MBX-1: Awakening Posture

Practicing Awakening Posture relaxes and extends the muscles around the lungs. Useful in coping with a chaotic moment, this posture helps you stretch the long muscles in the torso, making you feel as tall as you can be, while allowing your body to be filled with fresh air.

I’ve found MBX-1 effective just before making a public speech or competition in lowering anticipatory anxiety. This simple exercise can be a game changer, an essential part of my “pregame” ritual.

How to Do:

1. From a natural stance, inhaling through your nose, raise your arms to the side until your hands are above your head. Do this very slowly and mindfully.

2. At the top of the extension above your head, overlap your hands together, with the palms facing upward as shown at left. Inhaling further, as deeply as you can, push your hands upward to maximum extension. At the same time, push the diaphragm down (this stimulates the nerves around the lungs, enhancing alertness). Take in abundant oxygen as you breathe deeply. Hold this posture for 2-3 seconds.

3a. Open your fingers wide.

3b. Exhaling slowly, lower your arms to the side. Do this movement very slowly. You may feel an electrical sensation as your arms reach the halfway point.

4. Gently drop your hands to your side, taking a deep breath.

Practice Tip:

1. Raise your arms inch-by-inch, inhaling, feeling the heavy sensation on the upper part of the forearms rolling down toward the shoulders as the arms rise.
2. At the maximum stretch of your arms, push your elbows toward your ears for additional stretch. And feel the squeezing sensation of the head between the arms.
3. When you lower your arms, feel the sensation from the shoulders and scapulae spreading toward your forearms, flowing down your inner hands as you lower your arms.

You may repeat the exercise as many times as you need or wish to. The goal is to reach a state where your mind is quieted but alert and energized.