Yin Yoga – 60 min

Welcome to this 60-minute Yin Yoga session. Find a comfortable position, perhaps on a bolster or cushion. Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. Feel the contact with the ground and let your body land in the present moment. Invite a sense of calm and presence. Set an intention for your practice today – what do you wish to open up to, or let go of?

We breathe in through the nose and breathe out through the nose. Let the breath be natural and effortless, and let the body soften with each exhale. Today's practice focuses on opening the heart space and lungs, while supporting the kidneys and urinary bladder for a deeper sense of calm and grounding.

We take a few breaths and set our intention for the session before we om together three times and begin the practice. (a short pause with three breaths for the intention of the practice). Breathe in before we om, and breathe out when we om, and repeat this three times.

Standing upright with feet a comfortable distance apart. Bend the knees and fold forward. Let the arms and head hang heavy. Rest your hands on a bolster or blocks for support if you like. Let the weight of the head and arms draw you deeper into the fold, and feel how the spine releases and opens.

Begin standing with feet hip-width apart, toes pointing slightly out. Bend the knees and lower into a deep squat. Let the elbows press the knees out to the sides to open the hips. Keep the spine long and the chest open. Hold the hands in prayer position in front of the heart with the elbows pressing against the shins or knees. Let the weight of the body sink into the floor and feel a deep opening in the hips. Creates stability and grounding – preparation for heart opening.

Legs stretched forward, letting the upper body rest relaxed forward, perhaps on a bolster. Releasing tension in the back and hips. No active stretching – let gravity do the work.

Lying on the back with a bolster lengthwise under the back, knees out to the sides while the soles of the feet are together. Let the chest open. Feel free to build up with blocks under the knees for more support and opening.

Opens the chest and throat. Feel free to support with a bolster under the upper back for a gentle Yin version. Palms face downward and arms are stretched and placed under the pelvis. Tilt the head back. Let the chest open and the breath move into the heart space.

Lie on your stomach. Place the elbows slightly in front of the shoulders and rest on the forearms. Let the belly melt toward the floor. Notice how it feels in the lower back. If the "sensation" is too deep, move the elbows slightly forward for less compression, or pull them slightly back for more compression. You are welcome to build up with a bolster under the chest for more support and a gentler opening.

Notice the breath moving into the upper ribs and heart space.

Straighten the arms further for a deeper backbend and compression. Keep the shoulders relaxed away from the ears.

Begin lying on the back with bent knees. Lift the hips just enough to place a block under the sacrum for supported bridge. Let the body sink into the block and breathe into the back. Now you can extend the arms out to the sides and walk the feet away from the pelvis to stretch them out.

Begin in downward facing dog. Extend the right leg and bring the right knee forward between the arms and lean out to the right side. Check in with how it feels in your knee. If it feels good in the knee, you can flex the right foot and let the heel rest on the floor. If it feels uncomfortable in the knee, you can keep the foot flexed and let the heel lift slightly from the floor. The left leg stretches back with the toes on the floor. Let the upper body lean forward and let the arms support you. If you want a deeper opening you can try full swan by lifting up onto the hands and letting the compression in the hip increase. If you prefer a more calm and meditative opening, you can try sleeping swan by folding the upper body forward over the front leg.

Full Swan: 3 minutes. Lifted on hands, compression in the right hip.

Sleeping Swan: 1 minute. Fold the upper body forward over the front leg.

Begin in downward facing dog. Extend the left leg and bring the left knee forward between the arms and lean out to the left side. Check in with how it feels in your knee. If it feels good in the knee, you can flex the left foot and let the heel rest on the floor. If it feels uncomfortable in the knee, you can keep the foot flexed and let the heel lift slightly from the floor. The right leg stretches back with the toes on the floor. Let the upper body lean forward and let the arms support you. If you want a deeper opening you can try full swan by lifting up onto the hands and letting the compression in the hip increase. If you prefer a more calm and meditative opening, you can try sleeping swan by folding the upper body forward over the front leg. Full Swan: 3 minutes. Lifted on hands, compression in the left hip.

Sleeping Swan: 1 minute. Fold the upper body forward over the front leg.

Draw the knees into the chest and send the left knee to the right side of the body, supported by a bolster if you like. Open your arms out like two wings and let the weight of the knees and upper body create a gentle twist in the spine. Let the head rest on the floor or turn it in the opposite direction of the knees for a deeper twist. Both shoulders rest on the floor.

Draw the knees into the chest and send the right knee to the left side of the body, supported by a bolster if you like. Open your arms out like two wings and let the weight of the knees and upper body create a gentle twist in the spine. Let the head rest on the floor or turn it in the opposite direction of the knees for a deeper twist. Both shoulders rest on the floor.

Time to rest. Shavasana is the closing of your practice, a natural part of the journey. Let the body sink into the ground and let the breath be natural and effortless. Let the body and mind melt together. Notice the energy and what has opened up during the practice. Feel how it feels to be in your body right now, and let a sense of gratitude for yourself and your practice grow. A small mantra of gratitude. "I am grateful for my body and my practice. I am open to what has opened in me today, and I carry this calm and openness with me." "I am grateful for the love and support in my heart space. I am open to giving and receiving love in all aspects of my life." "May my thoughts, words and actions be filled with love and compassion. I am grateful for the opportunity to open my heart and share my love with the world."