This gentle yin yoga practice will take place entirely lying down. I will guide you through four different poses, using an optional blanket as a prop for support, and we will take each pose + transition for about 3-4 minutes. The practice includes soft music throughout the entire sequence.
Meet your Teacher
Mannheim, BW, Germany
Transcript
Today's practice will be a gentle breath in, A gentle breath out. This will be a gentle and calm restorative yin style practice. All that you need is a blanket and something soft to lie on. So either your yoga mat or you could even do this practice while lying on your bed if that's more comfortable for you. The entire practice will take place lying down on your back. We'll move through some various positions using the blanket as a support. We'll begin by lying down on top of our blanket to support a gentle opening through the chest. So take your blanket and roll it into a tight roll as if it was a sleeping bag that you're rolling closed. You want to make a long roll that is about the length of your spine. So place this long roll in the center of your mat and then lie down directly on it so that your blanket lines up with your spine in a straight line. And you can feel a gentle opening as your shoulders open around your blanket roll and your head lies back. If your blanket is too short and is not supporting your head as well, It might make sense to grab a pillow or if you prefer you can allow your head to lie back and open gently through the neck as well. Your hands can come out alongside you, Palms facing up or down, Whatever feels comfortable for you right now. And your legs can extend long, Heels coming out to the corners of your mat, Toes relaxed until you're in a savasana type pose lying on your back on top of your blanket. Take a full deep breath in through your nose. Open your mouth and let it out. Take two more deep breaths. Allow your eyes to close if that feels comfortable for you. Breathe in and out through your nose now, Maintaining a deep pace of your breathing. With each exhale, Really allowing the weight of your back to fall down on your blanket roll. Allow your shoulders to gently creep down toward the ground. Prepare to feel a gentle opening through your chest. Whenever you feel your thoughts drift away from your practice, Try to bring them back to any physical sensations that you feel. So when you physically feel points of your body connected to the earth or feel the stretch in your front body or feel the muscles of your face relaxing with your exhales. Take a deep breath in through your nose. Take a deep breath out through your nose. Take one more deep breath in through your nose and out through your mouth. Gently bring your feet up so that your knees are bent and your feet are standing on your mat by your hips and gently roll over to one side. Give yourself a few moments here to just take a moment and adjust. Reach behind you and grab your blanket and then roll back down onto your back, Hugging your knees into your chest, Setting your blanket aside. Just check in feeling your entire back on the mat. Notice any sensation through your spine or your entire back body. Sitting gently side to side or forward and back, Whatever feels good on your spine. Take two or three more breaths here in whatever movement you like. Then when you feel ready, Come back to stillness, Take your blanket and go ahead and fold it into a small square. So unrolling your blanket, Fold it in half and in half again as many times as you need to make a small supportive square. And we'll come to a fallen tree position on our backs. So first come down to lie on your back with both legs extended and then bend your right knee, Bring your right foot up to your left thigh and allow your right knee to fall out to the side. And here's where you can grab your blanket square. And for some more support, Tuck your blanket underneath that right knee or for more grounding, You can put your blanket on top of the right knee for a little more gentle pressure and weight to support you in this position. Your hands can come down alongside you wherever feels comfortable or if you like to support a little bit more opening in the chest, Bend your elbows like a cactus, Sending your hands up overhead and your elbows out to the side so you have about a 90 degree angle with your elbows. And again, Allow your eyes to close if that's what feels good for you. Check in and focus on your breath. Notice any new sensations in your body in this different pose, Checking in with any opening through the hip, The right side, Noticing all the points of your body contacting the earth in this new pose. Optional. And take one more deep breath in and out. If your blanket is on top of that right knee, Gently slide it off and then bring both your knees in for a gentle hug. Draw circles with your knees out wide and back in to move gently through the hips. And if you're drawing knee circles, Draw them in the other direction. And when you feel ready, Allow your right leg to extend long, Bring the sole of your left foot into the right thigh, And allow your left knee to fall out to the left side for fallen tree pose on the other side. Take your blanket square and either tuck it underneath your left knee for a little bit more support, Or if you want a little bit more grounding, A little bit more sensation in the pose, Bring your blanket square and rest it on top of that left knee, Allowing the gentle weight of your blanket to keep you in the pose. And hands can come anywhere that feel good. You can take them back to your cactus arms pose with your elbows at a 90 degree angle. Or if you want to stretch through the shoulders, Maybe reach your arms up overhead and grab for your elbows. If it's okay, Either close your eyes or keep them closed. And notice how this side feels compared with the other side. And resisting labeling any sensations as feeling right or wrong and just noticing them as they are. Try to imagine yourself grounding down in your fallen tree pose, Growing roots deeper into the ground with each breath out. And we go anti pose. And take another full breath in and out. If your blanket square is on top of that left knee, Gently slide it off. Bring your knees back in for a hug. Get your feet down on your mat, About as wide as they can go, And then allow your knees to windshield wiper over from side to side, Gently falling over to the right and over to the left. Maybe even nod your head side to side. And then go ahead and bring your knees back in. We'll set up for a recline twist using the blanket. So with your knees in, Go ahead and send them together over to the right side. And here with your blanket, You have the option to either place the blanket on the ground, Bring your knees together on top of it. Or another option is to bring the blanket in between your knees, Creating a little bit of space. Allow your feet to relax. Allow your left shoulder to relax down. Reach your arms out wide. You can either keep your head turned up toward the ceiling or allow your chin to fall over towards that left shoulder and relax into your twist. Checking in, Noticing sensation anywhere that you feel it, Working with your exhales to soften into those feelings. Ooh. Take another full breath in and out. If your blanket is between your knees, Gently slide it out and bring your knees up through center and gently rock them side to side. Massage your low back into the mat. And then when you're ready, Allow your knees to fall over together to the left side. And again, You can take your blanket square and bring it underneath the bottom knee or bring it between your knees to create a little bit of gentle space. Allow your right shoulder to relax open over to the right side. Bring your hands back out wide and keep your head turned up toward the ceiling or sky or allow your chin to fall over towards that right shoulder. Check in with this side. Notice all the points of contact between your body and the ground and continue to sink deeper into those points with every breath out. Take another deep breath in and out. If your blanket is between your knees, Gently slide it out. Bring your knees back in for a hug. Take any movement that feels good here, Drawing circles with your knees, Rocking side to side or windshield wiping your knees side to side. Take about five breaths, Any movement that feels good before we set up for our final resting pose. To set up for our final rest, We'll use our blanket again. So go ahead and take it, Unfold the square and then roll it up again just as it was in the beginning in a tight roll. And we'll use this blanket roll to support our knees. So setting up to lie down on your back, Take your blanket roll and tuck it just behind your knees, Allowing your heels to come out wide, Giving your knees a gentle bend and lie back down. Your hands can come out wide or maybe even ground onto your torso. Whatever feels best for you as you set up for your final rest. Take a quick scan through your body, Check in with how you feel from the top of your head all the way down to the tips of your toes. And take three conscious deep breaths in through your nose, Into your chest, Your lungs filling up, Your rib cage expanding, Maybe even your belly expanding and then out through your mouth sinking into the mat. Two more full deep breaths in through the nose, Expand through the chest, Take in as much air as you can and then sigh it out, Sink even deeper. And then last one, Deepest breath in so far today. And then longest sigh out and take rest. Dragged to uncl today. Begin to notice your breathing again. Take a scan through your body. Start to check in with your fingers and toes, Maybe move them, Flex through your hand, Flex through your feet, Maybe roll your wrists and ankles. Not your head side to side. Extend your legs long, Point through your toes, Bring your feet together, Send your arms up overhead. For a good morning stretch, Take a full deep breath in through your nose, Reach through your fingers, Reach through your toes, And then exhale through your mouth. Bring your knees back in for another hug. Thank yourself for taking the time to practice today. Roll over to your left side. Whenever you feel ready, Press yourself up to a comfortable seat. Take a full breath and reach your arms up overhead. Bring your hands together and bring your thumbs down to the middle of your forehead. May you always see your inner courage. Bring your thumbs down to your lips. May you always speak your strengths. And bring your thumbs down to your heart. May you always hold joy in your heart. Thank you so much for practicing with me today. Namaste.
4.9 (21)
Susan
October 25, 2023
Hello beautiful 🎈🌺🎈🌺🎈Thank you so much for the wonderful yoga session ☀️☀️☀️it gives a lot of shiny and sunny feelings🗺️have a blessed day 🕉️Namaste
