Hello and welcome.
Thank you for joining me for this session.
Yin practice to help you sleep more deeply and hopefully soundly.
So you may want a few props,
Maybe lay out a blanket in your space so it's nice and cozy.
And you might want to have two blocks.
And of course,
Props are just optional.
Find what works for you.
So we'll be getting into poses for the hips today.
And it can help our body relax so that we can sleep deeper,
Which is very important.
So our first pose is going to be deer.
Having one leg internally rotated,
One leg externally rotated,
Whichever one you want to start with,
Whichever feels best to you.
And from deer,
We're going to have couple options.
So make sure your knees feel comfortable,
You can adjust the position of your feet and ankles,
Whatever feels good.
So initially,
Sometimes one knee might be.
A little.
Uncomfortable.
You can always put a blanket under it or whatever works for you.
So right now my left leg is.
.
.
Externally rotated,
My right internally rotated,
So it feels like I'm going a little more over to my left hip.
That's totally fine.
So if your internally rotated leg feels like you're coming up a little bit,
That's okay.
You don't want to try to push it down,
Especially if that hurts your knee.
So coming into your position for deer.
And you can always just stay right here.
Or move into a swan or modified swan.
So option one,
Stay here and dear.
Option two,
Turn towards that front knee.
That's externally rotated.
And you might start to straighten that back leg out a little bit and move that other knee forward.
So this is just a modified variation of Swan.
Maybe you stay here.
Or coming a little bit more into the full swan.
You might move that knee a little further out and straighten the back leg a little more so you're coming into full swan.
Find your variation and then we're going to hold for about three minutes or so.
Option,
You can always stay up on your hands.
Making it a more upright swan,
Which you can get a nice stretch into that back leg's hip flexor.
Or you can use your blocks.
Bringing them a little closer.
Like little arm rests.
And come into a sleeping swan.
Maybe you stay here or use your hands to support your head.
Or just coming down when the head is on a block for hands.
So find your variation.
You might just bring yourself down onto your mat or blankets.
Invite your hips to soften and release.
You can also use a block,
Holding it in your hands at a slight angle.
So you can rest your forehead on that block.
And it's totally okay if you sort of lean over towards that front hip.
The hips don't have to be even in this Yin pose.
Find what works for you.
Notice your breath.
Invite your exhale to be a little longer than your inhale.
Begin to gently deepen your breath.
And then slowly press your way back up if you were in that sleeping swan.
Slowly make your way out in whatever way makes sense to you.
And then other side.
So the other side is sort of going to be our counter pose too.
So having the block.
Maybe at the other end of your mat.
Switching.
Internal and external position of your legs to start in deer.
And notice if that's where you wanna stay on this side.
Maybe you find a little variation moving that front leg a little bit more towards one side of your mat.
Maybe starting to move your other leg back.
May be staying here.
Or maybe going a little deeper into swan on this side.
Straightening that back leg a little more.
One side might feel quite different.
We always have one side that's tight.
And another side that's even tighter.
So if knees complain.
.
.
Back off.
You can also do this stretch laying on your back in that figure four hip stretch.
Is another option if your knees just really don't like this position.
So again,
Maybe staying more upright.
That can feel really nice into the back and that back legs hip flexor.
Maybe staying in this position for a little while and when you're ready or your wrists get tired.
Make your way down,
Either using your blocks or your forearms to support you.
And again,
Option may be a block held in your hands at a slight angle so you can rest your head on that block or just rest your head on the back of your hands.
Begin to soften into this shape.
Stay present with your breath.
Feel free to find any variation or slight modification.
Make sure your knees are happy.
Breathing into the area of sensation of stress.
And sigh out your exhales whenever you want to encourage a little bit more release.
Let it go.
Begin to gently deepen your breath.
Take a nice inhale through your nose.
Exhale,
Sigh it out,
Let it go.
Slowly on an inhale,
Begin to make your way back up.
Maybe transitioning back into that deer.
And then bringing your legs back up.
Maybe coming into the opposite deer for a moment.
Maybe drink some water.
And our last pose is going to be a modified.
Tadpole or frog So you will want to have a blanket to support your knees.
And make sure it's a little wider than your mat in case you want to have your knees a little bit wider.
Come onto hands and knees.
Widen your knees.
Maybe about the width of your mat.
You can start with your toes touching and then separate your feet a little bit,
Sending your hips back towards your heels or in between your heels.
So make sure this feels okay on your knees.
And then you might bring a block.
You might try resting your head on a block.
Or similarly to a child's pose.
Or using your hands.
If you want to go deeper,
You can always make this into a frog by taking your ankles out in line with your knees.
Just make sure there's enough cushion under your knees.
And if it gets to be too much.
Move one knee and one foot in at a time so it's more like a child's pose.
And then soften into the shape.
Notice your breath.
Stay present with your breath.
You If knees bother you,
Adjust as you need to.
Maybe bringing them in a little closer.
Maybe the feet come in a little closer.
Honor what your body is telling you.
We'll be here for a few more breaths.
Begin to gently deepen your breath.
Take a nice inhale through your nose.
Exhale,
Sigh it out.
Let it go.
Slowly start to make your way back up.
Bring one knee and then the other underneath you.
And then lay all the way down onto your belly.
The eggs a little closer together.
Oh,
Notice that sensation.
Option.
You can either stay a little upright in sort of a soft relaxed sphinx.
Or come all the way down onto your belly for Makrasana.
This is just our counter pose.
Elbows out,
Stack your hands,
Rest your head on the back of your hands.
Or just stay in a space.
So just find what works for you.
Relax your feet and legs.
Notice your hips.
Notice your breath.
And if you're in that makrasana.
Thoughtfully bring your hands under your shoulders.
If you're in that sphinx,
Sort of lower down a little bit and then bring your hands under your shoulders.
Press yourself back up into table.
And then slowly bring yourself to a seat,
Whatever position feels good to you,
Maybe straightening those legs out.
Or any comfortable seated position.
And pause.
Take a nice inhale,
Reach your arms up.
Exhale little twist to your right.
Initially you can look over your right shoulder and then slowly turn your head in the opposite direction.
On your next inhale,
Slowly unwind,
Back to center,
Twist in the other direction.
Looking over your back shoulder initially.
And then on your next exhale,
Slowly turning your head to look up.
Over your front shoulder slightly looking down.
Inhale,
Unwind.
Come back to center.
Exhale,
Hands to your heart.
Notice how you feel.
Make sure you drink some water.
Thank you so much for joining me for this brief practice.
I hope these yin poses help you find deeper sleep.
Thank you so much.
Have a lovely evening.
Namaste.
