Power boost Yin Yoga sequence
Updated: Nov 8, 2021
Most of the days, I can place my yoga practice in the range of mindful slow Vinyasa flow. Topping that with my teaching, it's quite a lot of movement as I truly and utterly adore practising and teaching yoga. And over the last couple of years, I grew to appreciate the importance of an antidote to all that Yang Energy. I found the oasis of Yin Yoga, a small paradise I try to visit once a week.
With this easy-to-follow and practise Yin Yoga sequence you can use it anytime you feel you need a power boost, deeply relaxing, and restoring. Let's get started.
Easy relaxation
Lay all the way down with your legs straight and gently turned outwardly, place your hands by your side with the palms facing upwards and shoulders relaxed. Start taking deep breaths and mentally relaxing the body. Give permission for everything else to be put aside for now and any worries to melt away and whenever they might come back during the practice bring the awareness back to your body and breath.
Bananasana
Bananasana with arms straight
From laying down stretched your arms above the head and clasp your hands or elbows. Press softly your buttocks down towards the mat, move your feet and upper body to the right. Arch like a banana by shifting the hips to the left.
Keep the hips on the floor. Find a comfortable edge. Stay mindful and aware of the sensations in the body. Allow yourself just to be. When you feel your body starts relaxing into the pose, move both feet and hands further to the right. Go only as deep as it feels good. Stay 3 mins and come back to the centre. Hug the knees in the chest and switch sides!
Benefits:
Stretches the whole body
Opens the ribs and chest area
Stretches stomach muscles and intercostal muscles
Works on the iliotibial band
Meridian lines of the Gall Bladder are addressed on our side, and the Heart, Lungs and Intestines are stimulated along the arms
Child Pose
From bananasana come on all force and sit on your heels and bring your head down towards the floor, on a pillow or on a block.
Arms can be either stretched out to the front, by your side, or hands underneath your forehead. Hold the pose for 3 to 5 minutes. Stay aware of the present moment and allow the thoughts to pass as the clouds on the sky. To come out, roll up vertebra by vertebra, the head comes up last.
Benefits:
Massages the organs of digestion through gentle compression.
Gently stretches the spine and the ankles.
Calms the mind.
Stimulates the Urinary Bladder meridian along the spine.
Can stimulate Spleen or Kidney meridians through compression
Cat and Cow
•From Child pose, come back to hands and knees position. Knees hips distance apart, hands shoulders distance apart.
•Shift the hips from side to side. Inhale bring the chest forward and arch the back. Lift the tailbone up towards the sky and press firmly the palms.
•Exhale draw the navel in and bring the chin down towards the chest and round the back. Tuck your tailbone under and forward towards the pubic bone. The head is heavy.
•Inhale open the chest forward and slide the shoulder blades back. Exhale round the back. Continue 5 to 10 rounds.