Practice a Grounding Yin Yoga Sequence

grounding yin yoga sequence

Finding time in your busy schedule to slow down and connect with yourself is becoming increasingly difficult in our modern and fast-paced world. It is common to rush from one task to another without taking a moment to breathe and find inner peace, but this can have a severe impact on your mental and physical health over time. This is where a grounding yin yoga sequence can support your mental and physical health to find peace from within. Yin yoga is a slow-paced and profoundly meditative yoga style that allows you to connect with your body and mind on a deeper level.

In this article, we will explore a grounding yin yoga sequence that will help you find calmness and stability in your busy life. We will start off by understanding the foundations of yin yoga, how to formulate a grounding yin yoga sequence, along with the most popular grounding yin yoga poses. Finally, we will provide you with the best grounding yin yoga sequence, which is perfect for those who need to slow down, reconnect with their breath, and find balance. So, let’s dive in!

What is Yin Yoga?

Yin yoga is a slow yoga style that emphasizes holding yoga poses for extended periods to target the connective tissues in the body, such as the ligaments, tendons, and fascia. Unlike more dynamic styles of yoga, such as vinyasa or ashtanga yoga, yin yoga poses are held for a few minutes at a time each, allowing the body to deeply relax and release tension.

The practice of yin yoga is rooted in the Taoist concept of yin and yang. Yin represents the cooler, darker, more passive aspects of nature, while yang represents the warmer, brighter, more active aspects. In the body, yin tissues are the denser, less pliable tissues, while yang tissues are the more elastic muscle tissues. By practicing yin yoga, we seek to balance these two energies within the body and create a sense of harmony.

The Foundations of Yin Yoga Sequences

In yin yoga classes, you hold each pose for a few minutes, so most yin yoga sequences are composed of seated or reclined poses. When constructing a yin yoga sequence, it is helpful to focus on a particular theme. Common themes for yin yoga classes may include a philosophical focus, a body part or meridian, or a specific health outcome. By keeping a theme in mind, you can consciously construct a yin yoga sequence with this focus and support your yoga students in achieving a particular goal.

How to Make a Grounding Yin Yoga Sequence

For a grounding yin yoga sequence, the critical thing to focus on is creating an element of calm and inner peace within your students. A grounding theme emphasizes calming the mind and seated poses that increase the feeling of rootedness. Grounding yoga poses also focus on specific movements in the spine that release tension and improve overall spinal alignment.

A grounding yin yoga sequence could incorporate elements of the root chakra through meditation, chanting, and the yoga poses you select. You could also integrate grounding elements by using yoga poses that focus on the pelvis and pelvic movements.

The Best Grounding Yin Yoga Poses

1. Butterfly Pose (Baddha Konasana)

Butterfly pose is a classic yin yoga pose that targets the hips and inner thighs. This yoga pose emphasizes a deep opening within the pelvis. While shifting your body into this position, focus on the sensation occurring in your lower body to direct your energy toward the root of your spine.

Begin by sitting on the floor and placing the soles of your feet together with your knees bent. Then allow your legs to fall open gently, and use props such as blankets or blocks to support your knees and hips if needed to prevent your body from going too deep into the pose beyond your body’s comfort level. Rest your forehead on a prop or relax your neck forward to deepen into this pose. Hold this yoga pose for 3-5 minutes.

2. Child's Pose (Balasana)

Child's pose is a gentle and grounding pose that stretches the hips, thighs, and lower back. This yoga pose is often considered the most grounding yoga pose as it calms the mind and opens the lower body at the same time. For a deeper grounding experience, try placing a block underneath your forehead and rock your forehead from side to side for a gentle massage along your temples.

To practice this yoga pose, begin by kneeling on the floor with your toes touching and your knees apart. Sit back on your heels and stretch your arms in front of you, resting your forehead on the floor or a block, blanket, or yoga pillow. Allow your shoulders to relax and your breath to deepen into this grounding position. Hold this pose for 3-5 minutes to feel the full impact.

3. Dragon Pose (Utthan Pristhasana)

Dragon pose is a deep hip opener that stretches the groin, hips, and thighs. This yoga pose can be pretty intense, so it is important not to shift your body too deep into the position and focus on discovering your “edge” within your body. The edge of the pose is when you begin to feel sensation, but it is not too overwhelming for your system, allowing you to practice grounding your nervous system without pushing too far.

Begin in a low lunge position, with one foot forward and one foot extended back behind you. Use a blanket underneath your knees or blocks underneath your hands to support your body in this position. Slowly lower your back knee to the mat or the blanket underneath you, and sink your hips forward to deepen into this stretch. Keep your spine long and your breath steady. Hold this yoga pose for 3-5 minutes on each side.

4. Sphinx Pose (Salamba Bhujangasana)

The sphinx pose is a gentle backbend that stretches the spine, chest, and shoulders all at the same time. This yoga pose provides a deep stretch for the lower back and extends the spine, elongating the branches that extend from your inner root. While in this pose, focus on the sensations in your lower back to emphasize the grounding energy of this pose.

To practice the sphinx pose, lie on your belly with your elbows under your shoulders and your forearms on the ground. Press down through your forearms and lift your chest up, keeping your hips rooted on the ground. Draw your shoulder blades down and back, and lengthen your neck. Hold the sphinx pose for 3-5 minutes.

What Will You Learn in a YIn YTT

5. Legs Up the Wall Pose (Viparita Karani)

Legs up the wall pose is a restorative pose that promotes relaxation and reduces anxiety. This yoga pose is a gentle inversion that directs your energy down toward the root of your spine, deepening the experience of grounding in your body and mind.

Begin by sitting next to a wall with your hips touching the wall. Lie down on your back and extend your legs up the wall, resting your feet against this surface and feeling the support of the earth underneath you. Use props such as blankets or a bolster to support your hips and lower back. Allow your body to relax fully and your breath to deepen. Hold this pose for 5-10 minutes.

The Best Grounding Yin Yoga Sequence

Every yin yoga teacher formulates a grounding yin yoga sequence in their own unique way. But the common elements among grounding yin yoga sequence is a focus on the lower spine and a deepening into the hips. You can foster these elements through specific yoga poses or by weaving philosophy and meditation throughout the class.

See below for a 1-hour grounding yin yoga sequence for a class that you can use for your self-practice or to support your students:

·      Legs Up the Wall Pose (Viparita Karani) – 10 minutes

·      Reclined Spinal Twist Pose (Jathara Parivartanasana)– 5 minutes on each side, 10 minutes total

·      Child’s Pose (Balasana) – 5 minutes

·      Sphinx Pose (Salamba Bhujangasana) – 5 minutes

·      Dragon Pose (Utthan Pristhasana) – 5 minutes on each side, 10 minutes total

·      Forward Fold Pose (Paschimottanasana) – 5 minutes

·      Reclined Butterfly Pose (Supta Baddha Konasana) – 5 minutes

·      Wind Releasing Pose (Apanasana) – 2 minutes

·      Corpse Pose (Savasana) – 10 minutes

While guiding your students through this grounding yin yoga sequence, you might also consider utilizing a calming root chakra meditation, root chakra music, or philosophical teachings that emphasize finding safety inside of the body. Through this grounding yin yoga sequence, remember to encourage students to remain rooted in their own bodies and avoid comparing themselves to other students. The best way to promote grounding of the body and mind is by turning your awareness inwards.

Join Our Yin Yoga Teacher Training Online!

Yin yoga is a powerful grounding yoga practice that can promote deep inner peace and relaxation while supporting your physical health at the same time. With regular practice of these grounding yin yoga poses, you can access the benefits of this practice in your daily life and experience a profound transformation from within.

If you are interested in teaching yin yoga to others, make sure to check out our online yin yoga teacher training course. Becoming a yin yoga teacher is now easier than ever! We provide you with all the tools you need to offer yin yoga classes to your students and create the best grounding yin yoga classes. So, begin this exciting journey as a yin yoga teacher and reach out to us for more information!