Neck & jaw
Suboccipital Nod
Lengthen the base of the skull so the head can sit over the ribcage again.
8 nods, 5-second holds
Towel
Form stills · coming
Why we use it
The small muscles under the base of the skull get tight when the head lives forward. A tiny nod lengthens them without jamming the throat.
Start here
On your back. Small towel under the back of the head. Imagine a yes-nod the size of a grape.
How to
- 1Lie on your back with a small towel under the back of the head.
- 2Make a yes-nod the size of a grape. Chin toward the throat, without jamming.
- 3Hold 5 seconds. Return to looking straight up, not tipping the head back.
Feel for
A melt under the skull into the towel. Not a stretch in the front of the neck.
Breathing
Breathe out as you nod. Breathe in as you return to looking at the ceiling — not looking up past it.
Do this
- — Chin toward the throat without jamming.
- — Feel the tissues under the skull melt into the towel.
- — Breathe out on the nod. Breathe in as you return to looking at the ceiling — not tipping the head back.
Common mistakes
- — Tucking so hard the throat compresses.
- — Using the jaw instead of the front of the neck.
Regression · Progression
Easier: Just rest on the towel for 8 breaths. No nod.
Harder: Seated nod against a wall, ribs stacked.