Ankles, Hamstrings, Hip Flexors, Knees, Lower Body, Pain Care Yoga, Podcast, Somatic Education, Yin & Somatics |
Yin & Somatics
The Toes Have It
This practice is all about the lower body. But we will work with the feet, ankles, knees, thighs and hips with an unorthodox somatic lens, the toes. You will be delighted to discover how influential these appendages are in your poses and movements and your knees and ankles will thank you for the attention.
This practice is geared especially to my listeners with foot, ankle and knee pain, but anyone with a lower body will enjoy this unique practice.
Props Needed: Blanket, bolster or pillow, yoga strap
10 Minute Class, Compassion, Meditation, Pain Care Yoga, Podcast |
Guided Somatic Meditation for Heartfelt Good Wishes
A quick guided somatic meditation to help you to learn how to comfort yourself. I have loosely based this meditation on the teachings of Kristen Neff. She tells us that we and we alone are the most capable of comforting ourselves. In this practice you will offer yourself warmth and comfort. This is a valuable skill that can help us to manage stress.
30 Minute Class, Audio, Jaw, Low Intensity, Neck, Pain Care Yoga, Podcast, Shoulder, Somatic Education, Yin & Somatics |
Yin & Somatics
Neck Pain Relief
The human neck is a tricky place. It’s a complex experience of musculoskeletal, nervous and vascular tissue. But also bound to thoughts, feelings and beliefs. Any of these components of the neck can contribute to issues here.
For this pod practice I have created a somatic lesson to address this complexity. We will lean mostly in to somatics here with just a couple of Yin poses for gentle tension of the sternocleidomastoid (SCM). This is a very simple practice that you could even do in your bed. All you need is something to rest/slide your head on.
Audio, Discussion, Podcast, Yin Yoga, Yoga |
Yin Education
Should Yin be Deep or Mild?
A debate that rages on. Some students swear by the benefit of of deep and intense duration stretch. Some by a milder attitude for the length of the hold.
Though I think it’s clear that I personally favor the latter, I also think that it depends on your goal for practice. So let’s first consider the goals and then some of the evidence.
This is a very informative episode that just may transform your practice and/or teaching.
So pop those earbuds in and have a listen!
Hips, Pain Care Yoga, Podcast, Yin & Yoga Philosophy, Yin Yoga |
Yin & Yoga Philosophy
Acceptance
While you marinate in juicy poses targeting the hips, we will explore a the duality of resistance and acceptance. You will have an opportunity to discover how these qualities manifest themselves in your tissues, in your poses and indeed in your entire experience of self.
We will not dogmatically attempt to annihilate resistance, rather, I will teach you how to view this struggle with compassion and show you a way to be with your suffering as taught in Classical Yoga philosophy.
This is a very powerful practice and it feels great too.
Props needed: Bolster, blanket and a sandbag or two if you have them. (if not it’s totally fine!
Discussion, Meditation, Podcast, Yin & Meditation |
Yin & Meditation
A Conversation with Addie deHilster
This week I am interviewing Addie deHilster. Addie is a mindful movement teacher whose teaching prioritizes mindfulness from the Vipassana tradition. She blends many styles of movement including Yoga, somatics and chi gong to facilitate embodiment.
We discuss how Yin yoga in many ways is already a very accessible form of meditation. You will learn how to apply concepts from Vipassana including compassion, and non-resistance to your practice and how to apply Yin components such as body awareness and regulation to your meditation practice. We know that meditation is so beneficial, but many of us lack the time, knowledge or confidence to really commit. I know this discussion will inspire you to turn the things you are already doing in your Yin practice into your own mindfulness practice.
Low Intensity, Podcast, Somatic Education, Yin & Pranayama |
Yin & Pranayama
Collective Amoebic Consciousness
For this sublime practice we will blend somatic movements and static Yin poses with a breathing technique known as cellular breathing. This technique hails from the Body Mind Centering somatic tradition and it enhances this practice experience greatly. This is a practice to feel alive in every cell.
Audio, Chest, Low Intensity, Podcast, Pranayama, Side Body, Somatic Education, Thoracic Spine, Upper Body, Yin & Pranayama |
Yin & Somatics
Thoracic Expression
This practice is a blend of Yin Yoga and pranayama with a bit of somatic work sprinkled in. We will explore a breathing practice that I learned from my mentor Neil Pearson that I call, Expand Your Breathing Options.
As you engage in movement and awareness you will also contemplate the gift of breath. This is a practice that is ripe with opportunities to learn and grow.
Props needed: Bolster, blocks and blanket
Low Intensity, Pain Care Yoga, Podcast, Somatic Education, Thoracic Spine, Upper Body, Yin & Somatics |
Yin & Somatics
Thoracic Expression
The upper back is an area that can be a big source of tension and even pain. We also have a fair amount of cultural baggage around the appropriate way to hold our upper back. Even in the Yoga world, we tend to favor a stiff and straight upper back above other shapes. But the upper back is capable of so much more, and I believe we suffer when we get locked in to a specific posture or expression.
In this practice, we explore the capacity of the upper back to generate movements, sensations and even emotions. We will use a somatic lesson adapted from Feldenkrais Method® supported by familiar Yin Poses. Your upper back and neck will really benefit from this practice.
Discussion |
Science of Yin
Understanding Yin Yoga and Fascia
While it’s true that you could practice Yin Yoga for a lifetime without knowing a thing about science, I do believe that a little scientific knowledge can go a long way. It’s amazing how just a bit of understanding can influence the choices you make in your practice or in your teaching. How subjective experiences become even richer and more meaningful. It’s amazing how separating fact from fiction empowers you.
In this solo episode I give you an introduction to fascia. In Yin we talk a lot about targeting fascia, but is that really true. What even is fascia and how does it work in the body? What happens to it in my Yin practice? I will answer these questions and more in this episode. Prepare to be empowered!
20 Minute Class, Low Intensity, Podcast, Pranayama, Somatic Education, Yin & Pranayama |
Yin & Pranayama
Natural Energy
We usually think of Yin as calming, soothing and down regulating. But with a few tweaks, we can cultivate a calm, natural energy as well. Not the jittery wired feeling you get from caffeine but a gentle boost, without the crash.
Back in episode 7 in this 4th season, we discussed breathing techniques, science and how this all applies to Yin Yoga. Please have a listen to learn how you can apply use these techniques as well!
For this practice, I’ve applied pranayama that are known to increase sympathetic activation, gently, as well as a somatic practice. You will be amazed at how great you feel after just 25 minutes.
All you NEED is a Yoga mat but some might also like to have a blanket for comfort.
20 Minute Class, Low Intensity, Pain Care Yoga, Yin & Somatics |
Yin & Somatics
Relieve Joint Stiffness and Pain
It’s a familiar story but it breaks my heart every time. For people with chronic pain, just getting out of bed in the morning can be a real challenge. Though some joint stiffness in the morning is totally normal, debilitating pain that makes you dread getting up is not normal.
There are so many reasons that pain may be worse in the morning, and we can’t cover them all here, but we will address one reason here. I envision you doing this practice in your bed! Just roll over and hit play.
Any Questions About this Episode?
Just pop them into the comments section below!
Hip Flexors, Hips, Low Intensity, Pain Care Yoga, Somatic Education, Yin & Somatics |
Yin & Somatics
Hip Flexor Relief
The hip flexors are a group of muscles on the front of the hip which include the psoas, the illiacus and the rectus femoris. These muscles flex the hip, or draw the knee up toward the torso. However, a pain care approach will never reduce an issue to just one aspect of self such as certain muscles or tissues. So this practice makes use of several pain care strategies. We will explore hip flexor pain and stiffness through the lens of somatics, stretching, awareness, neuro motor training and regulation.
This practice is intended to provide quick relief, but also serve as a framework for ongoing care for this issue.
Props Needed: Bolster, Blocks, Blanket, Strap
Discussion, Pranayama |
Practice Resources
How to Breathe in Yin Yoga
For something so simple, there sure is a lot of disagreement about how to breathe in Yin Yoga. In this episode I unpack some of the evidence around Yogic breathing and help you to understand how you might employ the evidence and various techniques into your own practice and/or teaching.
Understanding the evidence can transform your Yin practice and as you will see your own health and well being. This episode is just a discussion so no props needed. Just pop in your earbuds and prepare to learn some really actionable and useful strategies.
Any Questions About this Episode?
Just pop them into the comments section below!
Hips, Low Intensity, Pain Care Yoga, Somatic Education, Yin & Somatics |
Yin & Somatics
for Deep Hip Learning
The hip is more than a collection of tissues. It’s a unique and complicated element of the embodied self. In this practice we combine a somatic lesson with some of your favorite Yin poses. These will facilitate deep learning for you and your hips!
Props Neeeded: Two yoga blankets
30 Minute Class |
Yin & Somatics
Your Nervous System and Your Neck
This is a go to, short practice to relieve neck and shoulder tension naturally. The whole practice can be done from a simple chair. You will engage in some somatic work as well as gentle stretching to increase range of motion and reduce feelings of stiffness. You will also learn about the relationship between these cranky tissues and the nervous systems. Chronic muscle tension in neck and shoulders can be debilitating and painful. But there are holistic strategies that you can use to get some relief.
Props Neeeded: A firm, armless chair
45 Minutes Class, Compassion, Hamstrings, Hips, Low Intensity, Podcast, Somatic Education, Yin & Somatics |
Yin & Meditation
Heartfelt Good Wishes
This movement practice is supported by a form of meditation known as a Koan. Essentially a line of inquiry that you explore quietly. This type of meditation can lead to profound insight and transformation. Your movement will focus on the lower body with a progressive sequence of twists. This is a sweet and inquisitive practice that will leave you feeling calm and centered.
Props Neeeded: Bolster and blanket
30 Minute Class, Chest, Low Intensity, Pain Care Yoga, Podcast, Shoulder, Yin & Somatics |
Yin & Somatics
Stress Support
Chronic stress is linked to many of the most pernicious chronic diseases that plague modern humans. Managing stress is of critical importance for health, memory, learning and quality of life. We can’t change the stressful times that we live in. But there are simple, evidence informed strategies that you can use to reduce your stress in the moment, and with practice, manage your responses to stressors in the long term. In this practice we actually explore three of these strategies.
I’ve also focused our movement on the areas in which most of us hold our stress; the shoulders, neck and adductors (inner thighs).
This practice is a go to in your stress management plan.
Props: a blanket, maybe two blocks
Hamstrings, Hips, Meditation, Yin & Meditation |
Yin & Meditation
As I am meant to be
At the start of the new year. Most of us are looking forward and hoping to make some postive changes for the future. I offer this practice as a framework for moving forward with compassion. With kindness for where you have been and hope for where you are going. Evidence shows that we are actually more effective at meeting our goals when we start with self compassion.
Props: Bolster, 2 blocks and a blanket.
Photo gallery credit: Thanks to my model Rachel H.
Pain Care Yoga |
5 Reasons Why Yin Yoga is So Beneficial for Chronic Pain
Yin Yoga is so much more than stretching. For those with chronic pain, it has so much to offer, way beyond increasing flexibility. As a pain care coach, I provide practices, and techniques to my clients so that they may be the leader of their own healing process. Though I have many many strategies to choose from, when providing a customized plan, almost every client has Yin in their program. This video is a quick run down of the 5 Reasons Why Yin Yoga is So Beneficial for Chronic Pain and why it is a must for your pain care plan.
Have a listen to see if these resonate with you, or if you might amplify these techniques in your own practice.
