Yin / Balance The Water Meridian

This 60 min Yin yoga class focuses on the Kidney and Bladder meridians, the water element channels that nourish your energy and help release stress from the body. Through hip openers, forward folds and backbends, we’ll awaken the kidneys (your inner energy reservoir) and soothe the bladder line (the body’s longest meridian that helps wash tension down the spine).

We will experience:
Gentle tapping to awaken the Door of Life
Hip and groin openers to stimulate the Kidney meridian
Spinal stretches and folds to soothe the Bladder meridian
Acupressure points to balance energy flow
Guided breathwork and visualization to calm the nervous system

Perfect for restoring balance, replenishing your energy and finding deep release in both body and mind.

Take it slow, breathe deeply and let yourself be supported.

Transcript

Welcome,

My name is Danya.

Today we'll be nourishing the kidney and bladder meridians,

Rivers of energy that flow through the back body and inner legs.

We begin today in toe squat.

From kneeling,

Tuck all 10 toes under.

Sit back gently on your heels,

Keeping the balls of the feet grounded.

Take a moment to settle.

This may feel intense very quickly,

So honor your body's limits.

If sensation becomes too sharp,

Come down to sit in seiza,

Sitting on your heels.

Allow your shoulders to soften and the spine to lengthen.

Let your breath become slow and steady.

From here,

We're going to wake up the spine and stimulate one of the most vital acupoints for energy,

Longevity and vitality.

Located behind the navel on the lower back is what is referred to as the door of life in traditional Chinese medicine.

Gently begin to twist from side to side,

Letting your arms swing and tap your lower belly with the palm of your hand and your lower back with the back of your hand.

Inhaling through the nose and exhaling softly through your mouth,

Like you're releasing steam or fogging up a mirror with your breath.

In traditional Chinese medicine,

The kidney stores your jing,

Your vitality,

Your essence.

It's your life force reserve.

Tapping this point is like recharging that battery.

The rhythmic tapping wakes up stagnant energy in the lower back,

Improving circulation of blood and qi along the spine and kidney meridian.

Activating it also is said to harmonize sexual vitality and digestive fire.

This gentle stimulation relieves stiffness and can also help relieve deep-rooted tension and create a sense of grounding calm.

Tapping on the door of life is part of my daily morning ritual.

Take a few more breaths here and then come to be still,

Resting your hips back onto your heels if you are still in toe squat,

And place the palms of your hands on your lower back,

Bringing warmth and energy into your kidneys.

Take a moment to notice the effects of the stimulation and untuck your legs and place the soles of your feet on the floor in front of you for a couple rounds of seated cat-cow,

Extending your spine as you inhale and contracting as you exhale,

Lengthening the front of the body as you breathe in and rounding the back body,

Curling inward as you breathe out.

And finding a neutral spine,

Sitting tall,

Curl your fingers in to make a light fist.

We are going to tap down the bladder and up the kidney meridian.

Begin at the door of life,

Gently begin to tap your lower back.

The bladder meridian runs along the entire length of the back body,

Starting at the bridge of the nose and running down the back of the head,

Spine and legs to end at the little toe.

So let's tap down the back of the legs,

Behind the knee,

Calves and down the pinky toe side of the ankle and if you can reach all the way to the little toe.

Then tapping up from the big toe,

Inside your legs to the inner groin and up the middle line to your collarbone.

This is the line of the kidney meridian.

We will do this two more times,

Beginning again at the door of life,

Moving down the lower length of the bladder meridian to the little toe and then up the kidney.

The kidney meridian actually starts at the centre of the sole of the feet and flows up through the inside of your ankle and inner legs and ends at your collarbone.

So continue tapping at your own speed.

Come to pause for a couple of breaths when you are finished.

Perhaps you can sense a subtle pulse or vibration of Jing energy awakening or just the aliveness of gently stimulating these meridians.

Gently open your legs as wide as feels comfortable.

So wherever they land naturally,

If your hips feel like they're rounding forward,

Try sitting up on a cushion or folded blanket to help tilt your pelvis forward.

Let's start with half dragonfly.

One leg extended,

And the other foot in towards your inner thigh.

Fold gently over your extended leg.

You can also try folding forward.

Play with the options to see what feels best.

Find your edge,

Adjusting to move away from sharp or strong sensations or moving deeper to find your just right stretch.

And become still.

This pose lengthens the bladder meridian along the back of the extended leg and the lower back,

While the bent knee stimulates the kidney line along the inner thigh.

Sense the breath filling your kidneys and moving along the back body.

Visualize your exhale traveling down your leg as if your breath could flow out through the sole of your foot.

I will let you know when it's time to move to the other side.

And change sides.

Make any adjustments.

You may land in a slightly different position on this side.

Just find your sweet spot,

And then resolve to be still.

And slowly bring yourself to an upright position.

Open both legs as wide as feels comfortable,

Wherever they land naturally.

From here,

Start to walk your hands out in front of you into dragonfly or straddle pose.

This pose can be frustrating.

The abductors tug your sitting bones backward,

Just like the hamstrings do,

So it takes practice.

Sitting on a bolster or blanket and tipping forward from the sitting bones helps.

You may stay propped up on your hands or elbows,

Or another option is to come down onto a bolster.

If your knees are feeling cranky,

Bring the legs in a little closer.

And if your hamstrings feel too tight,

Bend your knees.

You can even place a bolster under your thighs,

Or even keep your feet flat on the floor.

And use any props wherever you need.

A bolster under the chest,

A block under your head,

Or even hands supporting your head if it feels too heavy.

Once you've settled,

Soften your effort.

Let your hips,

Groin,

And the backs of your thighs gently open.

With the legs wide in straddle,

All of the meridians in the inner legs and groin are stimulated,

Including the liver and spleen meridians.

And when you are ready to come out,

Press into your hands and slowly roll yourself up.

Once you're upright,

Lean back onto your hands,

Draw your legs together,

And give them a little shake or bounce to release your hips.

You may want to windshield wiper the legs from side to side.

That can feel really nice here.

Or even cross your legs and take a gentle seated backbend.

Let's move into deer pose next.

Starting in a butterfly shape with the soles of the feet together,

Knees out wide.

From here,

Gently swing your right leg behind you,

Placing the foot beside your hip.

Your front leg stays bent,

Shin angled out in front.

Imagine you're creating a right angle at the knee.

Take a moment to notice what's happening in your hips.

The front leg is in external rotation,

While the back leg is in internal rotation,

Giving your hips a balanced,

Almost spiraling quality.

Focus on grounding both sitting bones into the floor.

If you find yourself tilting away from your back hip,

Just draw your feet a little closer in towards the body.

This pose is less about perfect geometry and more about feeling steady,

Rooted in the lower body.

If your front knee feels tender,

Keep your foot closer to the groin,

Or slip a blanket or bolster under your knee for support.

If you're a little more open,

You can start to slide the feet further apart,

Away from the hips.

You may want to add a twist,

Rotating your chest towards your back leg.

Once you have found a shape that feels good,

Begin to lower your body down,

Perhaps resting on your elbows.

If it feels right,

Drop your chin and round down,

Lowering yourself towards the floor.

Once you've found your just right shape,

Become still.

Close your eyes,

And take a moment to soften here.

Breathe into your hips.

Noticing the different sensations between the front leg and the back leg.

Breathe into your kidneys,

Filling them with your inhale,

And softening any holding in the lower back each time you breathe out.

Let your breath be smooth and easy.

And let's make our way to the other side.

Lean slightly away from your back foot,

Guide the leg forward,

And return to butterfly.

Pause here.

Notice how the hips feel.

And then prepare to move to the other side.

Exploring the edges of the shape on this side.

It may feel quite different.

Adjust so your hips feel stable and grounded.

Choosing to twist into a forward fold over your back leg,

Or keeping the spine long and lengthening over your front leg.

You'll be here for another two minutes,

And I will guide you out when it is time.

Slowly coming up,

Bring both legs in front of you for a few windshield wipers,

Either lying on your back or seated,

To help release the hips and bring balance.

When this feels complete,

Come to lay on your back,

Legs long for a few minutes.

A rebound pause.

Arms and legs relaxed,

Palms open.

You can close your eyes.

Let your body find a neutral rest.

Notice what sensations arise.

Just follow your natural breath.

Can you feel your heartbeat?

Perhaps the tingling of energy moving through tissue.

Notice the echoes of the pose.

The hum of energy.

The subtle vibrations flowing through the body.

Just watch without changing or fixing anything.

Allow stillness and experience any shifts in sensation.

Before moving into the next pose.

Perhaps you can notice tingling,

Pulsing,

Warmth,

Or coolness.

Signals of qi energy and fresh blood flow moving through previously compressed or stretched tissues.

Okay,

Let's prepare to move into a supported bridge.

Make sure a block or bolster is nearby and bring the soles of your feet to the floor and gently lift your hips off the mat.

And place your prop beneath your sacrum,

The hard bone at the base of your spine.

Lower yourself down.

In supported bridge,

We're creating gentle extension through the low back and sacrum.

You may also feel a soft opening through your belly,

The hip flexors.

And if you choose to take your arms overhead into the chest,

Arms,

And shoulders.

This pose gives us a chance to rest deeply while stimulating the flow of energy along the kidney and bladder meridians that run through the spine.

If you have sensitive hips or ongoing lower back issues,

Make sure to keep your hips low.

Or if there's any strong sensations,

Just skip this pose.

Always listen to your body.

You are your own best teacher.

Once you're settled,

You can keep your knees bent or walk the feet forward to straighten your legs.

Straight legs will create more sensation in the lower back and hip flexors.

Supported bridge can be surprisingly juicy.

As you rest here,

Imagine your lower back soaking in nourishment,

Like a sponge absorbing water.

If your legs are long,

Bend your knees again.

Gently engage your core to lift your hips just an inch or so,

So you can slide the block or bolster out of the way.

Slowly lower your hips back down.

Letting the back body release,

Into the mat.

In this pause,

The body-mind can catch up,

Weaving the effects of the pose into the whole system.

According to Chinese medicine,

The rebound is when qi redistributes through the meridians.

After being stimulated,

It's the soak after the squeeze.

After compression or stretch,

Tissues receive a rush of fresh blood,

Lymph,

And nutrients.

This promotes healing and hydration of fascia and joints.

The rebound gives space for your body and mind to register the work of what you've done,

Like letting ripples settle on the surface of water.

And hug your knees to your belly,

And gently roll to one side to bring yourself up.

From a comfortable seat,

Bring the soles of your feet together.

Let your knees open wide,

Like butterfly wings,

And then slide the feet a little forward,

Forming a diamond shape with your legs.

Allow your spine to round naturally as you fold forward.

Rest your hands on your feet,

The floor,

Or wherever feels easy,

And let your head hang gently towards your heels.

For stronger sensation in the inner thighs and adductors,

Draw your legs closer.

If your lower back doesn't like rounding,

Just keep your spine long and fold less deeply,

Or even try the reclined version lying on your back.

This shape brings lots of nourishment to the kidney meridian.

If your feet are further forward,

There's more lengthening through the hamstrings and spine,

Which energizes the bladder meridian.

Once you find your variation of the pose,

Settle into stillness.

This gentle stretch in the lower back and soft release in the hips and groins stimulates both the kidney and bladder meridians,

While also encouraging a calming inward focus.

With your thumbs,

You'll find a tender hollow just behind the inside of the ankle bone.

This is kidney three.

Gently press or massage the point with your thumbs.

You might hold steady pressure or make small circles.

It doesn't take much to activate this point.

As you breathe and apply pressure,

Notice if you can feel any pulsing or tension below the point.

Perhaps you can sense sensations radiating through your feet,

Up the inner legs,

Even into your low back.

You might feel warmth,

Tingling,

Or a subtle vibration.

Kidney three is the most important point on the meridian.

It nourishes kidney qi and balances yin energy,

Supporting your body's deepest reserves of energy,

Helping with fatigue,

Stress,

And is very grounding.

It strengthens the low back and knees and is often used to treat back pain or weakness in the legs and stiffness.

It also calms the mind.

Massaging here is very soothing for anxiety.

It invites steadiness and calm.

For best results,

Stimulate this point for at least a minute.

When you feel ready,

Release your hands and maybe folding a little deeper into butterfly.

Carrying the awakened kidney energy with you and slowly begin to roll your spine back up.

One vertebra at a time.

Place your hands behind you for support and extend your legs forward.

Take a breath or two here,

Perhaps giving your legs a little bounce or shake,

And then pausing for a couple of breaths to notice the effects of butterfly in your hips and thighs.

When you are ready,

Let's slide into sleeping swan.

Bring your right knee forward and place it behind your hand.

Angle the shin so it's comfortable.

It doesn't need to be parallel to the mat,

Just where it naturally lands.

Straighten your left leg long behind you,

Resting the top of the foot on the floor.

Square your hips as best you can,

But there is no need for perfect symmetry.

You may prop your right hip onto a bolster or a blanket.

Once your lower body is settled,

Begin to fold forward,

Lowering onto forearms or perhaps all the way down,

Letting your forehead rest on stacked hands or a block.

As you fold,

The rounding of the spine stimulates the bladder meridian along the back body.

If you feel a deep stretch through the outer hip and glutes of the front leg,

You're stimulating the bladder meridian.

If you are feeling a gentle lengthening through the hip flexors of the back leg,

You're touching into the kidney meridian.

Let your breath guide you deeper into the pose and also towards sensation.

And let's make our way to the other side.

Press your hands into the mat,

Gently lift the chest and lean to one side to free your back leg and swap the legs so that your left knee is forward and stretch your right leg behind you,

Making any adjustments so your hips feel stable and then begin to release forward.

Find your shape and then resolve to be still for the next two minutes.

Stay connected to your breath.

With each inhale,

Imagine water flowing into your kidneys and lower back.

With each exhale,

Soften your belly and allow your hips to sink a little heavier toward the floor.

You may visualize cool blue light suffusing the area around your kidneys,

Bathing them in cool light,

Surrendering to the forward fold and welcoming the sense of calm rippling through your nervous system.

Coming out of the shape,

Take a counter-stretch in downward-facing dog or child's pose to reset.

To move into our next shape,

Half frog,

Find your way to child's pose to start.

Hips resting back towards your heels.

From here,

Begin to slide your hands forward and gently widen your knees apart.

Notice how that opens the inner thighs.

For half frog or tadpole,

Lift the hips so they're roughly in line with the knees,

Keeping the feet together behind you.

This creates a deep but supportive opening through the inner groin and adductors.

If your knees feel tender,

Slip a blanket or cushion underneath them.

You might choose to stay low with the chest supported on a bolster or walk your hands further forward to lengthen through the arms.

If the shoulder or neck feels tight,

Bring the elbows down and rest your forehead on your forearms or on a prop.

In this shape,

There is a gentle but steady stretch along the inner thighs and groin,

Which stimulates the kidney meridian,

As well as a mild backbend through the lower spine,

Which can bring warmth and subtle compression to the low back,

Stimulating the bladder meridian.

If your arms are reaching forward,

Notice the opening across the chest and shoulders.

This is stimulating the heart and lung meridians.

In this shape,

Think of creating space in the hips and in the low back.

Here we are bringing a gentle compression into the low back,

Which supports circulation and energy flow in the spine.

It also gently stimulates the digestive organs,

Supporting digestive health.

Breathe softly and evenly,

As if you could send your inhale down into your belly and the inner thighs.

On each exhale,

Imagine the groin softening and the hips melting,

A little heavier toward the earth.

Remember,

In yin,

It's not about how far you go,

It's about how long you linger.

We'll be here for a little longer,

But whenever you're ready to come out,

Slowly bring your hips back into child's pose,

Or even gently roll forward onto your belly,

Bringing your legs together for a rest.

If you're still in tadpole or child's pose,

Make your way onto your belly.

Close your eyes.

Let the body be heavy.

Notice the afterglow of sensation in the inner thighs,

Hips,

And low back.

Maybe there's warmth,

Tingling,

Or a pulsing sensation as the tissues shift and energy moves.

This is the rebound effect,

The body's way of integrating the pose.

Feel how the inner legs are now alive and awake.

Notice sensations in your low back,

Where the bladder meridian flows.

With each inhale,

Imagine a fresh wave of energy flowing through these channels.

Trust that even in stillness,

A lot is happening.

Your body unwinding,

Your energy balancing,

Your mind becoming more spacious.

Perhaps give your hips a little wiggle,

Shaking them from side to side.

Bring your palms to your side and gently push yourself up and make your way back down onto your back.

Hug your knees in toward your chest.

And from here,

Reach for the soles of your feet,

Your ankles,

Or even the backs of your thighs.

Whatever is most accessible to come into a happy baby.

Open the feet so they're above your knees and gently guide the knees towards the floor alongside your ribs.

Let your shoulders soften down and your head rest heavy on the mat.

If the hips are tight,

Hold your ankles or even the backs of your thighs.

Once you've found your shape,

Come to be still.

Happy baby stimulates the bladder and kidney meridians,

Refreshing energy flow along the back body and through the inner groin.

This shape opens the hips and inner thighs while lengthening the spine.

You may sense the release in the sacrum and low back as the SI joints gently decompress,

Easing tension in the low back.

For the final minute here,

You could explore some movement,

Perhaps slowly straightening one leg at a time to add a hamstring stretch.

Or play with rocking side to side.

And to come out,

Release your feet to the floor with your knees still bent.

Pause here.

Notice the rebound of sensation in the hips and low back.

Take a moment in stillness.

This is your rebound.

Feel what's alive in your body.

Warmth,

Tingling,

Pulsing,

Or maybe just quiet.

Imagine your tissues drinking in fresh circulation.

Like a sponge refilling with water.

The pause is where your practice integrates.

Like letting ripples settle on the surface of water.

Let's close our practice with a gentle twist to unwind the spine and restore balance to the body.

Lie back and draw both knees into your chest.

Take a full breath in,

Expanding through the belly and ribs.

And as you exhale,

Allow the knees to drift to one side.

Open your arms wide,

Letting the chest broaden.

Notice the sensations.

The spine spiraling,

The ribs expanding,

And softening with each breath.

If you'd like to deepen the shape,

Cross the knees as if in unison.

Eagle pose for twisted roots.

You'll be here for another minute or so.

And gently roll onto your back.

Hug the knees to the chest.

Pausing here or rocking from side to side to release the sacrum.

And pause for a few breaths to notice the rebound,

The echo of the twist unravelling into the spine.

And when you are ready,

Repeat on the other side.

And once you find your shape,

Become still.

With each inhale,

Breathe into the ribs and chest,

Feeling the length along your spine.

With each exhale,

Allow the twist to deepen on its own.

And I will leave you here to enjoy the stillness and let you know when it's time to move.

And releasing your twist and make your way into Shavasana.

Settle into stillness.

As you rest,

Notice the subtle echoes of the practice,

Vibrations of energy,

The openness in your hips and legs,

The pulse of energy in your spine.

Sense the flow of chi radiating through the channels you have opened.

The kidney meridian is our inner reservoir.

Balancing the water of life and the vitality of Jing energy.

The bladder meridian,

The river pathway of the nervous system.

As you breathe here,

Imagine these water pathways flowing together.

The kidneys as deep mountain springs,

Quiet,

Hidden,

Storing pure energy within you.

The bladder as the great river,

Flowing down the back body,

Carrying that energy outward,

Helping you to let go.

Inhale as though sipping from the spring of the kidneys,

Drawing up vitality.

Exhale,

Let the bladder channel carry away fears,

Tension,

And old stories you no longer need.

If you like,

Visualize a soft,

Blue light,

Cool and calming,

Pooling in your low belly.

And with every breath,

See that blue light radiating out,

Streaming down your spine,

Washing away stress,

Softening every muscle,

Dissolving thought.

Simply rest in the faith that your body knows how to restore itself.

The kidneys are your deep well of energy,

And the bladder is like your release valve.

When they are balanced,

They keep you grounded in your purpose,

Flowing through life's ups and downs with ease.

When you feel ready,

Start to invite some small movements into your fingers and toes,

Like ripples returning to the surface of a still lake.

Take a deep breath,

Stretch gently,

And roll to one side.

Rest here for a moment,

And then slowly rise.

Bring your palms together and begin to rub them to create warmth.

Once warmth has gathered,

Place one hand on your heart and the other on your belly,

Letting this energy dissipate and settle.

I'll see you in the next class.

Take care,

And I hope you carry this feeling of calm balance with you throughout the rest of your day.

You