Variation of the seated stretch allow you to completely relax

This pose is all about letting go. The breath is the trigger to the mind to release. The pose ends with the exhales as you release into rest. 1. Sit up straight on the floor, your knees bent at 90 degrees and your feet planted firmly on the floor shoulder width apart. When you think you are completely relaxed, close your eyes. 2. Place your right hand behind your back just above your belt line and with the fingers bent, slide the left fingertips down your spine, the right hand behind it, until you feel a stretch behind your right shoulder blade. Your palm and right hand should be flat on your spine. 3. Continue down your back and then gently place your right elbow across your right knee.

With each breath, use your abdominal muscles to slightly lift your pelvis and chest. Breathing into the pose and using the abdominal muscles are how yoga teachers lift their students up, and so it's essential that you continue to breathe into your practice until you feel relaxed. Continue lifting as tolerated.

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Use the tips in the previous two poses to get comfortable with the idea of lifting upward without losing the connection between your hip and the ground.