Spring Cleaning Belly Twists With Yoga and Aromatherapy

According to the principles of yoga, doing poses or asanas that twist and turn the body, such as the Belly Twist Version A, massages the inner muscles and organs, essentially wringing out toxins while bringing in a rush of fresh oxygen and nutrients. This flushes impurities from inner tissues and helps organs perform their functions properly. Among other benefits, this is an effective method for improving sluggish digestion. Other benefits of this pose include the stretching the back muscles, realignment and lengthening of the spine, and hydration of the spinal disks. The contraindications of this pose are recent or chronic injury to the knees hips or back.

Practice combining the Belly Twist with Young Living’s Di-Gize™ essential oil blend to enhance your body’s ability to digest and eliminate. Di-Gize™ provides valuable aid for digestive concerns and helps support a healthy digestive system. It is a blend of tarragon, ginger, peppermint, juniper, fennel, lemongrass, anise and patchouli.

The exercise is best practiced on an empty stomach.

Preparation:

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent. This will take pressure off your lower back and soften your abdominal muscles.

2. Apply 2 drops of Di-Gize™ diluted with a small amount of V-6 massage oil or any fatty oil such as almond or olive oil to your abdomen. Gently massage your abdomen in a clock wise motion, beginning at your right lower abdomen, up the right side to right rib cage, across your abdomen, just below the diaphragm, down the left side of your abdomen and then across your lower abdomen to where your began. Drop into the sensation of the massage and begin to slow down and deepen your breathing. This clockwise abdominal massage traces the motion of your large intestine’s elimination process and can assist with constipation. Repeat this 7-10 times.

Belly Twist Instructions:

1. Remain lying on your back, bring your arms out to the sides with the palms facing down in a T position. Bend both knees into the chest.

2. Exhale drop both knees over to the left side of your body, twisting the spine and low back. Slide the knees as close to the left arm as possible. Turn your head to the right and gaze at your right fingertips.

3. Keep the shoulders flat to the floor, close the eyes, and relax into the posture. Let gravity pull the knees down, so you do not have to use any effort in this posture.

4. Breathe and hold for 6-10 breaths.

5. To release: inhale and roll the hips back to the floor

6. Repeat on other side.

7. Go back and twist on the side you started at and switch again.

After the Belly Twists, remember to drink several classes of water to keep the your body’s cleansing process in motion. Though there are a myriad of yoga poses and essential oils for cleaning the digestive system, this one is very simple and effective.

Spring is a great time of year for planting the seeds for your intentions. When our bodies are properly eliminating, we have more energy for creating and manifesting.