Yoga Therapy: neck alignment, the sternocleidomastoid

Wonderful explanations. I felt this class helped me a lot. Thank you Sandra ;) I work on a computer a lot and I do tend to drop my head and stretch my neck forward. I think I need to do this class every day, or at least some of the exercises from it. I've recently been having some lower back issues and when you did the twist with the knees to the side, I could really feel it in the lower side back. I think my back issues are likely to be closely related to this unnatural neck position I have when I'm using the computer. I will be more mindful of it now. Thanks again :-)

@ Ramani; thank you for your comment. Having difficulty in keeping the knee on the floor and the straight leg straight, indicates stiffness in the hip muscles. Take a prop (blanket or block) to sit on. Make sure you have enough height so your low back curves in (arches). Practice pressing the thighs (and sit bones) into the floor will engage the muscles in the hips and keeping that, stretch the legs long. This will open the hips. Check out my classes (search on "hip openers") for specific classes to help stretch those deep muscles.

Thanks for the advice, Sandra. I did your class for the lower back and hips today. I will spend the next week or two addressing these areas. By the way, simply loved your suspender asana in this video. I now do it at random moments during the day. It is like a quick pick-me-up. Thanks once again.

Learned so much from this class, Sandra. You teach anatomy through yoga in such a way that it makes one understand why one's body is doing what it is doing, and how one can help it to work better. Thanks so much. I would appreciate it if you could explain to me, Sandra, why I may be finding it difficult to do parshava paschimottasana - my bent leg refuses to stay on the ground and my straight leg also finds it hard to keep stretched out, even though I sit on a folded towel to raise my hips. Thanks in advance.

Beautiful class, calm and peaceful, thank you Sandra

@Lauren: dizzy and lightheadedness is not a great sign, so I would suggest doing the routine with less intensity, making sure you are grounded in your body (mindful breathing) and maybe slowing down the pace a bit until you are comfortable with the exercises. Hope that helps you. @Kirsty: Happy it works for you :)

@Vivienne: yes, this class might help you improve alignment in the neck, which could help with the click and the ringing in your ears. Another neck alignment class will follow soon, so watch out for it! Good luck! love, Sandra

@Meliors- there is no limit as to how often you can do this class (although I would advise to keep it to a maximum of once a day; there is such a thing as too much yoga!) When your alignment is good, and you feel more relieved of pain after class, that is an indication that the class is working well for you. So keep it up! love, San

Lately I have been dealing with neck stiffness and soreness. This felt like a massage from the inside out and my upper half feels effortlessly in alignment again, in a weightless kind of way. I will make this a regular routine. Thank you.

Thanks, Sandra. This was an experience. I could actually feel the increased space in front during the final bow to the heart. I do need to bring more awareness to my neck alignment at work.

That was challenging for me! It was also just the class I needed to help with many other poses. I will be repeating this often. Thank you Sandra.

Thank you so much! I have had so much issues with my neck because of misalignment of my neck, from my years of intense computer gaming. This is just what I needed, I will do this often. My arms are also stiff, I lost feeling from my right arm from keeping my hands connected behind my back. Gotta work on that also.

Loved this !

beautiful class, compliments many others on the site. thanks!

Thank you sandra for this practice Sumathi

My neck has been hurting the past few days, this class was great to help me be more aware of my neck alignment. Thank you!

My chiropractor called this condition Upper Cross Syndrome along with tight pecs and week mid-upper back muscles. I had an extremely tight and painful jaw with shoulder and neck pain that just kept getting worse. I had no idea all of that could be caused by bad posture! So I've been working on improving my posture and strengthening the week spots and relaxing the tense spots for over a year now but this class has boosted my progress tremendously. I did the class yesterday, along with your happy feet class, and today I feel amazing!

I decided to see if this might help with my ear ache, which I suspect is more of a neck ache than an infection. Sure enough, by the end of the session the ear/neck ache was somewhat relieved. I've just done the class again for the second time within 12 hours and I can feel my sternocledomastoid starting to strengthen and be able to work properly. The earache is definitely improving! Sandra, is there a limit to how frequently I should follow this practice? I feel like while I'm dealing with this acute pain, the more I can bring harmony to my neck the better but I don't want to overdo it.

Really great explinations, Sandra and important reminders. My alignment has improved dramatically since first finding this video. I come back to it occasionally to refresh. Extremely grateful!

Sandra, thank you! I've been visiting an osteopath for the past 2 months for my neck, shoulders & upper back, while it has been helpful, this class has been fundamental in my understanding off my posture. I've never felt better! Universal amounts of gratitude to yourself, Esther & the Ekhart yoga team!

Thank you Sandra - very useful for my arthritic neck - well taught with good tips...

Thank you for some fabulous reminders; I'll check my "suspenders" throughout the day! Namaste.

Thanks a lot for the helpful class and explanations! I did it for the third day in a row now, and I have Great benefits already , specially in my work as a singer, where a good alignment of the neck is very important !

This class was perfect for me this morning. Thank you! I felt slightly dizzy and lightheaded at times, a release of tension perhaps?

Sandra, thank you for this class! It's become part of my regular routine, and I try to do it at least once a week to counteract my head-forward posture and kyphosis. The principles you talk about -- keeping the rib cage long, opening up the sternum, looking foward with the heart rather than the head -- help me stay aligned throughout the day. I've been doing various spinal alignment exercises for years, and I can say that this has been one of the most helpful series that I've done. Looking forward to more of your yoga therapy classes! ~ Anne

This was a great class, have tension in my neck and assumed was a quick movement I did, doing the class I realised it has been a misalignment that has built up....the therapeutic and flow made a grate and practical practice. "Alignment" is something in my experience we need to return again and again and this class was just perfect for it. It is ironic I was given for granted that my neck alignment did not need a check up!s thanks you Sandra!

Harmony is my natural state. I love this practice. thank you, Sandra. I'm so happy I found this video, it was just want I needed and wanted.

I have a click in my neck and jaw which they say no pathology just tension, plus tinnitus. could this help me ?

I grew ten centimeters! Wonderful practice...

An inspiration and something I will repeat often. Looking forward to te next neck alignment class. It was pointed out to me last year that my upright position is actually leaning slightly back, and that I therefore walk on my heels, my head slightly uptilted. I have done this my whole life. At the same time what I thought was hip deterioration was been diagnosed as stress. The past year I have been focussing on correcting, relearning, and awareness and to do this started yoga. Problems still with pain from a numb left leg , through SI reaching right up to sore left side of neck My neck feels very weak leaning back feels like it could snap(!) if I dont hold my head for support. I would like to say that The neck alignment, happy feet, lotus hips(you tube), wrists and shoulders recovery, knee health videos have been relevations and immensely helpful, and if you have any other advice as to programmes I would be very grateful to hear.

I'm so happy I came across this class. Such important things, and just what I need at the moment! I now feel I want to do this class many, many more times.

Thank you, much needed!

Just wonderful. This class found me at just the right time in my life; I will practice it often. Feeling aligned & happy. Thank you Sandra!

I enjoyed this class. thank you Sandra!!

Thank you for this Sandra:):):) I love your voice:):):) I love what you said about all muscles working harmoniously when we are balanced:):):) Yummmmmmm:):):)

An awesome class. I too, loved the suspender analogy to help with alignment. I will use this often through my day to check my neck and head a,if meant. I feel 2 inches taller and my headache is gone. Your voice was also very soothing. :)

How did it take me so long to find this video.?! Thank you. LOVE the suspenders asana and I'll be sharing that idea widely.

The pain i had at the base of my skull reduced significantly after this practice. Thank you so much. Namaste!

Brilliant, i loved that class, thank you Sandra.... :)