Hi there,
Kendra Tolbert here.
I'm a registered dietitian and yoga teacher,
And I specialize in women's health,
Fertility,
And PCOS.
Today I have a yin yoga sequence for you for PMS and menstrual cramps.
If you're new to the world of yin yoga,
Welcome.
This is definitely one of my favorite forms of yoga.
It's a more introspective and passive form of yoga.
It's quite lovely.
It's also based in traditional Chinese medicine.
So you might want to grab some props for this practice,
As well as something warm to wear.
Some people find that they get a little bit chilly when practicing yin.
So some props that I would recommend are either a folded blanket or thin pillows to sit up on,
And blocks or block-like objects.
So go ahead,
Grab those,
Roll out your mat,
And let's get started.
Come to a cross-legged position at the center of your mat with your right leg in front of your left leg.
Place whichever prop you're going to be using to sit on.
Underneath your hips so your pelvis tips forward.
Bring your right hand to the top of your right foot between your big toe and your second toe.
Then slide your finger down until you find the spot where those two bones would meet.
Apply gentle pressure here.
Maybe you make circles.
Close your eyes if that feels good to you.
Explore what it might be like to lean forward,
Hinge forward for a forward fold here.
Release your spine.
Release your head.
And breathe here.
Place your hands onto the mat to slowly press yourself up.
Then place your left foot in front of your right foot.
And find the same spot that we found on the right foot on your left foot.
And use your hand,
Your fingers once again,
To apply gentle pressure.
And maybe make small gentle circles.
If and when you're ready.
Lean forward to come into a forward fold.
Once again,
Releasing your spine.
And releasing your head.
Breathe here.
Place your hands onto the floor.
To press yourself up.
Remove the prop.
From underneath your hips.
And come onto your hands and your knees.
You might want to have a cushion to use underneath your knees so you can use what you were sitting on or anything else that would feel good here.
Begin to move your hips slowly from side to side.
What sensations do you notice here in your hips?
Maybe in your lower abdomen,
Your thighs.
Come through center.
Be still.
Then step your right foot forward on the outside of your right hand.
Something you might want to explore and something I definitely enjoy is taking my blocks on their medium height and placing my hands on them so I can bring my torso up.
If you try that.
Notice what changes in your left hip.
Anything?
Maybe,
Maybe not.
Slowly.
Step your right foot back.
And then step your left foot forward on the outside of your left hand.
It's okay if your left knee goes over your left ankle,
Because we're really not bearing much weight here.
So if it feels okay to you,
Feel free to do that.
What sensation are you experiencing at the front of your right hip?
And thyme.
Slowly.
Bring your left foot back,
Your left knee back.
Come onto your hands and your knees.
Once again,
Shift your hips from side to side.
Notice what may have changed here for you.
Remove the padding from under your knees if you patinate.
With your toes curled under.
Step your right foot forward on the outside of your right hand,
Then lift your left knee and hip.
And step your left foot on the outside of your left hand.
Lift your hips,
Turn your feet out to about 45 degrees,
And then lower your hips down between your shins to come into a squat.
You can decide if you'd like to squat with or without a prop.
It can be nice to place a prop under your hips to sit on.
And remember,
You can always change your mind.
So if you're on a prop,
You can remove it.
If you're not on a prop,
You can add one.
Your call.
If your hands are not on the mat,
Place them on the mat in front of you.
And then place one hand behind you,
Then the other.
To take a seat.
Extend your legs forward.
As you lean back onto your elbows.
Allow your feet to turn out.
Notice.
Is there any sensation through the front of your body or in your hips?
And if so,
How would you describe it?
Shake out your legs.
And stop.
To notice.
What do you observe here?
Bend both legs.
To bring the soles of your feet flat on the floor.
And lie down.
Draw your right knee in towards your chest and hug it in with your hands.
Extend your left leg.
Extend your right arm out at shoulder height.
Then drop your left knee across your body and towards the floor.
For a gentle twist.
Don't worry about where your knee lands.
It's not about how close it gets to the floor.
If it feels good to you,
I invite you to close your eyes and breathe here.
From out of your twists.
Hug your right knee back into your chest.
And bring your right foot down to the floor.
Draw your left knee in towards your chest as you extend your right leg.
Extend your left arm out to the side.
As you twist your left leg across your right body.
Breathe here.
Come out of your twist.
Then hug both knees into your chest.
When you're ready,
Bring your feet down to the mat.
Extend your legs.
And really stretch your arms up overhead.
And release your arms.
Slight bend in your elbows,
Palms up.
Breathe here in our final resting pose.
When you're ready,
Roll over onto your side.
Then press yourself up.
To come into a comfortable seated position.
Inhale to circle your arms overhead.
Palms touch.
As you exhale,
Bring your hands down to the center of your chest.
Thank yourself for moving and breathing today.
