Hello and welcome to this yin yoga practice for shoulders,
Neck,
And back.
So I would recommend a bolster or a few pillows for this practice.
So grab it,
We don't need it yet until the end,
So just keep it close.
And we're going to begin with an opener for our neck.
So come to a seated position.
And just drop your right ear down towards your right shoulder.
If you would like to add just a little bit more here,
You can take your left hand and reach it down towards the ground.
Allowing both shoulders to remain soft.
Melting down towards your hips.
And then breathing deeply here.
Yin yoga is such a special practice because it does require these.
Longer holds.
Their longer holds because they help with the fascia,
The connective tissue,
Your joints.
And often when you're in a yin pose,
You don't even realize how deep you can get into a posture just by using your breath and gravity.
Until you ease out of it.
Spending a few more breath cycles here.
Allowing gravity to do your work.
And then with control,
Just tucking chin to chest.
And then rolling over to the other side.
So left ear tips down towards the left shoulder if you like.
Right hand reaches down towards the ground.
Both shoulders remain soft,
Melting down the back.
Releasing towards the hip.
Imagining that as you breathe in,
Any areas that might feel tight or tense.
They expand with the breath.
And they soften as you breathe out.
You may notice that each side of the neck feels different,
And that's okay.
We're just here to honor however the body feels today in this moment.
And then in a moment,
After your next exhale,
Tuck chin to chest.
And then lifting the head back up.
We're going to move into our second posture,
Which is a heart opening pose.
So reaching your hands towards the top of the mat.
Hips will remain in a tabletop.
You can tent the fingertips or you could rest them on your bolster or your pillow.
And then melting your heart down towards the ground.
I recommend here if it reaches forehead resting on the mat.
Try to find somewhere for your forehead to rest so you aren't putting any unintentional tension in the back of the neck.
Then allow your heart to bow towards the earth.
We won't be here for too long.
Maybe just a minute or two.
But on the inhale,
Feel those areas of tension once again expand.
And as you exhale,
Feel the heart melt towards the mat.
And bringing your awareness to your shoulders and the space in between the shoulders.
Seeing if you can soften the space between the shoulders here on your next few breath cycles.
And then releasing out of that posture slowly.
And making your way onto your belly.
Going to move into a Sphinx pose,
A supported back bend.
So propping yourself up onto your forearm.
Elbows are just in front of the shoulders.
In a big number five hands.
Broadening through the heart and chest.
And gazing just off the top of the mat.
So we have no wrinkles in the back of the neck.
Breathing down low into the belly.
You'll be able to feel the belly massaging itself against the mat with each inhale and every exhale.
Continuing to breathe low into the belly.
Allowing the little muscles that run up and down the spine to soften.
As you continue to ease into this posture.
Taking three more breath cycles.
Full inhales and exhales.
And then releasing down,
Stacking hands,
Forehead rests on top.
Allowing the spine to neutralize for a moment.
And then pressing yourself back,
Finding your pillows or your bolster for our last posture.
A supported heart and shoulder opener.
So lying yourself back.
On your bolster pillows.
You could also use a rolled up yoga mat or towel.
And creating goal post arms here.
Knees are bent.
Feet planted firmly on the ground.
And breathing into the belly.
And visualizing the muscles in between the ribs.
Across the chest.
Feel them softening and expanding.
As you notice the gentle rise and fall of the belly.
As you breathe in and out.
And then bringing the hands back down towards your hips.
Rolling yourself off to the side.
Coming up to a seated position.
Thank you so much for joining me for this practice.
