by Leza Lowitz

Instant Maui is just what the name implies—a little slice of paradise. It’s the perfect pose to practice when you need a little break from life. It’s a great way to stop time, recharge your batteries, and literally kick your feet up. I love to do this pose during busy times such as Holiday Season. I really do feel as if I’ve had a mini vacation.

Instant Maui is one of the most accessible inversions in yoga, with the pelvis elevated and the legs resting on a chair your heart is higher than your head and your legs are higher than your heart, which stimulates the parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) part of the autonomic nervous system to induce calm and well-being. The support under the spine, with its hammock-like suspension, creates space in the lower back, while the inversion helps to release fatigue, tension and swelling in the legs, draining lymphatic fluid. This cooling, calming pose relieves stress, lessens back-ache and fatigue. Instant Maui is great practice before bedtime to ease insomnia and calm the nervous system.

Setting Up

To set up for the pose, you’ll need the following: yoga mat, folding chair, regular chair, or couch, 1 bolster, 1-4 blankets, neck pillow (if available), eye pillow.  A sandbag is optional. If you don’t have a bolster, you can use pillows or rolled-up blankets. If you don’t have a sandbag, you can use a bag of rice or other grains.

Start by spreading a yoga mat on the floor. Place a chair at the foot of the mat or bring the mat up to the edge of a couch. Fold a blanket into a square and place it on the chair (leaving some hanging over the sides/edge to fold over the feet). Taller people may need to add extra blankets on top of the chair so their calves can rest comfortably on the support.

Place a bolster horizontally across the mat, near but not against the legs of the chair or the edge of the couch. The longer your legs are, the further away from the chair legs or edge of the couch the bolster needs to be—taller people may need to have it as far as a foot away. When you’re in the pose, your thighs should be at a comfortable angle, not straight down from the support.

Place another blanket or neck pillow where your head and neck will rest. If you have extra blankets, fold them in rectangles and place them under each arm, as seen in the photo.

To Come into the Pose

Sit on the middle of the bolster, and swing your legs one at a time, onto the chair. Keeping your pelvis on the bolster, scoot up close to the chair, so that your knees rest right at the chair edge. Place the back of your calves evenly on the chair or couch. If it’s comfortable, your feet can rest against the back of the chair like our model but people with longer legs will need to take their feet through the opening at the back of the chair in order to have the backs of their knees at the edge of the seat. If your chair has no opening, you can turn it sideways.

Lie back onto the props and ground. Make sure your blanket and neck pillow provide ample support under your head and neck (all the way to your shoulders) so that you can drop your chin and look toward your heart. If your legs aren’t relaxing comfortably on the support, try moving the bolster or adding more blankets under your legs. your

Allow your chest to be broad and soft. Extend your arms rest away from the body, palms up. Allow the backs of your hands to rest on the floor, and let your fingers be soft.

Variations

Use a stack of two blankets folded into long, thin rectangles instead of a bolster under your hips.  If needed, place additional support under your pelvis. Some people like to place a belt around the calves, below the knees, to keep the legs together. You may also place a weight on your calves, below the knees, for a grounding sensation. You can use both a belt and a weight if desired.

For a sense of safety and containment, wrap your feet like this:

You may also wrap your hands in blankets or towels and support your arms and hands, with the wrists and hands elevated. You can also cover your entire body with a blanket for added warmth, as well as a sense of safety and containment. If desired, use eye pillows in the palms of your hands to add extra weight and grounding.

Practicing the Pose

Allow your body to soften, melting into the places it makes contact with the floor or a prop. Simply let go and release into the support. After some time, bring your attention to your breath. Simply notice the natural flow of the breath coming in and going out. Later, observe your breath and focus on filling your lungs evenly, right and left. As you inhale, consciously expand your chest both upward and outward; as you exhale, release the breath slowly and smoothly. Breath awareness will have a soothing and calming effect on your nervous system.

Continue to soften your heart, ribs, and belly.  Let your legs rest on the chair and your pelvis float. Anchor your awareness in the sensations in your body by following the breath as it moves in and out, finding stillness as you open and expand into the pose. Allow yourself to feel a sense of gratitude and acceptance. If there is any pain or discomfort, come out of the pose or take a variation.

Stay from 10-20 minutes. When you’re ready to come out, bend your knees and place the soles of your feet on the prop. Let the sandbag slide off or loosen the yoga strap if you are practicing those variations. Rest with your feet on the chair or couch until you feel ready to bring them off the chair onto the ground. Then scoot away from the chair or couch and slide your pelvis and hips off of the bolster so you are lying flat.  With bent knees, roll onto your right side and rest for a few minutes. Enjoy some quiet breaths before coming up slowly, head last.

Instant Maui is the perfect gift to give yourself—and others—this Holiday Season. You will feel rejuvenated and refreshed in body and mind.

 

You can read more about Leza’s writing at www.lezalowitz.com and about her yoga studio and classes at www.sunandmoon.jp.

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