Depending on your lifestyle, there could be many reasons for a stiff neck and shoulders.
First, observe your unconscious daily habits. How you sit and lay down. Are you sitting too much? How’s your posture? How much do you slouch while using your phone or computer?
The same goes for reading at your desk. Observe yourself and begin to take note. Make adjustments to reduce strain and tension. Use the energy of the legs to move up into the pelvis and spinal column when sitting by using your legs to support the lift of your spine. Keep your pelvis level. What is happening in your shoulder girdle?
Look in the mirror and observe yourself for imbalances between the left and right sides, especially the space at the neck. Pay attention to those annoying signals you receive and tend to brush off until the pain has become intolerable.
Elongate, maintain a balance between your left and right side of your body, make space, and support yourself when needed to get the correct alignment.
If a building is leaning, it’s only a matter of time before a collapse happens. The same is true with our spinal column, the supporting vertebrae, and surrounding muscles. These imbalances can be improved upon, and in many cases reversed.
In this video, you will learn a few ways to practice different actions to prevent, as well as release the tension and imbalances required in order to promote a healthy shoulder and neck.
Of course, there are many more but this should get you started.
Yoga is a deep dive into knowing yourself. We must start with the body as it’s right there in front of us giving us signals all the time. Yoga teaches us to become aware of our bodies at the granular level. We should be able to pick up on the subtle imbalances and correct them as they arise, which is key to preventing improper programming.
“The flow of energy in the human body is like the flow of water in a river. In a river, the force of the water directs the flow. If the force is less or non-existent, it can cause a drought; if excessive, a flood. Similarly, when one part of the body is overused, it leads to an overflow of energy, and if it is underused, there is an energy-deficit in that part. Both parts ultimately suffer.” –BKS Iyengar