Autumn Yin Yoga Mini Flow For You 🍂

Autumn is the perfect time to take care of our upper body Yin tissues where the Lungs-Large Intestine Qi Channels trace. In this new Autumn Yin Yoga mini flow, we'll help to gently open the back, chest, shoulders, and wrists while balancing our inner energies with autumn's energies of transformation and letting go. I hope you enjoy it! 🍂

Arrive to Your Mat

Find a comfortable seated position. Take a few moments to acknowledge where you are, how you are, and what matters most to you for this time you've set aside for yourself. Inquire with your naturally open-hearted and welcoming awareness. Let your insights guide your attention during today's practice.

Closed Knee Beetle

Physical Focus: Hips, lower back, shoulders, gentle abdominal massage

Safety Watch-Outs: Tight hips, sensitive knees/ankles, lower back conditions that are exacerbated by lumbar flexion

Guiding Instructions:

• Position a single-folded blanket across the back third of your mat to provide a cushion for your knees.

• Kneel on the blanket and come into tabletop position.

• Bring your inner knees together.

• Slowly lower your hips towards your heels. If during the descent you start to feel too much pressure on the hips, knees, or ankles, try placing a rolled-up blanket or bolster between your hips and lower legs to soften sensations. If sensations remain too strong, swap with any other position such as Tipped Beetle, the supine variation of Closed Knee Beetle (p.138)*

• Rest your forearms under your forehead. To open the shoulders more, rest your arms down by your sides and hold your feet with your hands, folding deeper inward.

• Hold 3 minutes.

• To ease out, place your hands on the floor and walk them closer to you as you slowly press yourself upright.

Counterpose: Back-Lying Savasana, 1 minute

Seagull with Butterfly Legs

Physical Focus: Hips, legs, chest, wrist flexion

Safety Watch-Outs: Hips, knees, wrists, neck sensitivities

Guiding Instructions:

• Place a single-folded blanket on the center of your mat for your seat.

• Find a neutral pelvis position so that your lower back has its natural slight inward curve.

• Extend your legs in front of you on the mat.

• Bend your knees and slide the soles of your feet together in front of you. Move your feet slightly closer to or further from you to a place where you feel mild sensation arising in the legs and hips. If the knees feel strained, try placing a small rolled-up blanket or block underneath the outer knees for additional support.

• Reach your arms straight out in front of you with your palms facing the floor.

• Flex your wrists by pointing your fingers towards the floor.

• Keep the wrist flexed and place your hands into the space of the armpits, so the backs of your fingers rest lightly against your body.

• Gently lower the wings of your arms toward the sides of your body until you feel a very light diffuse sensation arising through the wrists.

• To open the front of your chest and shoulder tissues, press your chest slightly forward and then upward, arching your upper back a touch while expanding your chest and shoulder tissues.

• Keep your neck neutral or you could lengthen your neck and then tip your head slightly backward. Be aware of neck sensitivities or any feelings of dizziness that can occur from compressing a nerve/artery in this area. If this occurs, be sure to bring your head back to a neutral position and ease out of the pose if needed.

• Hold for 1-1.5 minutes. Wrist joints are especially delicate, so it’s important to not overdo it by holding too long or going too deeply into this position.

• To ease out, lift your arms and slowly unbend your wrists.

• Place your hands comfortably on your legs to rest your wrists for several moments and observe any aftereffects of the stimulation.

Wrist Press with Butterfly Legs

Physical Focus: Hips, legs, chest, wrist extension

Safety Watch-Outs: Hips, knees, wrists

Guiding Instructions:

• Using the same Butterfly base position as instructed in Seagull above, you can also enjoy wrist extension.

• Reach your arms straight out in front of you and turn your palms to face the ceiling.

• Bend your elbows and bring them to your outer ribcage.

• Lower your hands and rest the tips of your fingers onto the mat just in front of your body with your palms facing away from you.

• Slowly lower the palms of your hands forward and down toward the floor, stopping at the place where you feel a light diffuse sensation arising in the wrists.

• If you need more sensations, move the hands slightly away from the body. For less sensation, keep the hands closer to you.

• Hold for 1-1.5 minutes. Wrist joints are especially delicate so it’s important to not overdo it by holding too long or going too deeply into this position.

• To ease out, lift your hands slowly away from the floor.

• Place your hands comfortably on your legs to rest your wrists for several moments and observe any aftereffects of the stimulation.

• To ease out of the Butterfly pose, place your hands on your outer knees and guide your legs together, then place your feet on the floor.

Counterpose: Heart Beacon

Guiding Instructions:

Extend your legs in front of you. Place your hands comfortably behind you on the mat. Press your chest slightly forward, then lift it a bit upward to create a touch of a backbend. Keep your gaze directly forward or to open your neck and throat, lengthen your neck, and gently and slowly tip your head backward, stopping where you feel mild sensation. Open and close the mouth a few times, then wiggle the jaw a bit from side to side to help release any tension in the mouth and face. Hold for ~1 minute.

Mayfly

Physical Focus: Lower back, mid-upper back, shoulders/arms, neck

Safety Watch-Outs: Lower back, mid-upper back, shoulders/arms, neck, pregnancy-varies (if belly-lying is uncomfortable, follow the instructions below but while lying on your back rather than on your belly)

Guiding Instructions:

• Place a single-folded blanket across the front third of your mat to provide a cushion under the front of your hips.

• Lie on your belly with the blanket positioned under the front of your hips.

• Extend your legs comfortably behind you.

• Extend your arms on the mat in front of you.

• Lift your head and chest slightly and cross your arms in front of you so that the right arm is on top of the left arm.

• Bend your elbows and wrap your arms around your upper back and place your palms on your back.

• Rest your chin in the cradle of your crossed arms. If you’d prefer to bring a twist into the neck, turn your head to the side that feels best for your neck and rest your opposite cheek into the support of your arms.

• If you’re experiencing gentle sensations through your mid-upper back and shoulders, stay with this variation of Mayfly- Hugging Arms.

• If you need more sensation in these areas, you might try Mayfly- Double Threaded. For this variation, unbend your elbows but keep your arms crossed. Rest your crossed arms onto the mat in front of you.

• Whichever position you've chosen, make subtle adjustments as needed to find gentle, mild sensations in the focus areas of the upper back and shoulders/arms. For example, you could bend your elbows a bit more or a bit less or turn your palms to face up or down.

• Rest your forehead onto your arms or, if it feels more supportive, onto a blanket or block. If a cervical twist is desired, turn your head in the direction that feels best for your neck.

• Hold 1.5-3 minutes. Be aware of shoulder numbness or tingling which can result from compressing a nerve/artery. If these sensations arise, be sure to adjust your arm position or come out of the pose to rest.

• To ease out of either Mayfly variation, untwist your neck. Slowly unthread, then uncross your arms.

• Try the other side.

Counterpose: Stay A While Crocodile

Guiding Instructions:

Lie on your belly with your head resting on your folded forearms. Slide your right inner knee along the floor and up to the height of your right hip until you feel a gentle opening for your right hip and leg. Bend or unbend the right knee to find what feels best for your leg and hip. Stay a while in stillness to soak in the benefits. When you’re ready, switch legs and turn the head in the opposite direction if desired. Hold for 1-1.5 minutes on each side.

Angel Fish

Physical Focus: Lower back, hip flexors, chest, shoulders/arms

Safety Watch-Outs: Lower back, chest, shoulders/arms

Guiding Instructions:

• Position a bolster widthwise across the back third of your mat.

• Place a block at the tallest height on the other side of the bolster to serve as a pedestal for your head.

• Position a single-folded blanket in front of the bolster as a cushion for your seat.

• Sit on the blanket facing away from the bolster.

• Extend your legs in front of you.

• Loop a strap around your mid-thighs. Make the strap relatively taut so that your leg muscles feel supported and can relax more easily once you’re in the posture.

• Place your feet on the floor a comfortable distance in front of you.

• Slide your feet outward to the outer edges of your mat and let your inner knees fall together in an X-leg position.

• Place your hands on the floor beside you for support.

• Slowly lower your upper body onto the bolster behind you. If during the descent this feels too deep, come back up and try Gentle Fish (p. 159).*

• Position your head onto the block behind you. Be sure the block is not underneath your neck. This can cause painful neck compression.

• To open the chest and shoulders more, try reaching your arms overhead and interlacing your fingers behind your neck. Alternatively, you could rest your arms freely overhead. If shoulder sensations are too strong, lower your arms to a more comfortable position, perhaps resting your palms over your belly and heart.

• Hold for 3-5 minutes. Be aware of shoulder numbness or tingling which can result from compressing a nerve/artery. If these sensations arise, be sure to adjust the arms or come out of the pose to rest.

• To ease out, lower your arms if overhead. Recruit your core muscles and place your hands on the floor to slowly press yourself upright. Remove the strap from your legs.

Counterpose: Back-Lying Savasana, 1 minute

Savasana

Guiding Instructions:

Transition slowly into a comfy and supported Savasana position of choice for final relaxation and whole self integration. Linger 5 minutes or longer as it feels good!

Session Close & Reflection

‍Take some moments in a comfortable seated position to observe and reflect on the gifts of your practice knowing you carry them with you as rise and leave this place.

*For additional Yin Yoga pose variations and substitutions as well as breathwork, mindfulness, and Taoist meditations to complement your practice sessions, check out my book Yin Yoga & Meditation: A Mandala Map for Practice, Teaching, and Beyond.

Are you interested in taking a deep dive and an illuminating journey into Yin Yoga and Meditation and into yourself?
I'd love to have you join me for my Live Online 40-Hour Yin Yoga & Meditation Training! ☯