Waking Energy 7 Timeless Practices Designed to Reboot Your Body and Unleash Your Potential

chest and belly to release fully. Let your back passively drape down toward the floor and close
your eyes. Breathe into your upper back, chest, and shoulders, especially the places where you’re
feeling restriction or discomfort. As you exhale, release your chest even farther toward the floor
and release any holding or bracing you may have been engaging in unconsciously.
4. On your next inhalation, ever so slowly and carefully come out of the pose. Start to walk your
hands back toward your torso and press yourself back into the Child’s Pose directly, to recharge.
5. Repeat the entire sequence on the opposite side, and then come into the Child’s Pose.
Eye of the Needle
Meridian pair: Liver and gallbladder
IN BALANCE: Compassion, peace, love
Shadow emotions: Anger, frustration, stress
Whenever I want a gentle hip opener that both relieves a feeling of muscular congestion in the pelvis
and lower back and allows me to take a rest at the same time, I turn to the Eye of the Needle. It
always reminds me to breathe into my back, which is not something I am always doing consciously. It
has the same benefits as the more challenging hip openers, but is more accessible and a great
preparation for deep relaxation and sleep.
1. Lying on your back, with your feet flat on the floor, knees bent, cross the right ankle on top of
your left knee so that your right knee opens out to the side and the left leg is completely relaxed.
Now thread your right arm between your legs and bring your left hand around the outside of the
left leg to meet it. Interlace your fingers around the back of the left thigh, or if you’re more
flexible on top of your shin, creating a hammock for your legs. Ideally, your right ankle is
positioned on top of your left thigh in such a way that you feel a good stretch in the right hip, but
no pain in the knee; either have the ankle bone lining up with the middle of your left thigh or
simply let the outer edge of the right foot rest on your thigh.
2. To experience contrast in the pose before you begin, flex your right foot strongly as you press
your shoulders actively down against the floor. Then relax the foot, just making sure that it
maintains its position crossed over the left knee.
3. Allow your arms, legs, and feet to soften completely. Close your eyes and breathe into your right
hip and any other areas that are calling to you. Feel your body getting heavier and starting to melt
into the floor. Lengthen your spine and release any compensatory tension in your shoulders or
neck as you settle into the pose, allowing your chest and belly to soften as you give over to
gravity.
4. To exit the pose, with eyes closed, slowly unwind your legs and send them up to the ceiling. Then
begin the Monkey Dance, in which you lie on your back, extend your legs straight up to the
ceiling, and shake them. Start shaking them slowly by just allowing the flesh on your legs to