Floor Yogi

Ever wondered why people of certain cultures have better posture or are more flexible? For instance take the Indian culture. And this could be the native people of our country or the Indians across thousands of miles, namely Hindus. These two cultures of people do something on a daily basis that we Westerners don't do often do at all, and that is sit on the floor. They sit, squat even lunge and they are the more flexible for it.

Oh we sit plenty, but it's not the "right" type of sitting. We sit in our cars or sit at desks all day in front of computers. When was the last time you actually sat on the floor? Were you 4 years old sitting in "circle time" at preschool?

Consider how tight are bodies have become over time because we sit in hard chairs that do nothing for our posture or our weight. We sit, sit, sit all day feeling our shoulders round, our backs slump, our hips tighten and our thighs widen. Everything just feels tight and miserable.

Take a cue from these wonderful people and sit on the floor once in a while. What are the benefits you ask? How about supple joints, a better posture, a stronger back and more open hips. The only drawback I can think of is for some, having the difficulty of once getting down on the floor, not getting back up.

So, start out small. Sit on the couch with crossed legs or feet together in a butterfly position. Your knees may start up pointing towards the sky, but eventually with time, they may open up. Sit up tall with a nice straight back, roll your shoulders back and down, and start to notice the change.

Blessings,

Susan