The Stress-Relieving Yin Yoga Sequence You Need To Try At Home

As most of us around Australia grapple with new lockdown restrictions, taking care of our mental health and wellbeing has never been more important. This yoga sequence will be sure to make your wellbeing a priority.

By WH Staff | Jul 2, 2021

The Stress-Relieving Yin Yoga Sequence You Need To Try At Home

Of all the seasons, winter time is the most Yin. The energy of winter is traditionally dark, cold, slow and inward like the sap in the trees in winter withdrawing deep into the roots for hibernation and regeneration in preparation for spring. As a part of nature, we need to allow ourselves to be more introspective, slow and reflective.

This is a time to restore and put on recharge what are known affectionately in traditional Chinese medicine, (TCM) as the body’s batteries – our Kidneys. As our kidneys are responsible for the release of any fear based blocks/responses in our bodies and a part of our fight or flight response, this also has a balancing effect on our stress levels, sleep, fertility and creativity.

Here is a sequence for winter that will restore your energy as if you’ve been plugged into a charger, so that when spring rolls around we have a green light to unfurl and go!

Props needed – bolster or cushions and pillows, a blanket, and /or a yoga block.

Situation – warm, cozy and undisturbed by life for the next 35 mins. Turn off your phone, light some candles and put on your favorite playlist (yin playlists curated by Mel can be found on spotify mel-918)

How to take this sequence as a Kidney tonic

Do anytime of day or early evening- in full or in part one or two at a time. Consistency is key – a little bit often over just one big session every now and again (sometimes I even do some of these poses from the comfort of my bed!)

We will stretch and compress the tissues of the back of the body to bring about change in the fascia and Acu channels of Kidney and urinary bladder .As we stimulate these channels the intelligence of the Qi (energy) is what rely on to balance the energy in yin yoga

We will stay quietly “still-ish” for a few minutes (3-5) in each shape allowing the tissues of your back body to relax or be compressed as you focus on breathing and/or the sensations that are occurring in your body physically or as feelings or in your mind as thoughts.

Pose 1 Introspection with Caterpillar pose

Sit on the floor with your legs out in front of you. Inhale to lengthen the spine and exhale to lean into the shape and drape over your legs. Use props where you need them (backs of knees, or under sits bones or supporting forehead/neck etc).

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Pose 2 - Gentle stimulating with reclined Butterfly pose

Have the bolster or pillows behind you either in line with your spine (gentler) or across your low ribs (deeper) and lay back with your relaxed arms to the sides. Shoulders roll back and jaw and face relax. Using props to support the upper back and head if needed.

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Pose 3 - Deepening balance with Twisted Roots pose

Lie on the floor and cross your right leg over at the thighs and slowly let your legs fall over to the left. Using props under knees for modifying and over knees/extended arm for intensifying the effects. Come back through center and repeat with left leg over and knees to right.

Pose 4 - Supported rest with Dragonfly on the wall

Lie on the floor close to a wall and swing your legs around and up the wall to begin, slowly allowing them to widen to the sides until a therapeutic stretch is felt in your inner thighs. Using props under sacrum for hip compression or deepening, and outer thighs for modifying.

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Pose 5 – Transitions- legs up the wall

Take for a few minutes and go to knee hug to finish and leave the wall by rolling sideways and resting for a moment.

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6 Deep rest and reset with Pentacle pose

The ultimate yin medicine pose of winter, hibernation.

Lie down in a warm safe comfortable space on the floor (or bed) using a bolster or cushions under the back knees for support of lower back and covering eyes if comfortable for deep rest. Stay at least a few minutes and as long as you like. This is also a great time to put on a guided meditation like yoga nidra or any guided visualisation.

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