In today’s practice, we delve into the gentle art of chair yoga, specifically targeting tension in the neck, shoulders, and upper back. This routine addresses the widespread issue of tightness in these areas, a common byproduct of modern living dominated by screens and less than ideal postures. Our guide walks you through poses and techniques designed to unravel that knotty stress and invigorate your energy flow.

Before starting your yoga session, set a calming environment. While the guide takes place conveniently on a chair, ensure to subscribe, like, and engage with the content if you've found it beneficial. Sit comfortably, begin with an inward focus -- take a few moments to ground yourself and become aware of your breathing and bodily sensations.

The session begins with shoulder rolls to enhance mobility and release upper body tension. You'll lift your shoulders towards your ears and then roll them down and back, repeating the motion several times for optimal loosening. Engage in these movements while maintaining attention on your breath.

• Roll shoulders up to ears, then down and back.
• Switch directions to cover full shoulder mobility.

Following this, stretch arms by extending them outwards and gradually raising them higher. This increment promotes a progressive opening of your shoulder spaces.

Explore deeper stretches with Eagle Arm poses. This involves crossing your arms at the elbows and either grabbing opposite shoulders or further intertwining your arms. By rounding forward, you leverage a healthy spinal curve while deepening the stretch.

• Cross arms, with one elbow beneath the other.
• Try to bind the arms together or rest on opposite shoulders.
• Round forward to stretch the upper back.

Transition into ‘Cactus’ arms, opening through the chest with an inhale by pulling the shoulder blades together. Exhale as you round forward, pressing palms and forearms together. This movement alternation perpetuates the stretch cycle, adding balance between open and closed positions.

• Inhale to open arms and chest wide.
• Exhale to bring palms and forearms close, simulate a hug.

To massage tension points around the neck and shoulders, reach back with your opposite arm and loop it around. Angle your head gently to one side to access a deeper neck stretch. This simple motion is wonderfully effective in alleviating built-up stress.

“When was the last time you gave yourself some love and kindness like this?”

Conclude the practice with some lingering moments of self-reflection and deep breathing. This final step completes the loop of calming the nervous system, offering serenity post-exertion.

Ultimately, this chair yoga sequence offers immediate benefits to anyone experiencing the cumulative effects of poor posture and chronic desk time, actively releasing tension while empowering you to forge paths of self-care and physical awareness.