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I have designed a RENEWAL Yin Yoga Sequence for you to explore in your own body. This sequence specifically targets your Liver and Gall Bladder organs and meridians to help support digestion and stimulate detoxification. As you explore each pose, please take your time and always listen to your body. If you are new to this practice, feel free to shorten the length of holding each posture. If anything ever feels painful, risky or harmful, immediately come out of the pose and find a comfortable resting shape. You can use any props that will offer you support, for example, bolsters, blankets and pillows. I suggest using a timer or clock for each pose. Please keep in mind that our bodies are all unique so your shape will not necessarily look exactly like mine. Make sure to take at least 30 seconds to a minute or longer between each posture to feel the soothing and calming rebound of fluids and energy.

POSE #1 - TOE SQUAT

Coming In

Come into a table position to start, gently tuck your toes under and slowly begin to draw your sit bones towards your heels any amount. Depending on your body, you might want to place a bolster under your knees for extra cushioning and/or use blocks under your hands. If you are comfortable sitting right back onto your heels, you can use blocks under the hands or rest your hands on your thighs. Once you have found a place that you can safely stay in, take a few calming deep breaths, focusing on the sensations in your feet (LOTS!) and stay in this shape for about 2-3 minutes. This is one of the best poses to target the majority of the meridians in your body. Relax as best as you can, gently close your eyes and focus on your breath.

Coming Out

To come out of the shape, very slowly, bring your hands forward again, grounding your palms and gently come forward with your hips easing away from your heels. Even slower, untuck the toes and come onto the tops of your feet. It might feel good to gently tap the tops of your feet on your mat. Rest in any comfortable position, perhaps sitting on the tops of your feet or child's pose and feel the rebound of the pose. When it feels right for you, move onto ankle stretch.

POSE #2 - ANKLE STRETCH

Coming In – 2 or 3 minute hold

Moving slowly and carefully from a table position with the tops of your feet connected with your mat, begin to walk your hands by your sides, exploring how far back you can walk your hands and possibly coming down onto your forearms. You can always use blocks under your hands to modify the shape. Depending on the structure of your body, your shins might stay on your mat or be slightly lifted from your mat. You might be experiencing a deep stretch across the top of your feet and ankles. Explore staying in this pose for about 2-3 minutes. Try to relax through your feet and leg, allowing your teeth to gently part and observe your neutral breath.

Coming Out

Transition out of the pose, if you are on your forearms, using your core strength, come up to your hands and now begin to walk your hands forward finding table position. You are welcome to move your feet and ankles in any way that feels soothing. Transition into comfortable a seated position with your legs extended forward and, when you are ready, move to the next pose.

POSE #3 - SEATED TWIST

Coming In – 4 minutes each side

From a seated position with your legs extended out straight in front of you, bend the right knee and place the right foot to the outside of the left knee. You have two options with your left leg, keep it extended straight or tuck it back towards your right hip. Moving gently into the spinal twist and wrapping your left arm around your right leg. Finding a comfortable position for your right hand behind you. Making sure that you can breathe without any restriction, feel safe in your body and then relaxing your body and focus on your breath and sensations. Exploring this pose for about 4 minutes.

Coming Out

Slowly begin to come out of the twist by bringing your upper body to neutral and then unravel your legs and gently extend them forward and relax your legs and feet. Staying in the resting seated position for about a minute or so. If this doesn’t feel good, then choose any other comfortable resting position.

Second Side of Seated Twist

Make sure to do the twist on the second side for the same length of time. Allow yourself time to rest before moving on to the next pose.

POSE #4 - BUTTERFLY

Coming In – 5 minutes

From a seated position, moving mindfully into butterfly by creating any diamond like shape with your legs. It is completely up to you to explore the distance between your feet and sit bones. If this works for your body, slowly begin to hinge at the hips, moving your upper body towards your legs. Be mindful to never to go too deep. If you would like to use a prop between your legs and your torso, please do so. If it doesn’t feel comfortable to bow forward, then you are welcome to stay seated upright or lie down in a reclined shape. Once you have found the first edge of sensation, pause and continue to explore this pose for about 5 minutes. Let your breath help you stay anchored in your experience.

Coming Out

Moving even slower than you want to, bring your upper body back to a neutral position and very carefully extend your relaxed legs forward. With your legs forward and feet floating to the sides, it might feel good to place your hands on the floor behind you with straight arms to support your upper body and rest in the lingering sensations. Remember you can pick another neutral shape to rest in.

POSE #5 - EASY SEAT

Coming In – 5 minutes or longer

To complete your practice, coming to any easy seat that feels supportive for your body. Allow your eyes to gently close, settling into your seat and simply follow your natural breath. Please give yourself about 5 minutes or longer to be completing present with your breath and the quieter sensations within your body.

Coming Out

Beginning completely aware of your body and breath, slowly begin to lift your gaze and take a moment to take in your surroundings. Hoping that you have experienced a deeper connection and sense of renewal within yourself. Please let me know if you have any questions about the practice.

Sending love and compassion

Sandra

Are you seeking to live wide awake? Do you feel that you tend to focus your attention on what happened in the past? Are you constantly trying to live in your future? Ready to change your life and live in the present moment? I am going to share a new way to live each and every moment of your day. Say goodbye to living in the past and constantly wishing for the future. There is a different way to move through your life that will give you more freedom and space to focus on what you love. It starts within your mind, like planting a new seed and begins with a fresh view. There might be a little resistance when you begin. Perhaps even a lot of resistance. This will definitely require time and effort. But I promise, you are worth it!

Earlier this year, I began the study of mindfulness and explored this way of living with my teacher Sarah Powers. I honestly wasn’t aware of how much time I spent reliving my past until I started to notice the constant wandering of my mind. For example, I would realize that I was replaying a conversation that I’d had with someone over and over again. I might even try to change the conversation to create a new outcome. I was wasting my time and energy trying to change something that had already happened. Does any of this sound familiar to you? I started to question my behaviour. If the conversation was over, what was the purpose of constantly rehashing it? And that’s when things started to change for me. The big AH moment! I was missing out on what was happening right now! I seriously hadn’t given a second thought to the time consumed with living in my past.

This new awareness of my thoughts has allowed me to recognize when I focused on the past, present or future. I found that my meditation practice became the key for me to gently bring myself back to the present. During my meditation, I would say the word “WANDERING” silently to myself. This was a direct and effective reminder for me to come back to now. Just to give you a quick real time view of living in the present moment - I want to be here fully in this moment with you, fully awake and present as I madly type my current thoughts into this blog. I am present during the fast clicking on the keyboard, aware of the ticking of my clock, hearing the soft sound of my breath and allowing my thoughts to immediately flow onto the page. This is being present!

The more I practice bringing myself to the present moment, I feel a greater connection to myself and everyone else. My daily meditation practice had always been important for me but now it a MUST! I quickly noticed that I was becoming more intuitive and better at listening. I have become less judgmental of myself and others. It is like a big present has been just gifted to my life. There are times where I wonder why didn’t I know this sooner or why wasn’t I taught this as a child. I feel like I missed out on what was actually happening because I couldn’t stop replaying yesterday or jumping into the future in my mindI had to make a choice to let all of that go. I am grateful that I was guided to this new way of living.

This way of living AWAKE is available for to you! How to start? That’s the next question. The answer is simple. Start to pay attention to the conversations within your mind and notice when you fall into the past or move into the future. Then note “WANDERING” or another trigger word that works for you. Take a deep breath in and start living in the present again. Starting a daily meditation practice will speed up the process of gathering your mind into the present. For you, this can be a 5 minutes before you get out of bed in the morning or seated or when you get into bed at night.

To help you begin your journey of present moment living, I have created a free guided meditation entitled ‘Presence’ to start you on your way. Even if you have never meditated before, I am here to help you. Be patient and gentle with yourself as you get started. Present moment living is now!

Renewal Yin Yoga Sequence

Mindfulness Now