Practice Teach
Teach Caterpillar
Answers vary. But keep spine straight and hinge at hips if any disc issues exist. If none, round spine over thighs, reaching for feet. Feet can be together or apart. Knees bent or straight. Sciatic issues, elevate hips.
A student who has a herniated disc should avoid
Most common: flexion, rounding the spine.
Also, if it is herniated to the side (then side flexion) if it is herniated forward, then extensions.
Nadi Shodhana breath for a count of _____is used to
What is 4, to balance both sides of the body. Breathe in one nostril and out the other, using the right hand.
The 4 principles of yin yoga
What is: 1. Come into a posture you can hold for a long time. 2. Find the appropriate edge 3. Stay relatively still 4. Enter and exit slowly
Three kinds of stillness we seek
What are: 1. of the body, like a majestic mountain, 2. of the breath, like a calm mountain lake, 3. of the mind, like the deep blue of the sky
Teach Saddle
Answers vary. If no knee issues, then start fully supported, hips on a block, walk hands back onto block/bolster. Stay there or lower down more. If knee pain, option to take on belly and take quad stretch-heel to glute. Or pontoon, depending on intention.
A student who has had a hip replacement surgery should avoid
What is: pigeon (sleeping swan)pose with back leg extended, saddle, pontoon (be careful), outrigger (be careful), frog, butterfly, shoelace, caterpillar, internal rotation of knees/hips, child's pose, dangle, dragon.
Stick to upper body, gentle twists, restorative yoga, and most importantly get approval from doctor
Orbit breath is
What is: moving the energy down the spine to the tip of the sacrum and back up toward the heart space (or crown of the head) Four count inhale, one count pause, four count exhale and one count pause
Your edge is
What is: a point where you feel a significant resistance in the body, but not so much that you feel pain, and not so little you feel nothing. "Goldilocks" position.
What is: we keep the breath quiet, unlabored, gentle. Regular and unforced, unless you are focusing on the directed type of breathing.
Teach Dragon
answers vary. Pad back knee, step with opposite foot forward. Shift hips forward and down, stopping at first resistance. Relax muscles around hips. Option to take supine on a block or blanket.
What is: elevate hips in any forward fold, take sleeping swan, square pose, shoelace, banana
What happens when we bring awareness (attention) to the breath
What is: the parasympathetic nervous system is engaged. Heart rate slows down. Blood vessels dilate, allowing more blood and energy to flood the area. It brings energy to where we concentrate
Before you practice yin yoga, things to remember
What is: You should: get approval from doctor, do not wear perfume, do not eat a few hours before, have a shower before (for meditation purposes), empty bowels, brief practice if you are tired, avoid practice if you have had a lot of sun that day, remove watches or anything metallic or a complete circle around body, loose, comfy clothes, warm room, props, no distractions, avoid drafts/cold air
A deep awareness is possible when
In order to still the mind ______
is: the breath must be calm.
In order to calm the breath______
the body must be still.
commit to stillness and allow whatever arises to be just what is
Teach Frog
answers vary. From childs pose, take the feet apart any amount, pad the knees. Option to use a block out in front. Send hips back toward heels any amount. Look for a mild/moderate sensation in targeted area.
A student is pregnant and should be reminded to
What is: hold postures for less time. The relaxin hormone is circulating and already making the joints loose and mobile. Focus on de-stressing, breathing, opening the hips and upper back. Butterfly, dragon, dragonfly, sleeping swan. When on back, elevate hips. Take savasana on side or sat up in a chair posture with lots of props.
A simple variation of breath
What is: Inhale and hold the breath at top of the inhale, exhale and go right back into the inhale. Right side and left side circulation of energy.
Muscles should be _______ to get the most benefit from yin yoga
What is: cool
Is it better to do more poses for less time or less poses for more time?
What is: it depends. If you are short on time, but need more movement, then do more postures. But the Yin way, is to do less for longer periods of time. So the goal is less postures, more time.
Teach Side-lying Buddah (Pulling the cat's tail variation)
Answers vary. Lie on your side, bend and stack knees out in front. Drop top knee to the ground and straighten the bottom leg out long. Relax side body down toward the Earth. Rest ear on shoulder. Bend bottom leg in, toward the glutes. Reach back with top arm and grab bent leg's foot. Option to use a strap.
You know someone is feeling the sensation in the targeted area by
What is: asking them! You don't know what anyone is feeling unless you ask!
Directed breathing is
What is: noticing the breath traveling through the body, beyond the lungs. Jellyfish breathing. Breathing throughout all the pores of the body.
When we feel burning, stabbing, pain, shaking, electrical like pains
What is: come out of the posture! Dull achy sensations are to be expected, however.
When creating or practicing a yin yoga sequence, the first thing to consider
What is: What is your intention for the practice? Whether physical, mental, emotional