Partner Twist

Some benefits:

  • connect with someone you love
  • increase flexibility in the spine
  • release toxins
  • massage visceral organs and facilitate digestion and elimination
  • shoulder opener

Contraindications:

  • use caution if you are prone to low back issues and/or injury
  • first trimester of pregnancy

Entering the pose:

            Partner poses call on us to be attentive to our own bodies and communicative about our experience in the pose. In addition, they add the extra layer of being aware of the other person’s experience in the pose. Throughout the process, go lightly, play, breathe and just enjoy both the pose and each other.

            Come to a comfortable seated position. If either partner has difficulty getting to the floor, sit on chairs. Face each other with knees touching. Take a moment to close your eyes and center – connecting first to your own body and breath. Take the hands to the heart and gently open the eyes. Feel your sits bones reaching down into the Earth to ground you. Reach through the crown of the head to keep the spine long.

            Each partner reaches the right arm up, keeping the right shoulder from creeping up around the ear by drawing the shoulder blade down towards the waist. Take the left arm out to the side, bend the left elbow and sweep the left arm behind the back, ending with the left fingers at the right side of the waist. With the right arm, sweep down and across the midline of your body and reach for your partner’s left hand.

            Now, the partner work begins.  Draw slightly back on your partner’s hand at the same time as you release into the guidance of your partner’s energy. Find your own balance between give and take, between resistance and release, between self and other. Enjoy this beautiful dance as you continue to lengthen the spine with the inhales and release deeper into the twist with your exhales. Communicate openly with your partner through your words, your body and your breath. Enjoy!

 

            When you are ready to exit the pose, release hands with an exhale and come back to center. Most importantly, end this pose or your partner work with a hearty “Namaste” to your partner.