Yoga for Spine and Neck: Yoga Therapy

4. Spinal Twist

Begin in an upright sitting position with your legs crossed in front of your body, while maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, and hips. Place your right hand over to your left knee while your opposite hand is at your back for support. Engage your core and exhale as you twist your upper body towards your left side. Exhale as you deepen your twist with your gaze towards your back. Hold the position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and then out through your mouth. Relax and repeat the movement on the opposite side.

Counter Stretch: Forward Fold

From the Spinal Twist position, return to the center position, keeping your upper body in good alignment. Engage your core, walk your hands forward, and then hinge through your hips to bend your upper body forward. Lower your head towards the floor as you rest your hands in front. Hold the position for several deep belly breaths through your nose and then out through your mouth. Relax, change the position of your legs, and then repeat the movement.

5. Seated Heart Opener

Begin in an upright kneeling position on the floor with your head, shoulders, and hips properly aligned. Shift your hips back to your feet and interlace your fingers behind your back. Tighten your abdominal area. Inhale, pull your hands down and bring your head back as you arch your mid back to open your chest. Exhale and lower your head, bringing your chin towards your chest as you keep your hands pulled down behind you. Hold each position for a couple of seconds.

6. Head and Neck Stretch

Begin in an upright kneeling position on the floor with your head, shoulders, and hips in proper alignment. Tighten your abdominal area, shift your hips back to your feet. Inhale, clasp your hands behind your back, and bring your hands over your right hip. Exhale and drop your ear towards your right shoulder. Hold the position for three deep belly breaths, in through your nose and then out through your mouth. Return to the starting position and repeat the movement on the opposite side.

7. Wrist Circles

To start this, begin in an upright kneeling position on the floor with your head, shoulders, and hips in proper alignment. Tighten your abdominal area, shift your hips back to your feet. Bring your hands in front of your body at shoulder height.

In addition, you can either close your hands or spread your fingers wide and start rotating your wrists in a circular motion. After several repetitions, repeat the movement in the opposite direction. 

8. Seated Cat-Cow

Begin in an upright sitting position on the floor with your legs crossed. Maintain good alignment of your head, shoulders, and hips. Place your hands on your knees. Inhale and engage your core. Raise your head and arch your mid back. Exhale, and then alternate by rounding out your mid back as you slowly drop your head towards your chest. Repeat the movement, alternating direction. 

9. Seated Disco Cow (Barrel Roll)

Begin in an upright sitting position on the floor with your legs crossed. Place your hands on your knees. Engage your core and move your upper body into a big clockwise circular motion. Relax and then repeat the movement in the opposite direction for 10 repetitions in each direction.

10. Seated Spinal Twist

In this yoga for spine and neck, begin in an upright sitting position with your legs extended in front of your body. Maintain good alignment with your head, shoulders, and hips. ThenBend your left knee and place your left hand on the side for support. Engage your core. Raise the right arm overhead, rotate your upper body to the left side, and anchor your elbow on the outside of your bent knee, bringing your gaze over your shoulder. Inhale as you straighten your spine and exhale as you deepen the twist by looking further behind you. Hold the position for a couple of seconds. Relax and slowly return to the starting position. Repeat the movement on the opposite side. 

11. Windshield Wipers

Begin in an upright sitting position with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, while maintaining good alignment in your upper body. Then place your hands on the floor behind you for support and widen your stance. Engage your core and then rotate your lower body to lower both knees to one side. Repeat the movement.

12. Child’s Pose

Begin in an upright kneeling position on the floor with your knees close together, while maintaining good alignment in your upper body. Then tighten your abdominal area, shift your hips back to your feet, and extend your arms in front or place it on your sides. Lower your forehead to the floor, relaxing your mid-back area for a light stretch. Afterwards, hold this position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and then out through your mouth.

Begin in an upright kneeling position on the floor with your knees considerably wider than shoulder-width apart. Tighten your abdominal area and walk your hands forward as you shift your hips back to your feet. Then lower your forehead to the floor, relaxing your mid-back area. To intensify the stretch, bring your hands together in a prayer position with your fingers pointing toward the ceiling, keeping your head between your elbows. Afterwards, hold this position for three deep belly breaths, in through your nose and then out through your mouth.

Furthermore, if you want to intensify the movement, walk your hands a little further or bend your elbows and press your palms together in a prayer pose. 

Variation 1: Wide Knee Child's Pose

While maintaining a prayer position with your hands, gently lower them toward the floor. Gradually press your fingers to lift your palms and align your elbows parallel to the floor while keeping your forehead on the ground. Afterwards, hold the position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and then out through your mouth. 

Moreover, for added stretch, rock onto the forehead from side to side or lift your head up and lower your ear towards each arm, gently opening up the shoulders.

14. Thread the Needle

From the Wide Knee Child’s Pose position, rotate your upper body to one side as you extend one arm towards the ceiling. Then rotate back and slide the same arm under your body with your palm facing upward, lowering your shoulder to the floor. Rest the side of your head on the floor.

In addition, depending on your comfort level, you can either keep your opposite arm extended overhead for balance or reach it behind your back. Afterwards, hold this position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and then out through your mouth. Return to the starting position and then repeat the movement on the opposite side. 

15. Head-to-Knee Forward Bend (Janu Sirsasana) 

Begin in an upright sitting position with your legs extended in front of your body. Then bend your right knee and rest your foot against the left inner thigh, relaxing the bent knee down. Maintain good alignment in your upper body and engage your core. Inhale, reach your arms overhead, and then flex your left foot, pressing the top of your right thigh down towards the floor. Then slightly rotate your upper body towards your extended leg. Exhale and hinge through your hips to gently bend your upper body forward, grabbing onto either your foot or ankle to pull your hands forward. Hold this position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Afterwards, relax and then return to the starting position. Repeat the movement with the opposite leg.

Moreover, to intensify the stretch, grab the outside of your foot and lower your head towards your knee.

16. Revolve Head to Knee Pose (Janu Sirsasana Parivrtti)

Begin in an upright sitting position with your legs extended in front of your body. Bend your right knee and rest your foot against the left inner thigh, relaxing the bent knee down. Then place your left hand on your right knee as you maintain a good alignment in your upper body. Engage your core and then raise the opposite arm overhead as you bend your upper body to the side. Afterwards, hold the position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Relax and then return to the starting position. Repeat the movement on the opposite side.

Furthermore, depending on your comfort level and range of motion, place your left hand on your right knee and raise the opposite arm overhead as you bend your upper body to the side. Also, grab your left foot with your hand and gaze under your armpit, opening up your side body.

17. Happy Baby

Lie on your back on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, relaxing your upper body and shoulders. Then lift your legs to bring your knees toward your shoulders and grab your toes with your hands.  Afterwards, hold the position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and then out through your mouth. 

In addition, to intensify this exercise for this yoga for spine and neck, you can gently rock your lower spine from side to side. 

Variation 1: Happy Baby

Lie on your back on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, relaxing your upper body and shoulders. Then lift your legs to bring your knees toward your shoulders and grab your toes with your hands. Gently rock your body to the side as you extend one leg out. Afterwards, return to the starting position and then repeat the movement, alternating sides.

Variation 2: Happy Baby

Lie on your back on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, while relaxing your upper body and shoulders. Then lift your legs to bring your knees toward your shoulders and grab your toes with your hands. Engage your abdominal muscles. Depending on your comfort level, gently straighten your legs out to the sides. Afterwards, hold the position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and then out through your mouth. 

18. Knees to Chest

Lie on your back on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Then bring both knees to your chest and hold onto your knees with both arms, looking for a light stretch in the lower back and glutes. Afterwards, hold the position for several belly breaths, in through your nose and then out through your mouth.

19. Butterfly Pose

Lie on your back on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Then place your hands on the sides. Bring the soles of your feet together, tighten your core, and open your knees. Close your eyes and hold the position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and then out through your mouth.

20. Corpse

In this yoga for spine and neck, lie on your back on the floor with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart, while maintaining good alignment in your upper body. Then place your hands at your sides with your palms facing upward. Close your eyes and take several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and then out through your mouth, while relaxing your entire body.