Welcome to another Midday Yin class! This time we’ll be focusing on our neck, shoulders, and hips to give our body a nice reset during the day.

These are some the main areas that tend to hold the most tension as a reflection of the fast-paced or stressful things that might be going on in our lives, which is why taking a break during the day to relieve that tension with a mindful practice such as Yin Yoga can be extremely beneficial for your general well-being.

You can do this practice on your own, following the guidelines below, or you can join me on the mat for a guided class.

Neck stretch (2 x 1 minute):

• begin in a seated position (easy seat or kneeling) and dip your right ear toward your right shoulder, feeling a nice stretch on the left side of your neck
• you can extend your left arm long and even place the fingertips on mat to intensify the stretch
• hold for one minute
• use your right hand to return your head to center
• repeat on other side

Eagle arms (2 x 2 minutes):

• begin in a seated or kneeling position and open your arms into a cactus shape
• then bring your right arm under the left and bind once or twice
• make sure your shoulders are low, your elbows in line with the shoulders, and that you are pressing your forearms away from you
• for a deeper stretch, you can dip your chin down toward your chest
• hold for two minutes, then gently reverse out of the pose – open the arms into a cactus shape and you can even do a small backbend, opening through the chest, before coming to a neutral spine
• repeat on the other side

Archer arms (2 x 2 minutes):

• from a seated or kneeling position, keep a straight spine as you bend your elbow and reach with your right arm behind you
• settle the back of your palm below or between your shoulder blades
• sweep the left arm up, overhead, and bring it back to meet the right
• if your hands cannot touch, you can grab hold of your clothing (or a yoga strap, if you have one handy)
• make sure to keep your lower ribs pulled throughout this pose so that you’re not arching through the spine but actually stretching through the shoulders
• hold for 2 minutes
• gently reverse out of the position and do the other side

Seated swan (2 x 2 minutes):

• begin with both legs extended long
• flex your right knee and place your right ankle at the bottom of your left thigh/top of the left knee; keep the right foot flexed
• begin to bend the left knee, bringing the leg in – go as far as is comfortable for you (the closer in you bring your leg, the more intense the stretch)
• keep the intention of opening that right knee and hip out to the side and be mindful that your spine is long, your shoulders low, and the chest open
• hold for 2 minutes
• reverse out of the pose by extending your left leg, then stretching out the right
• repeat on the other side

Reclined butterfly (6 minutes):

• lie down on your back
• bring the soles of your feet together and knees apart
• you can place your hands on your body or keep them down by your sides
• relax into the pose and hold for 6 minutes
• to reverse out of the pose, use your hands to press the thighs/knees back up, then roll onto one side into a fetal position before you lift yourself up into a seat with the assistance of your hands

Because this is a midday practice, I’m not including Savasana but you can always take it for as long as it feels good to you if you feel called to end your practice this way.

If you want to move through this sequence with me, you can join me on Youtube.