This is a lot like the body scan exercise I wrote about yesterday, but a little less focused.

This exercise, simple as it is, is the best way to reduce stress which is a big contributor to back pain.

It has many other benefits.

I find that if there was something that I was thinking about, the right decision becomes clear to me after doing this. After the back pain goes away, this is a huge reason to continue doing this every day, as I do.

Try this first thing in the morning right after a few minutes of the morning exercises before breakfast.

Sit up straight with your feet flat on the floor.

Sit in a chair without arms. Sit forward at the edge of the chair, don’t lean on the back of the chair.

Place your bare feet flat on the floor hip distance apart with the inner part of the feet parallel.

Have your knees point forward over your second toe.

Sit with the bowl of your pelvis flat neither tipping forward nor rolling back.

Hang your arms down at your side, and then place your hands on your thighs. Doing it that way keeps your shoulders relaxed.

Feel that there is a string attached to the top of your head right over your spine and someone is pulling the string straightening out your spine.

OK, now you are sitting up straight.

Set a timer, if you want, to go off after ten minutes. I do this for 30 -40 minutes every morning. To start, any length of time will do.

Close your eyes and keep them closed throughout.

On the inhale count silently 100, on the exhale count silently 99. Continue counting down until you get to 1. If you lose count, don’t worry, I lose count by 86 usually. Just start again at 100 counting the even numbers on the inhale and the odd numbers on the exhale.

Leave a comment below and tell me what you think of this one.