New Every Morning ..."great is Thy faithfulness!"

"Child's Pose" variation to Squat

Begin every morning on your knees in the humble position called "Child's Pose" (Balasana in Sanskrit) while speaking and listening to your most loyal friend and Creator, who desires to be in a personal relationship with you! At first, spend a minimum of fifteen minutes alone with awareness of your thoughts and breath, speaking and listening in order to complete the communication cycle with your Creator.

• Physically---To begin, select a quiet space of at least six square feet, and use a folded blanket or pillow under the knees and/or ankles if the kneeling prayer position is uncomfortable or distracting. Aligning the knees directly out of the hips, or pointing them out to the sides to make space for the abdominal organs, support the weight of the head by resting the forehead on the thumbs of folded hands and the elbows just above the knees.

When circulation in the knees, ankles or feet becomes an issue, exhale immediately while making a sighing sound and tucking the toes under the heels and press into the pads of the toes to increase circulation and release tension in the connective tissues of the toes and heels. Then, slowly rocking back into a squatting position with the heels aligned just under the "sit bones" at the base of the hips, inhale deeply through the nose only while looking up toward the source of every breath. Wrap both arms around the knees (if possible) to honor your personal "temple of God's Holy Spirit" by treating your body with respect, and exhale all tension in the ankles.

• Mentally---At first, keep the mind focused and present in each moment by practicing "conscious breathing," aware of deepening each inhalation, and lengthening each exhalation in order to smooth the breath into a fluid flow of spirit energy into the body, while releasing tension down and out of the body. If the "monkey mind" leaves the body and plays in a past or future time, just return again and again to each present breath without judgment or emotional response.

• Spiritually---With each inhalation softly speak the words, "I receive this breath of ________ (for example, unconditional love toward all people) with gratitude." With each exhalation, say "I release all tension and all toxic thoughts such as _________(for example, judgment, anger, resentment)."
  Finish by reading the "fruits of God's Spirit" in The New Testament Book of Galatians 5:22-3.

• EnJOY---the flexibility in your heels that will increase with daily practice to improve forward lean in snow skiing! See you on the slopes! plf