense and relax every part of your body. Start by tensing and relaxing your toes, then move up your legs, through your belly and back, and eventually all the way to your forehead. At the very end, tense every muscle in your body as hard as you can for twenty seconds. Then release completely into the support of the floor or the chair and stay there for several minutes. You'll be surprised by how relaxed you can become.