I’m always conflicted about posting a sequence for people to practice by themselves, since I very much believe that learning any style of yoga should always begin with lessons from a qualified teacher. In a perfect world, this lesson would be face to face. However, amidst the realities of COVID, most of us have practiced yoga either by Zoom connection or in solitude. Thus, it’s helpful to learn specific sequences that can be done by oneself.
Another reason for sharing this practice with you: every yoga practitioner reaches the point where it becomes imperative to move away from dependence on others. Personal exploration of asana is important in developing one’s connection to the practice; it also provides a jumping-off point for each of us to consider the other seven folds of Patanjali’s path. We can’t progress unless we come to the mat regularly, and this means that we need the tools to do so.
Of all the traditions I’ve studied, I’ve found that Yin practice is particularly easy to integrate into our daily lives. One way to begin is to incorporate a steady ten-minute practice into our days, expanding upon it as desired. Here are four Yin poses similar to their Yang counterparts that can be used as a short, getting-to-know Yin daily discipline.
#1 – Butterfly
From a seated position on your mat, come into Butterfly pose by bringing the soles of the feet to touch each other. This posture is similar to Baddha Konasana, but remember the Yin principle of passive stretching! Don’t get focused on how close you can get the feet to the groin; instead, allow the shape to resemble a diamond more than a triangle if this is easier to hold – you will be stretching the lower spine. Bend forward, and hold this posture for two minutes or for a pre-determined number of breaths. Sometimes I like to use a timer, but often I find the breath to be a better measure of my time in a pose.
II. Dragonfly
From Butterfly, straighten the legs and spread them apart – perhaps as far as ninety degrees, but more likely a lesser angle. You want to be able to keep the spine and the legs straight, as well as flex the feet. Since you’ll be holding the pose, allow the amount of stretch to be comfortable, and if you find one or more muscles suddenly spasming, feel free to reduce the angle in order to stay focused on stretching the fascia.
From here, you’ll inhale, straighten your back, and bend forward, leading with the chest. That sounds simple, but there are many muscles involved – groin, legs, lower back – and it’s not necessarily easy to do this without losing your alignment. You may find that you can’t bend forward at all! Don’t worry about trying to look good; simply move to a comfortable position that allows you to keep the back straight. Again, hold the pose for two minutes or for a pre-determined number of breaths.. Focus your attention on letting go of stress in the lower body; you may find that you have to continually relax muscles that contract seemingly without your permission. (When we meet in person, feel free to ask me how I know about the origins of the phrase ‘tight ass’….. *snicker*)
III. Sphinx or Seal
Come out of the forward bend, bring your legs together, and flip onto your stomach. You may want to begin by making a pillow with your hands and resting your forehead there, breathing slowly; this Crocodile-like position will give you a mini-Savasana and provide a nice contrast to the stretching. Then raise your spine and prop your body up on your forearms. Pull the chest forward, and you’re in Sphinx. Breathe, and again measure your time spent here with either minutes or breaths. If you like, straighten your arms and raise your torso. When your body is held by straight arms with only the palms resting on the mat, you’re in Seal – a pose I love, but one that many people find very difficult. If you try Seal and discover that it’s simply too much of a backbend, move back into Sphinx. Always remember to relax, let go, and give the connective tissue time to stretch itself.
IV. Bananasana
Flip onto your back. Straighten your spine; you’re essentially taking Mountain Pose on your back. If you can, raise your arms overhead; ideally, they will end up alongside your ears, but if you need to modify here, simple raise your shoulders so that your hands can rest on your hips. Move from your mid-section, bending your shoulders and hips so that your body resembles a banana on its side on the ground. Hold the position – you know how you prefer to time yourself by now – and breathe relaxation into the side of the body being stretched. Then return to Mountain on your back and move into Bananasana on the other side.
V. Savasana
Yes, I said four poses, but in fact you’ll take five – it’s always important to end your practice with Savasana so that your body can integrate all of the movement. I like to focus on my breath during Savasana, but feel free to practice the pose however you prefer.
If you use a timer, tis sequence takes a total of twelve minutes (because Bananasana is asymmetrical, it will take two minutes on each side for a total of four); allowing yourself time to move from one pose to the next will probably bring the total amount of time to fifteen. If you like, add time in seated meditation, aiming in the beginning for a practice that goes for a twenty-minute total. This home practice may not be physically difficult, but that’s kind of the point – you are offering physical and emotional benefits to your body from a spirit of love and compassion.
I’m interested in your reactions to this sequence — if you try it, please leave comments and let me know how it went. Namaste!
Yoga Cielo Stellato 