Omer Day 37
22 Iyar 5780
Saturday 16 May 2020

Omer Day 37: Strength within Connection

Maintaining strong connection takes work! Relationships tend not to sustain themselves in vacuum. The same is true for our bodies. If we don’t maintain core connection points like our hips and spine, we lose function, and the relationship between these connectors and other parts of our body suffers. 

So for today, Gevurah within Yesod — strength or endurance within connection — we focus our wellness practice on strength and mobility for the hips and back. Take your time with these and pay particular attention to your positioning so that you’re focusing the movement specifically on the target areas.

Shabbat Shalom!

☀️Omer Day 37 practice [22 Iyar 5780 | Saturday 16 May 2020]☀️

Alternate between the following three movements for three rounds: 

  1. Active Pigeon (Round 1: 10 reps + 10 sec hold each side; Rd 2: 8 reps + 8 sec hold each side; Rd 3: 6 reps + 6 sec hold each side)
  2. Bent-over thoracic stretch (One 30 second hold per round) 
  3. Supine spinal twist (30 second hold each side)

🌀Materials🌀

  • Open floor space
  • Desk, table, or similar height surface

✨Practice Notes ✨

  • Active Pigeon: 
    • Begin in the top of a plank position, straight arms, hands directly below shoulders. Bring your right leg up so that it is just inside your right hand, either parallel to or slightly behind.
    • Keeping only as much weight in the hands as needed (you may even shift into fingertips if possible) and shoulder square to the floor, drop the right knee to the outside. Drop the knee as low as you can go towards the floor (touching the floor is possibly but unlikely for most) then bring the knee back up to your starting position. Repeat for the number of reps per round. On the final rep, hold the knee at the bottom for 10 seconds (or 8, or 6). 
    • Bring your knee back to the top, switch feet, repeat on the left side.
    • (link)
  • Bent-over thoracic stretch: 
    • Find a table or desk surface, or chairback, where you can lay your hands at about hip-height. 
    • Facing the object, move your feet back far enough that you can bend over at a 90 degree angle, legs straight, knees only slightly bent, hands on the object.
    • Tuck / round your tailbone so that your lumbar (lower spine) is curved *away* from the floor.
    • Pushing your hands into the object they’re on, pull your hips back and push your thoracic (upper) spine through your chest, curving *towards* the floor. Hold for 30 seconds.
    • You should primarily feel this stretch in the thoracic spine, and likely in the shoulders as well. You should *not* feel this in your lower back. If you are mostly feeling the stretch in your lumbar, re-tuck your tailbone and reposition.
    • (link)
  • Supine spinal twist:
    • Lay down on your back.
    • Bend one knee and then twist so that the bent-knee leg is laying on top of the straight leg. Keep your shoulders in contact with the ground. Feel the twist primarily in your hips and lower back.
    • Hold for 30 seconds then switch to the other side and repeat.
    • (link)

☀️ This post is part of our Omer Wellness Series – a daily 7-minute opportunity for introspection and intentional focus on caring for ourselves, each other, and our environment in this incredibly challenging time. ☀️

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