This Yin Yoga sequence is intended to wind down your energy and help you ease out of your day. Even a great one to practice right before bed time to leave you feeling relaxed for sleep.

Relax and let go of your tension in your body, even mental tension as you focus on what you feel and your breath. Let go of anything else that accumulated throughout your day that doesn’t serve you well, thoughts, feelings or tension.

Help release, wind down your energy and let go of anything that doesn’t help you stay calm, relaxed and content. 

The sequence below targets the spine, hips and shoulders.

The Sequence

1. CATERPILLAR - bringing the spine into flexion. Helps release tension all along the spine 

2. BUTTERLY - with a supported version bolster underneath chest torso rest face or cheeks on it again bringing the spine into flexion

3. SPHINX– bringing the spine into extension a supported version bolster under ribs or belly depending on the compression you want on your lower lumbar sacral lumbar and if your head is feeling heavy you can always put a lock underneath your forehead and rest your head on

4. ANAHASTASANA / MELTING HEART - this one is great for shoulders and/or the mid upper back. Offers a great release for the shoulders and neck 

5. HALF BUTTERFLY - targets the hips with an added side bend it is a lateral extension for the spine and makes for a nice side body stretch

6. HALF BUTTERFLY - on the other side

7. BANANASANA/ BANANA POSE - supine which means laying down. A great lateral extension for the spine, and a juicy side body stretch where you get into the deeper connective tissues of between the ribs and rib cage, like in the intercostal muscles

8. BANANASANA / BANANA POSE - supine on the other side

9. SAVASANA / CORPSE POSE - a final rest and time to notice the synergies of the body and energy that has been moved throughout the body 

Tip(s) for your practice: get a timer!

Approach and notice your initial edge rather than drive for deepest version of posture. Move with ease towards it.
For a deeper release and to do “yin yoga” hold  postures anywhere from 3-5 mins. When doing the different two sided postures, like Bananasana make sure to hold on each side somewhat similar time. With more yin yoga experience you’ll find maybe intuitively you’ll start to notice that you need. To hold longer on one side over another (for example if it’s tighter).

Move Y[inward]. Practice with intention and attention.

Namaste,

Marzena