Lynda: When exhausted, it is difficult to think or plan, much less feel inspired to make healthy choices for your body and mind. You might even notice that your digestion does not want to cooperate during these times. There may be excessive wind, bloating or irregular bowel movements. All common symptoms of an unhappy liver and gallbladder and poor digestion and elimination of toxins and food.
A regular yin yoga practice stimulates the flow of energy throughout your body enhancing each organ’s function, the digestive organs included. Yin yoga relieves stress and helps you become more present, less reactive and less attached to the stories/drama that concern you.
Yin is a much slower practice. Poses are typically held anywhere from three to ten minutes. Sometimes even twenty. Yin yoga works on and nourishes the deeper, more hidden tissues such as ligaments, fascia, joints and bones.
In Yin we go only to the point where the most resistance is felt. We don’t rush into the deepest position straight away. We find our “first” edge, then wait for our body to open up further and invite us in deeper. It is common to move into greater depth after thirty seconds to a minute, however sometimes this range is not available.
Again we pause and wait for another invitation. If an opening is available, we drop deeper with a soft, flowing breath. We “play” our edges. The essence of yin is one of yielding, surrendering and acceptance.
With every edge, we go inside and pay attention to how it feels. If we feel a significant sensation we know the pose is working. There is no need to use force to go deeper into the pose. In fact the art of stillness in this discomfort is embracing yin. Once we have found our final edge, we commit to being still in mind, body and breath. By stillness in breath I mean having a soft, unlaboured and calm breath.
Bare in mind that we have emotional edges too. Sometimes your resistance will be emotional. You may be unconsciously holding back and not ready to venture into painful memories, feelings or thoughts. Yin honours what is offered and accepts where you are at in that present moment.
I encourage you to gift yourself five to ten minutes today to drop into this simple hip opening yin yoga posture that specifically nourishes the kidney and liver and replenish your energy stores and improve digestion today.
This article is brought to you by Lynda Griparic. She is a qualified Naturopath, Nutritionist, Writer and Speaker with over 14 years of experience in the health industry. Lynda specialises in gut health and weight loss. She has extensive experience in running healthy, effective and sustainable weight loss programs and has expertise in investigating and treating the underlying causes of weight gain, metabolic problems and gut disturbance. If you would like to book a consultation with Lynda, CLICK HERE
