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Yawning 101

It’s time to get seriously playful or playfully serious… about yawning.

That’s right, yawning!

Because yawning is a powerful and vital natural reflex.

Because for most people, this natural healthy reflex has been stifled, inhibited, and suppressed by so much social/cultural/family conditioning.

All sorts of rules have been attached to yawning, rules about what we think it means,

when it’s appropriate, when it’s not, and so on…

When someone yawns, do you think they are bored? Tired? Rude? Uncaring? Insensitive? Uncivilized?

Are you shy or embarrassed about yawning? Get over it! We need to set this precious reflex free. We need to let the soft animal of pour body love what it loves. And in the process set our spirit free!

Yawning is yoga! When we yawn, we need to stretch and make sounds. Think of a dog or a cat. What happens in their neck, jaw, spine, hips, and limbs when they yawn? We need to awaken and encourage these full body yawns in ourselves and others!

Don’t underestimate or overlook the power and potential of this simple natural breathing reflex.

EXERCISE

Practice triggering a yawn. Do something with the back of your jaw and throat… We all know how to bring on a yawn. If not, just fake it. Pretend you are yawning. And watch a real yawn come!

Give yourself a full body yawn. Open your throat and chest and belly. Stretch your arms and arch your spine. Look to the sky!

Exaggerate the yawn. Make it dramatic, theatrical! Don’t cover your mouth. We are talking a great big juicy Shakespearean yawn here!

Yawn until you make your eyes water. And then yawn some more!

Yawn from time to time throughout the day.

ASSIGNMENT: Google the words “yawn” and “yawning.” If you find anything interesting or unusual or important, share it with the rest of us!

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