Yin is all about quality over quantity. Rather than flowing through a complicated series of poses to stretch and release, this practice relies on a few well-chosen shapes. Stay in each of these poses for at least 2 minutes for maximum benefits, extending the holds as your schedule allows.
Whenever we talk about practicing yoga for the heart chakra, our focus is releasing tension around the heart, including the chest as well as the upper back and shoulders. More than that, the anahata, or heart chakra, has to do with our ability to give and receive love as well as our ability to feel compassion and empathy toward ourselves and others in the world.
As we settle into today's practice, take a moment to notice the breath moving effortlessly in and out. The breath is one of our greatest teachers of abundance - always arriving, always renewing, without us having to earn it or fight for it. Abundance isn't something we chase. It's something we uncover. It's already here, beneath the layers of tension, fear, scarcity, and overexerting. When we soften, we make space. When we make space, we receive.
Few of us escape lower back discomfort, whether it results from long drives, hours spent at a desk, or the aches of menstruation. Practicing yin yoga is a simple antidote that can help you undo the stresses caused by your everyday life. The long holds and mindful focus of yin yoga poses compress, stretch, and release the lower back to bring you relief from tension and discomfort.
Months before my breakup, I wrote in my journal, I feel like my body is preparing for a long winter ahead. When I look back on these words spilled out on the page, I take it as confirmation that each of us has a voice of knowing within our bodies - especially if we're willing to listen. My ex and I ended things in early December that year, and throughout the winter and spring that followed, I found myself frequently practicing stretches and twists on my yoga mat.
If tight hips plague you, yin yoga could be the solution you've been needing. Everyday habits-sitting at a desk, driving, or even subjecting your body to chronic stress-can leave your hips feeling stiff and sore. Yin yoga's extended holds target the deep fascia and connective tissues that contribute to this tightness. Working with it can help you experience immediate release as well as enhanced flexibility.
The first time I tried Toe Squat was during an online yin yoga class. The instructor sat back on his heels in what I first thought was Thunderbolt (Vajrasana), but unlike that classic pose, his toes were curled under him so that his weight was on the balls of his feet and toes. He set a timer for three minutes, cautioning that it might be uncomfortable.
Bring your knees wide (option to go as wide as the yoga mat) Bring your big toes to touch Extend your arms forward Allow your forehead to rest on the mat or a block Invite your breath to deepen For a side body stretch, walk your hands to the right, placing the left palm on top of the right if that feels accessible Breathe into the space between your ribs Mantra/Cue: "With every exhale, soften the weight of your body toward the earth."
