I have shared before I LOVE teaching Yin Yoga! There is something magically that happens to our bodies when we sit in poses for 3-5 minutes. Big things happen to us emotionally and mentally too! It’s why I love this quote from Mariel Hemingway:
Sometimes we are unaware of the weight we are carrying until we feel the weight of its release.
Often we are unaware of the tension in our bodies. We think a tense jaw is normal, stiff shoulders common, tight hamstrings typical. Then we take a class and really get into the good stuff. The release happens and we’re shocked how the body can feel when we stop dragging around our tension, give it a place to live rent free, treat it like a new pet to take with us every where we go.
Even if you’re not a Yin teacher, you can still sit in poses for 1-2 minutes and start to feel something release. A Body Scan Meditation is the perfect start to this theme! It’s an opportunity to point out places we naturally hold tension and offer an invitation to release muscles before we work on them. A chance to release that comment that has stuck with us and turned our shoulders stiff. To let go of anger we’ve been carrying for a decade because “I know I was right”.
For a Gentle Class, I love bringing in straps for this quote. Working on shoulders as well as hips to target some tension building areas.
Incorporate Straps for Release
Straps: Cactus Arms, Gomukhasana, Seated Side Bends, and Shoulder Flossing. Staff Pose, Head to Knee.
On back: Supine Twists to Reclined Extended Leg Post. Half Happy Baby.
Other Poses for Straps: my class loves using straps in Boat Pose, Dancer, and Side Angle Binds.
Low Lunge side bends are my absolute favorite time to use a strap!
Many friends have used straps for Reclined Butterfly, for whatever reason this triggers me. I feel trapped and do not like it at all. But others love it! Just be mindful closing the strap in the buckle can cause unwanted caged-in, stuck, confined type of feelings.
Feel the Release
Be sure to enjoy plenty of counter poses: Eagle Arms, Rabbit & Child’s Pose.
Do not run this class up until the last possible second. We want them to be aware of their release. This class should be slow the entire hour. Compare how they walked in to how they feel after all the straps. Go through the Body Scan Meditation again. I usually end this type of class of breathing in Peace, breathing out Tension. To finally breathe in Peace and breathe out Peace.
Right before Savasana I bring in the “self study” question, a moment for Swadhyaya!
What more do you need to release today?
We do not fill in the blanks nor offer suggestions. Let silence do its work! We just offer a safe space for inward reflection. A nice song that ties in well is Inner Peace by Beautiful Chorus.