In Yin, we hold postures for longer periods of time to get deeper into our fascia and connective tissues. In this sequence you will hold postures anywhere from 3-5 minutes. You want to experience sensation, so it is important to learn the difference between your "edge" and pain. This is something that only you will be able to differentiate and feel. I personally like to think of pain being a place where it is difficult to breathe and my breath starts to halt or shorten, and my edge being a place where although the hold may be uncomfortable, I can still breathe through the sensation and slowly start to feel my body soften into the previously uncomfortable space.
In order to be able to find a place that is not too strenuous, have some blocks, towels, blankets, and or pillows available to use as props. You can always add or remove props as needed. Although this is not a restorative sequence, you do want your body to fully relax into each posture with little to no muscle engagement. In order to sustain the long holds, props can be wedged under each and any body part that is not connected to the earth (ex: under lifted knees to make a connection, under hips, underneath arms, underneath your belly, and especially underneath your forehead when folding forward). Take your time and set yourself up for each posture in a way that when you take a scan of your body, everything has the ability to release and soften.
Between each posture, find a transitional position for 1 minute to allow your body to experience the rebound effects until they subside. You can create a ball with your body, shake out your legs, cat/ cow, really anything that feels good! Just keep the muscle engagement to a minimum.
This sequence with your transitional poses is about 55-60 minutes long. It is nice to start with at least a 3 minute meditation if you have the time to connect your mind to this practice.
Hips
Wide Leg Childs Pose (3 minutes)
Bring your big toes to touch with your knees out wide- maybe a little wider than normal. Arms can stretch out in front of you or behind you. If your hips are lifted, a block or rolled up towel can be wedged between your bottom and heels. Props can also be placed underneath the front of your body for support and/or under your forehead if the fold is too deep. To transition out, close your knees and send your arms behind you, palms face up.
Frog/ Floor Frog (5 minutes)
**If this is too intense, you can always return back to your wide leg child pose**. From your close legged child's pose, separate your knees out to your sides to align with your hips and move your torso forward. Align your ankles somewhat behind your knees. Every body is different, so it is okay if you need to position yourself slightly differently and if your hips are not completely centered. This may be more comfortable on your knees if you face sideways on your mat. Whether you are or are not using a mat, you can fold towels to place underneath your knees for extra cushion as well. Props can go on the inside of your thighs, under your low belly and chest, and under your hands or forearms if you are propped up. If you are fully on the floor, you can turn your head to one side and then switch directions half way through. To exit, take your time! Either assist your knees back in to child's pose, or shift your weight forwards onto your belly and send your legs straight back behind you.
*If you know you have open hips and would like a little more intensity, the following 2 postures (Shoelace and Swan) can be done one after the other for the same hip before moving to the other side. Below will explain how to transition. If you have tight hips, take each posture on both the right and left side, and then move on to the next pose.
Shoelace aka Cow Face Legs (3 minutes)
From a seat, cross your left leg on the bottom. Bring your left heel towards your right glute. Then lift your right leg up and over your left. Bring your right heel towards your left glute. Your knees should be somewhat stacked. If your right hip is slightly lifted, wedge a towel underneath it. If it is lifted very high, straighten your left (bottom) leg straight out in front of you and keep your right (top) leg bent and crossed over. Stay upright, or melt your chest forward over your legs for more intensity. You can create a tall setup with props to rest your head on in front of your knees. To exit, shift your weight backwards and gently uncross your legs. Find what feels good for your transition period. Repeat on left side.
*If completing this 2 part series on one side first: From Shoelace, shift your weight forwards over your knees, place your right knee towards your right wrist and send your left leg straight back into Swan
Swan/ Sleeping Swan aka Pigeon/ Sleeping Pigeon (5 minutes)
From a table top position, lower your right knee towards your right wrist and send your left leg straight back behind you. The closer your right foot is to the top of your mat, the more intense the stretch. The closer it is towards your hips, the lesser intensity. If your right hip is lifted OR you notice you are rolling over to your right side, place a prop beneath your right hip. You can stay upright, or descend forward towards the floor. If this is too intense, you can take the supine version on your back. Make your way onto your spine, place the soles of your feet hip width distance on the ground and then cross your right ankle over your left thigh. To exit swan, walk your hands back up towards your hips, tuck under your back toes, and bring your right leg back into table top. Release in whatever way feels right. If you are in the supine version, uncross your legs and hug both knees into your chest. Repeat on left side.
Fire Log aka Double Pigeon (3 minutes)
Start in a cross legged position with your left leg on the bottom. Parallel your left shin to the top of your mat and then stack your right (top) leg in the same position. Make sure your right ankle is fully over your left thigh so that it does not sickle on the inside. Props can go under one or both lifted knees, under a lifted hip, or even under the top lifted shin. If this is still too intense, place your right foot directly on the floor in front of your left shin. Stay upright or descend forward and prop your head if needed. To exit, use the help of your hands to uncross your legs and find a transition (maybe windshield wipers or ball pose).
The following 4 poses are all done on one side first, totaling to about 5 minutes for each side.
Baby Dragon or High Dragon aka Modified Lunge (2 minutes)
From table top, step your right foot between your hands, and keep your left knee down on the floor. If you have blocks you can place them on each side of your foot to support your hands. Start with your right knee over your ankle, and to deepen continue to walk your left leg further back behind you. You can place a folded towel under your back knee for support/ cushion. Stay here, or to move deeper lift your torso and place your hands atop your right thigh. Once you lift up, you can even rest all of your upper body weight on your front leg by lying on your thigh. From here move straight into low dragon.
Low Dragon aka Lizard (2 minutes)
Option to stay in baby dragon or high dragon. To move into low dragon, walk your right foot out a little bit more to the right, and place both of your hands on the inside of your right foot. You can stay up on your hands, come down to your forearms and/ or blocks, or lower all the way down. If you experience a pinching in your right hip flexor, try pointing your right toes outwards to get a slight external rotation of your right leg. This will help create more room for your torso to hinge forward over your hips. From here move directly into winged dragon.
Winged Dragon (1 minute)
You can stay on your hands or forearms. Roll to the outer edge of your right foot and let your knee splay out towards the right. From here move directly into next pose.
Twisted Dragon (4-5 breaths)
From winged dragon, ground through your left hand or forearm and place your right palm on the inseam of your right thigh. Gently guide your leg open as you twist though your mid and upper spine. Roll your right rib cage back, and rotate your bottom rib cage under. To exit, replace your hands back down, shift your weight back onto your right knee, and guide your right leg back to meet your left. Transition. Repeat on the left.
Supported Bridge (4 minutes)
Lower yourself down one forearm at a time onto your spine. Place the soles of your feet down about hip width distance apart. Press through your heels, and slide a block or supportive prop underneath your sacrum. Legs can stay bent, straighten out in front of you to open across the front of your hips, or find butterfly legs- place the soles of your feet together and let your knees open to the sides. If legs are straight in front, props can support underneath your thighs or knees. If in butterfly legs, props can go underneath bent knees. To exit, bring your feet back to the earth, lift your hips and slide out your props. Lower down slowly. Take broken bridge to release your low back. Place your feet to the wide edges of your mat and let your knees buckle in.
Pentacle Pose aka Savasana (5 minutes)
Gather your knees into your chest to neutralize your spine, and surrender into pentacle pose. Pentacle pose is a little wider and more spacious than savasana. Take up as much space as you can- and scan.