Gentle Yin Yoga for a Thanksgiving Reset

Setting Intentions and Breathwork

• 💡 Begin by connecting with your breath, placing hands on your belly and heart to track its movement.
• 🎯 Practice controlled breathing with a count of four for inhale, hold, and exhale, then allow natural rhythm.
• 🌱 Set a personal intention for the practice, which can be physical, mental, spiritual, or for a loved one in spirit, especially on Thanksgiving.

Gentle Twists and Seated Poses

• 🧘‍♀️ Perform gentle supine twists with knees falling to the side, looking over the opposite shoulder to release toxins.
• 🫂 Hug knees to the chest, rocking gently to massage the lower back and kidneys.
• 🦵 Transition to Dandasana (Staff Pose) and Half Dandasana, folding forward from the hips and holding poses for three minutes.
• 🌬️ Focus on breathing into areas of resistance in the body, allowing tension to release with each exhale.

Chakra Alignment and Hip Openers

• ✨ Align and visualize the seven chakras (root, sacral, solar plexus, heart, throat, third eye, crown) with specific colors and intentions.
• 🌸 Practice Half Lotus with forward folds to open the hips, releasing unwanted emotions.
• 💨 Engage in Kundalini breathing by twisting the torso to release anything held onto before celebrations.

Digestive and Restorative Poses

• 🐾 Move through Table Pose variations like Cat-Cow stretches, Puppy Pose, and Sphinx Pose to aid digestion.
• 🐍 Progress to Cobra or Seal Pose for a heart-opening backbend, adjusting height as comfortable.
• 😴 Rest in Child's Pose (Balasana), a restorative pose that helps ground and open intuition.

Inversions and Final Relaxation

• 🌉 Practice Supported Bridge Pose (with or without a block) and Legs Up inversion to improve circulation and keep you healthy.
• 🔄 Conclude with supine twists to release any remaining toxins from the obliques.
• 🌟 Enter Savasana (Corpse Pose) for deep relaxation, scanning the body to release tension from head to toe.

Gratitude and Connection

• 🙏 Express gratitude for yourself, others, and especially for loved ones in spirit, feeling their presence.
• 💖 End the practice with a compassionate hug of the knees and a final fetal position.
• 🕉️ Conclude in a seated position with Namaste, honoring the light within yourself and others, acknowledging the continuous presence of loved ones.