Full Body Yin Yoga Sequence

For this practice, if you have yoga props, you might consider having a: bolster, blanket, and two blocks. If not, a pillow, blanket, two hard back books or textbooks can do (how’s that for resourceful?). This particular sequence gives mindful attention to our entire body, allowing the legs, hips, low back, spine, upper back, chest and shoulders to be addressed throughout. I have provided pictures and descriptions as a guide to move through this practice at your own pace (and for those who have Spotify, you can stream my newest yin playlist here or search others I have). The three principles of yin yoga are as follows: 1) Come into the pose at an appropriate depth, 2) Resolve to remain still and 3) Hold the pose for time. As always, listen to and honor your body as you practice. If you find you need to skip a shape or hold it for less time after trying a few different options/variations, you are welcome and encouraged to do so. How we practice is much more important than what we practice.

We’ll open our practice resting in a comfortable shape, whether it is lying down, seated and/or using any props for extra support. As I invite you to begin contemplating your intention for your practice, I’ll encourage you to let this come from a deeper place within — the word intention starts with “IN” meaning it’s more internal and intrinsic, a resolute from the heart. Intentions are called sankalpas in Sanskrit, “san” meaning something that’s born from your heart, that comes from deep within you. And the word “kalpa” means something that unfolds over time. So a sankalpa is a deep intention that unfolds over time that you carry with you into your life, throughout your lifetime. As the eyes soften, begin to enter the gate to your internal landscape. Inviting the rhythm of breath to be natural without intent to manipulate or change it in any way, knowing you are breathing perfectly well on your own as you are, allow your bones to rest heavy and the back of your head, softening the skin on your face and welcoming this softness throughout the rest of the body, especially in any spaces where tension resides. From this place within set your own sankalpa or intention to use as an internal compass to guide you and come back to throughout your practice.

The practice when we are on the edge of our life becomes to stay embodied and present to the feelings, thoughts, sensations. We learn and re-learn not to abandon ourselves so that we can form a closer and more intimate relationship with every aspect of our humanity and all the situations we are presented. When we develop humbleness and become more of the observer of our reactions, habits and patterns, they start to lose power and their grip on us — and in doing so we may find our edges soften and lose their sharpness.

Supported Bridge (5 mins)

Begin by resting on your full back body to come into a supported bridge pose. With your knees bent, soles of the feet resting hip width distance on the mat a few inches away from the sit bones, ground into the feet to slowly elevate your hips and slide a block or bolster secure under the sacrum area to feel fully held in this position. You can keep knees bent or extend them straight. Option to practice a deeper three part breath. Allow gravity to do the work for you here are you settle into your body in this shape.

Knee to chest with elevated hips option (1-2 mins each side)

From bridge, begin to draw the right knee into the chest. You can keep the left knee bent or to deepen into the hip flexor, extend the left leg and gently press the heel into the earth. Optional micro movements by finding some circles through the hip then settling back into stillness. Notice the sensation present or the place in the body where it feels most interesting. After 1-2 mins, switch sides. After you are done, with both knees bent and soles of the feet resting on the mat, gently lift the hips up just enough to remove your bolster and lower mindfully back down one vertebrae at time.

Supported supine twist (3 mins each side)

On your back body hug the right knee into the chest. Holding onto the shin with your left hand, extend your right arm out to the side in a “T” or cactus shape and draw the knee across the body and over to the left. You can allow your knee to rest gently onto a block or bolster. Allow your gaze to drop to the right if it feels okay in the neck. On your inhales you may think about energetically lengthening through the spine and on the exhales, softening into your twist. After 3 minutes, find this shape on the opposite side. Allow any counter or neutralizing movements before rolling onto the belly to move into the next shape…

Arm pigeon (3 mins each side)

Extend the right arm out about 90 degrees from the body (think “T” shape the right arm as you extend). Place the left hand under the left shoulder and slowly roll toward the right side body. Place the left foot behind the right leg like a kickstand if you’d like and use the left arm to help you balance here or you can relax it in front of or behind you. If the kickstand option doesn’t feel good for your body, there is also the option to just keep both knees bent resting heavy on top of one another as if you were resting on your side. If you’d like more support for your neck, elevate your head to a blanket or shallow block. After 3 minutes, rest in neutral on the belly, arms resting by sides before making way to other side.

Half Anahatasana (3 mins each side)

Coming onto your hands and knees, walk your hands forward, allowing your chest to drop toward the floor. Keep your hips stacked above your knees. If possible, keep your hands shoulder width apart. Allow one arm at a time to be extended with the opposite elbow deeply bent with the palm resting under the forehead. If there is space underneath the chest and the floor, place a block, bolster or folded blanket underneath for support. After about 3 minutes, switch sides. Optional rounds of cat/cow to break up energy, find movement and bring warmth into the spine in between and/or after.

Child’s pose with arms resting (5 mins)

This also serves as a counter post to our previous shape. Slowly rest the hips back toward the heels and drape the arms alongside the body. You may support the body by placing the forehead on hands, a block or resting on a bolster (pictured). If resting on a bolster, make sure to rest opposite cheek halfway through.

Caterpillar (5 mins)

Find a comfortable seat with the legs extended forward of you preparing for a forward fold. You can widen the stance as much as you’d like. You might elevate the hips on a blanket to assist with pelvic tilt forward. Option to prop a bolster on two blocks across your lap (or just use a bolster at either level on the thighs). Walk your palms forward until you feel a natural round in the spine. Begin to round the back gently as you fold forward.

Savasana (5+ minutes)

Gently lower onto your back (or any other preferred position) and rest in savasana, your final resting pose, as long as you would like to close your practice. Close your practice by resting a hand on your belly and a hand over the heart space to come back to the safe container of your body, noticing and connecting to your own bio-rhythms of the breath and the heartbeat. Before closing, take a moment to come back to any intention that found you along the way and consider how you can carry it with you off of your mat and into your day or evening.

A poem on embodiment to close your practice:

Within The Body You are Wearing

ROBERT HALL

Within the body you are wearing, now
inside the bones and beating in the heart,
lives the one you have been searching for so long.

But you must stop running away and shake hands, the meeting doesn’t happen without your presence, your participation.

The same one waiting for you there
is moving in the trees, glistening on the water,
growing in the grasses and lurking in the shadows you create.

You have nowhere to go.
The marriage happened long ago. Behold your mate.