Lesson 8: Evening Yin to Unwind

Yin is the style of the yoga practice which I find most useful in preparing to go to sleep. Why is that? Because, yin is a passive practice where you arent engaging your muscles at all, it is instead relaxing and restorative while focusing on the joints and the fascia (connective tissue of the body). The three principles of yin yoga are: Find your edge. Hold the pose. Be still. Each of the poses in todays practice will be held for two to four minutes. As you settle in to each one, clear your mind and prepare for sleep. We will be using two blocks in this practice. If you dont have these props at home, swap in some firm couch cushions, oversized pillows, or heavy blankets that can easily be folded up. Remember that this is meant to be a restorative class, all you need to do in each posture is relax and breathe into it. Poses that we will work through include: Supported fish Butterfly fold Swan Wide-legged childs pose Sphinx Savasana Focus and Benefits Finding your edge This is key to the practice of yin yoga. Dont chase sensation or exaggerate a motion, but rather find the sweet spot where you start to feel it. Where it is not so intense that you cant hold the position for an extended amount of time. Be still Fully relax your muscles. Avoid fidgeting or readjusting (unless you are experiencing pain). Difficulty breathing This is a good indication that you have gone to far in to the pose. Or past your edge. You should back out of the pose slightly.