HEALTHY BOWEL SYSTEM
from the Aquarian Teacher Yoga Manual
1. Windmill
Stand with feet slightly wider than shoulder's width apart. Bring the arms straight out to the sides parallel to the ground, palms down. Inhale; turn to the left, elongate. Exhale; bend forward from the waist, bringing the right hand to the left foot and the left arm straight up in back. Inhale up. (Bend from the hips, not from the waist). Continue moving up and down to the same side for 1 minute, in a rhythm of about 10 seconds per cycle. Then switch to the opposite hand and foot and repeat for 1 minute. When done correctly the navel and legs do a lot of the work, not the arms and neck.
Awtar’s suggestions: Firm the thighs to keep the life nerve long. Keep the hips centered.
Modification: Don’t strain to reach the floor, use a block, chair, or table to bring the floor to you.
2. Continue alternating 5 Seconds
Continue the same motion but alternating sides and pausing for 5 seconds as the hand touches the foot. 3 minutes. Don’t push the spine or neck aggressively. More progress is made when moving slowly and consistently. Head moves last because it always follows your heart.
Let your pelvis revolve on its axis. This will bring the torso closer to the legs while keeping your heart and head in alignment…Keep the navel engaged. When coming up use the rebounding energy from the push against the floor to lift the torso up keeping the spine in alignment.
Dark side of inhalation is collapsed back. You may want to come up vertebrae by vertebrae.
If your lower belly and navel are not in control, your lower spine will collapse. Use the pelvis as a lever to lift the whole spine up. In this manner you can float up. Bowing is a floating exercise when you do it right.
3. Continue alternating 25 Seconds
Continue the same alternating motion, but pause for 25 seconds as the hand touches each foot. 2 minutes.
Moving from the navel point can give you an incredibly leveraged life.
4. Hold
Hold position touching the foot for 2 minutes on each side.
5. Relax 2 - 3 minutes.
6. Side Bends.
Come standing up, with legs wide apart, arms parallel to the floor and palms down, bend to the side from the waist, letting right arm come down the right side as the left arm comes up. Come back to original position, stretch down the left side and then return to the original position, 6 seconds per side. Continue for 1 minute.
Awtar’s Suggestion: Focus on lengthening from the foot up trough the finger tips.
7. Standing Torso Twists.
Start in the position of the previous exercise. Twist the torso and arms all the way to the right, back to the original position, then twist on around to the left and finally back to the center, always keeping the arms in a straight line with each other, 2 - 3 seconds per complete cycle. Continue for 1 minute.
Awtar’s Suggestion: Keep the knees and hips facing forward.
8. Relax for 10 minutes
Make yourself comfortable and deeply relax on back for at least 10 minutes.