Bridge pose is a great way for teens to stretch, reset, and reconnect with themselves. Discover how this calming yoga posture can support wellbeing with this step-by-step guide.
All over the world, bridges provide a link between one location and another. In yoga, bridge pose – Setu Bandha Sarvangasana in Sanskrit – is said to assist with building a connection with the higher self. This gentle inversion, meaning the heart is higher from the ground than the head, opens the heart area, stimulates the abdominal organs and thyroid gland, and stretches the spine, hip flexors, and thighs.
HERE’S HOW TO GET INTO BRIDGE POSE
1 Begin by lying flat on your back, legs outstretched, arms alongside your body, palms facing downwards and resting on the ground. Take a few breaths here.
2 On an in-breath, bend your knees, and draw your feet towards, but not touching, your buttocks. Keep your feet and knees hip-distance apart. Exhale.
3 Breathing in, press down evenly through your feet and lift your hips off the floor. If this is difficult, you may find it helpful to place a yoga block or a bolster under your sacrum (the triangular bone at the bottom of your spine). Exhale.
4 Again, on an in-breath, open your shoulders, drawing your shoulder blades towards each other. From here, press down through the shoulders into the ground and lift your chest skywards, raising your lower back and bottom off the floor.
5 Bring your hands together beneath your sacrum and link your fingers together while extending your arms towards your feet. Keep your neck and head flat on the mat with your gaze directed upwards. Take a few comfortable breaths here.
6 When ready, unclasp your hands and let your arms return to your sides. Release your shoulders and slowly lower your spine, beginning from your shoulders and, vertebra by vertebra, working your way down to your buttocks, until your back is flat on the ground.
7 Take a few breaths here, then bend your knees, bring them to your chest, give them a hug and gently rock back and forth or from side to side to counteract the pose.
8 When ready, release your legs and extend them flat along your mat. Observe the effects of the pose on your being.
As with all physical activities, please do not attempt if you have any medical or physical conditions that may be aggravated. If in doubt, talk to your doctor first. Younger children should be supervised.
WORDS: Dawattie Basdeo
ILLUSTRATIONS: Sara Thielker
This article was originally published under the title Bridge to Bliss in Issue 48 – From the Heart. You can get this issue here to enjoy more mindful inspiration.
