The week is done and maybe you are feeling all those crazy energy feels. (Hello Full Moon, Mercury Retrograde, Halloween and Time Change)
Dive into this relaxing Yin practice.
As you move through this practice today, let this be your mantra
“May I be open to this moment just as it is. May I be open to my life just as it is.”
Both muscular (Yang) and connective tissues (Yin) play a role in our body’s overall health.
In a Yang practice (vinyasa flow class) we have more emphasis on building the internal heat, strengthening muscles, and moving our blood and oxygen throughout the body.
Whereas Yin we let go of the muscular effort to begin to affect the connective tissues in the body. By reaching the connective tissues, the idea is that you are accessing the deeper meridians in the body. We do this by keeping the muscles soft in the poses so you can release the deep layers of connective tissues. These connective tissues are ligaments, tendons, and fascia contained in the joints and spine. Overtime, yin yoga can lengthen these connective tissues and increase flexibility and mobility.
On an energetic level, yin enhances the flow of prana (life force) in the tissues around the joint, where energy is stagnated.
So, do not be surprised if emotions come up during your practice. Take notice of what is shifting.
I find Yin so restorative for my mind and body. I often feel like when practicing yoga, I get wrapped up in the future body. I practice this so I feel better, stronger, more flexible and build up the foundation to perform a certain “it” pose. All this is good, but with this practice try and let go of the end game and just work with and appreciate the body as it is now. Feel and be in your body now!
During this sequence, move through each pose softly and gently. We do not need to flex or hold our muscles. Allow your feet, head, arms to drop and be soft in all the poses. I like to have a little movement between each pose. So, feel free to incorporate a down dog, cat and cow, gentle twists . . . listen to your body and move how it feels right to you.
Keep in mind that when coming into each pose, to find your edge it is important to note that one does not need to push through the pain or ignore the body’s attempt to tell us when we are hurting ourselves to achieve health.
You will feel a tugging, pulling discomfort – or any sharp shooting pains indicate you need to back out of the pose
Remain still – Breath – hold each pose for 3 mins
And release with care
There are 12 meridian points throughout the body, and each has a different function, job, or personality. We try and stimulate these meridian points through our practice.
The meridian points are: Heart, Small Intestine, Kidney, Liver, Bladder, Lung, Large Intestine, Gallbladder, Spleen, Stomach, Triple Heater, and Pericardium.
Pose Breakdown
- Tadpole (child pose)
- Start on all fours, bring your toes together and knees wide. Allowing your buttocks to fall back and fold your torso forward to the ground. Arms stretched out. Use a bolster to support your upper body if this feels to intense.
- This pose targets the spleen, kidney, liver, and urinary bladder meridians. I find this pose really helps to bring a sense of calmness all around.
- Spleen meridian can be helpful in optimizing overall health and rules all things digestive.
- While in the pose think of breathing into the lower back space
- Tadpole each side
- Same as above, but we are walking our hands to each side. Stretching the outer side body.
- Heart melting pose
- On all fours, knees hip width apart. Walk your hands forward and let your heart sink to the floor. Trying to get your chin to the ground. We are looking at opening the front part of body. (Friendly note – if your arms fall asleep, its best to come out of the pose)
- This will helps stimulate the Urinary bladder, stomach and spleen meridians through the chest and spine. And the lung and heart meridians through the arms.
- The lung meridian is related to emotions of sadness. Its normal if these emotions arise during this pose. Breath through the feelings.
- Sphinx
- This is great to help keep a happy and healthy lower back.
- Place the forearms on the ground in front of you, shoulder width apart and gently allow your spine to curve. Placing your hips and lower body on the ground. Your head can fall forward.
- Childs pose is a great counter pose when coming out
- This pose stimulates the Urinary Bladder and kidney meridians (runs down the lower back) and the stomach and the spleen (front of the legs)
- Inside dragon
- This pose deeply opens the hips and groin. Come into a low lunge resting your knee on the ground. Place a blanket under your knee if there is discomfort. Folding forward, placing the hands on the inside of the leg. Use a bolster to bring the ground up to you if need be. Allow your head to fall forward.
- This pose is great for those of us who sit for long hours in a chair
- Stimulates the liver, spleen, kidney, stomach, and gallbladder meridian. So much energy being moved in this pose.
- The liver meridian is great for detoxifying the body of toxins and regulating blood circulation.
- Wandering dragon
- Same as above but allow your knee to fall to the side slightly, rolling on the outside edge of your front foot. Walk your hands forward and on an angle (opposite to foot), resting your elbows down on the mat or use a bolster.
- Square
- From a seated pose, bend your right leg and line it up with the top edge of your mat. Now bend your left leg and stack it over your right. Fold forward from the hips. Use a bolster to support your upper body and use blankets under your hips. (Use blocks under your knees if there is discomfort)
- We are stretching the outer parts of our thighs, buttocks, and hips.
- I like to come out of this pose slowly by leaning back on my hands, placing my feet on the ground and allowing my needs to fall left and right, creating a swaying movement that allows blood to flow back into the legs. This can be an intense pose!
- This stimulates the Gallbladder and Urinary meridians. The Gallbladder can create emotions of anger and irritability. If that comes up – breath through this emotion. Maybe journal on it later. This can be a sign of frustration in our lives.
- Forward fold
- Legs forward, feet can be soft and fall to the sides. Round your upper body forward and bring your head down. If this is too intense, use a bolster to fold onto. You may also wish to put a blanket underneath your seat.
- We are lengthening our spine, hamstrings and compressing our abdomen which aids in digestion.
- The urinary bladder meridian runs along these points. This meridian is associated with our nervous system and the fight or flight response. I find in the state that the world is in, our nervous systems are over-active with having a constant state of fear and worry. This pose stimulates relaxation and encourages the restoring of our nervous system over to a more restful state.
- Dragonfly
- Find a wide seated straddle pose and fall forward in between your legs. Allow the weight of your upper body to gently pull you down. You may choose to use a bolster to prop up your upper body.
- During this pose we are stretching the inner thighs, which just so happens to correlate with the kidney meridian. This meridian is associated with the emotion of Anxiety. You will find a more sense of calmness
- Reclined butterfly
- Lye back either on the floor or a bolster. Allow your arms to fall open. Your feet will come together creating a diamond shape. If you need support under your knees, please use props.
- I find this pose very tranquil. It helps to stretch the inner groin, thighs and can even be a little bit of chest opener.
- This also stimulates the kidney and the Urinary bladder meridian. Which reduces stress and creates a calmer mind.
- Lying Spinal Twist – Perform on each side
- With both knees bent and stacked on top of each other, drop over to the side. Keeping your shoulders on the floor. Use props (blanket) to support your knees if they do not meet the floor. You can also place a bolster between your knees for added support.
- This is a great side opener, shoulder, and lower back stretch. You can also get a gentle neck stretch by allowing your head to drop in the opposite direction of your feet.
- This is such a calming pose! That is why we usually perform it near the end of a practice. It also has the benefits of energizing your core at the same time.
- This will stimulate the Urinary bladder and Gallbladder meridians. As well as the heart, lung, and small intestine meridians in the arms.
- I like to make note of the heart meridian in this pose. Regulating the state of mind and restoring your sense of spirit. This also can help with insomnia.
- Savasana
- Allow yourself to lay on your back. Slightly rolling your shoulders under. Arms wide, palms up, feet relaxed. Close your eyes and rest for a few moments.
- Allow yourself to receive all the beautiful benefits of todays practice.
Namaste . . .
Thank yourself for showing up.
Reflection: Oh man did the anger and anxiety feels rise up in this practice for me. I feel ya people if this is how you felt! You are definitely going to feel this in your hips and shoulders during the practice. But afterwards I felt all those yummy relaxing bliss feelings.
I find a yin practice is a lot like life. When we get into a place of discomfort we want to run. The fight or flight of our nervous system kicks in. I choose yin more so then another practice to help support my anxiety. It teaches me to breathe in the moment, as I do when my anxiety arises. Just as in yin, if we breath through the pose, we come out the other end better. We allow our bodies and the energy system to subtly shift. I apply this in my day to day life. When I feel anxious/stress/fear arise in my body, I try to sit with it and just breathe! Lowering my cortisol levels and allowing the moment to calm and eventually pass.
Work through those emotions in this practice Trust me – its worth it.