10 minute morning practice (To open the body and get the energy flowing).

This is a quick routine from the book Integral Life Practice by Ken Wilber, Terry Patten, Adam Leonard, Marco Morelli (one of my recommended reads). It's perfect for warming up before movement, in the morning to wake-up the body, or anytime you have 5 minutes during the day:

  1. Roll your head, stretching your neck, and then turn it, looking left and right. 

  2. Rotate your shoulders in circles forward and back. 

  3. Swing your arms up over your head and around in large circles, both forward and backward.

  4. Open your chest by bringing your arms out to the sides and swinging them forward and then back several times. 

  5. Put your hands on your hips and circle them, clockwise and counter-clockwise. 

  6. Do a forward bend with a straight back. 

  7. Bend your knee and grasp your foot in your hand. Raise the foot upward toward your rear, stretching your quadriceps. Repeat with the other leg. 

  8. Put your hands on your knees and bend your knees slightly up and down and then circle them gently. 

Then, some enlivening exercises to wake up the body’s energy centers and channels. Use your loosely closed fist or open hand to gently pat the entire surface of your body: arms, chest, abdominals, and legs. Be sure to include both the front and back of your arms and legs.

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