For those of you who missed it, or for those of you who attended my Yin Yoga workshop at North Main Saturday and want to practice it again. . . .here is my sequence.
The practice was about 1 hour, 45 minutes. This was designed to give Yin beginners a well-rounded introduction to the practice. It starts with compression poses for the spine and then ends with lots of forward folds. The holds get progressively longer.
Keep in mind the poses may not be appropriate for everyone, and that I was able to modify for everyone's body in the room, so pay attention to your edge or try alternative poses. For those with injuries--especially if you have spine injuries, disc issues, joint injuries, inflammation or arthritis--please get more background before starting.
More information about the Yin practice and the technique behind stretching the connective tissues can be found in Paul Grilley's "Yin Yoga: an outline of a quiet practice." I would highly recommend reading before attempting a Yin practice on your own.
Do not approach a Yin practice the same way you would a regular practice. The poses are even named differently to give the practitioner a different mindset. . .
Here are the 4 basics to remember as you enter and exit the poses.
1. Ease into the pose slowly. [there is lots of time to go deeper. the simple fact of holding the pose for a while will deepen the stretch by itself.]
2. Release into it and be still. [make no effort if you can help it. let your body sick toward the ground. continually scan your body for tension, and keep giving in to where you already are. watch your mind. breathe through the anxiety if it arises and commit to being still, unless your edge requires you move.]
3. Stay a while. [Hold the poses long enough for the connective tissue to stretch. the tissues are thick and fibrous. they need time. don't think of attaining a certain place or achieving anything. simply be. make each pose a breath meditation.]
4. Release with care. [after an intense opening, ease back to neutral. don't whip your body back and forth. take short resting poses between holds. these are as important as the "real" poses. listen to your body and notice how you are reacting. sometimes we don't really feel the pose until we release it. a flow class rarely gives you the opportunity to notice these changes unless you're aware.]
YIN SEQUENCE:
[a little heat is built up at the beginning, and a little flow is added in places. breath soft and deep ujjayi. feel free to play with the hold times. these are just suggestions--the longer you hold, the more intense it will be. pose names are taken from Grilley's "Yin Yoga."]
hold times are in [ # ]:
--childs
--down dog [1]
--dragon: any version A-C [1/side]; short plank in between each (optional tripod here)
--infant [3-5 breaths]
--childs [same length as infant]
--seal [2]
--thread the needle (on elbows and knees, thread one arm palm up to opp. side, rest down) [1.5/side]
--sphinx [2]
--rest on belly [until spine is neutral]
--puppy/8-point pose (a childs pose with arms walked forward, chest to floor) [2]
--childs [1.5]
--sleeping swan [3]; then come up into swan [1]. . .switch sides and repeat
--childs w/knees together
--flow: round spine up into cat tilt, walk hands to both sides, still rounded. cat/dog tilts, reach right elbow and hips towards each other, switch sides, sway hips from side to side. . .
--butterfly [4-5]
--wide-kneed childs (toes together)
--saddle (knees wide, toes together under butt) [3 or longer] (optional half saddle: hold both sides the same length)
--wide-kneed childs
--half butterfly [3/side]
--flow: dragonfly, version A. with the breath inhale arms up to center, exhale twist to side. repeat for a few breaths.
--dragonfly, version B: forward fold. (I recommend placing blankets or bolsters under the knees) [3-4]
--savasana [1-2]
--right angle legs (pigeon variation: start right leg bent at knee, shin parallel to front of mat, left leg same shape, knee out to side of mat, sitting on the right hip, fold forward) OR shoelace [2-3]
--starfish twist (come to sitting in right angle legs, turn chest to right and fold. left hip will ride up and over with you as chest comes to mat, arms overhead. [1/side]
--repeat either right angle legs OR shoelace and then starfish twist on left side.
--(optional: two legged (legs together) forward fold OR dragon fly fold [3])
--savasana [2]
--(optional: childs [5])
--either straight into savasana OR choose from snail or supported bridge, hold as desired. OR do both in that order.)
--reclined twist
--savasana [10-20]
--seated meditation [use your favorite breath meditation here]
[please call/write me with questions or modification needs]
The practice was about 1 hour, 45 minutes. This was designed to give Yin beginners a well-rounded introduction to the practice. It starts with compression poses for the spine and then ends with lots of forward folds. The holds get progressively longer.
Keep in mind the poses may not be appropriate for everyone, and that I was able to modify for everyone's body in the room, so pay attention to your edge or try alternative poses. For those with injuries--especially if you have spine injuries, disc issues, joint injuries, inflammation or arthritis--please get more background before starting.
More information about the Yin practice and the technique behind stretching the connective tissues can be found in Paul Grilley's "Yin Yoga: an outline of a quiet practice." I would highly recommend reading before attempting a Yin practice on your own.
Do not approach a Yin practice the same way you would a regular practice. The poses are even named differently to give the practitioner a different mindset. . .
Here are the 4 basics to remember as you enter and exit the poses.
1. Ease into the pose slowly. [there is lots of time to go deeper. the simple fact of holding the pose for a while will deepen the stretch by itself.]
2. Release into it and be still. [make no effort if you can help it. let your body sick toward the ground. continually scan your body for tension, and keep giving in to where you already are. watch your mind. breathe through the anxiety if it arises and commit to being still, unless your edge requires you move.]
3. Stay a while. [Hold the poses long enough for the connective tissue to stretch. the tissues are thick and fibrous. they need time. don't think of attaining a certain place or achieving anything. simply be. make each pose a breath meditation.]
4. Release with care. [after an intense opening, ease back to neutral. don't whip your body back and forth. take short resting poses between holds. these are as important as the "real" poses. listen to your body and notice how you are reacting. sometimes we don't really feel the pose until we release it. a flow class rarely gives you the opportunity to notice these changes unless you're aware.]
YIN SEQUENCE:
[a little heat is built up at the beginning, and a little flow is added in places. breath soft and deep ujjayi. feel free to play with the hold times. these are just suggestions--the longer you hold, the more intense it will be. pose names are taken from Grilley's "Yin Yoga."]
hold times are in [ # ]:
--childs
--down dog [1]
--dragon: any version A-C [1/side]; short plank in between each (optional tripod here)
--infant [3-5 breaths]
--childs [same length as infant]
--seal [2]
--thread the needle (on elbows and knees, thread one arm palm up to opp. side, rest down) [1.5/side]
--sphinx [2]
--rest on belly [until spine is neutral]
--puppy/8-point pose (a childs pose with arms walked forward, chest to floor) [2]
--childs [1.5]
--sleeping swan [3]; then come up into swan [1]. . .switch sides and repeat
--childs w/knees together
--flow: round spine up into cat tilt, walk hands to both sides, still rounded. cat/dog tilts, reach right elbow and hips towards each other, switch sides, sway hips from side to side. . .
--butterfly [4-5]
--wide-kneed childs (toes together)
--saddle (knees wide, toes together under butt) [3 or longer] (optional half saddle: hold both sides the same length)
--wide-kneed childs
--half butterfly [3/side]
--flow: dragonfly, version A. with the breath inhale arms up to center, exhale twist to side. repeat for a few breaths.
--dragonfly, version B: forward fold. (I recommend placing blankets or bolsters under the knees) [3-4]
--savasana [1-2]
--right angle legs (pigeon variation: start right leg bent at knee, shin parallel to front of mat, left leg same shape, knee out to side of mat, sitting on the right hip, fold forward) OR shoelace [2-3]
--starfish twist (come to sitting in right angle legs, turn chest to right and fold. left hip will ride up and over with you as chest comes to mat, arms overhead. [1/side]
--repeat either right angle legs OR shoelace and then starfish twist on left side.
--(optional: two legged (legs together) forward fold OR dragon fly fold [3])
--savasana [2]
--(optional: childs [5])
--either straight into savasana OR choose from snail or supported bridge, hold as desired. OR do both in that order.)
--reclined twist
--savasana [10-20]
--seated meditation [use your favorite breath meditation here]
[please call/write me with questions or modification needs]
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