The Yin Yoga Podcast

In this episode you will meet Nikki Hajitoma, a renowned Yin Yoga teacher and trainer. We delve into Nikki's unique approach to yoga, where Western anatomy meets Eastern philosophy, and how this fusion supports psycho-spiritual development. In our conversation, we discuss some misconceptions about Yin Yoga, a practice often misunderstood as 'easy' or 'just for beginners'. On the contrary, Yin Yoga requires mental fortitude and physical resilience, offering immense benefits in terms...

Experience the profound connection between the universe within you and the world around you as we journey through an exquisite exploration of yin yoga, mindfulness, and the incredible power of gratitude. This is a 90-minute yin yoga practice that fosters a profound sense of appreciation for your body. Designed to bring tranquility, connection, and a space exclusively for you, we anchor our attention on the breath and the internal movement of light within the rib cage.In this episode we unrave...

Ever felt like you needed some extra TLC for your upper back, neck, and shoulders? You're not alone. Come along as I guide you through an enriching somatic session, inspired by Feldenkrais method. This is a sublime practice that will not only bring a peaceful awareness to these often cranky areas, but also provide some valuable somatic learning. Healthy human movement is variable, and the most sophisticated movers have the capacity to move globally. This practice will help you to cultivate bo...

Ready to revolutionize your relationship with your pelvic floor? This enlightening episode is like a road map to pelvic health, guiding you through gentle practices and their benefits, understanding the intricacies of your pelvic anatomy, and effective ways you can manage pelvic pain. I'll give you a primer on the the science behind pelvic floor dysfunction and I'll teach you a breathing technique to restore peace and harmony to this area.This episode is a treasure trove of insights and pract...

Become a Patron of the Yin Yoga Podcast! Just $15/month for access to premium, exclusive content and courses. Learn MoreIn this practice, we unravel the potential an often overlooked and misunderstood part of our bodies. We'll delve deep into the anatomy and function of the trapezius muscles, introducing you to a range of exercises that help you understand and experience these muscles in a whole new way. Whether you're a seasoned yogi or a curious beginner, we're sure you'll find this explora...

Are you ready to unlock the power of evidence-informed Yin Yoga in managing chronic pain? This fascinating episode wraps up our four-part series, illuminating how Yin Yoga can help regulate the nervous system and promote mindfulness. We journey through the meditative stages of a typical Yin class, revealing the transformative impact it can have on those grappling with persistent pain. A captivating discussion awaits you, exploring the role of Yin Yoga in overcoming pain and fostering a positi...

In this third episode in our Becoming an Evidence Informed Yin Teacher or Student, I'll be reviewing some actual papers for you that are not directly about Yin Yoga but instead about an important component of our practice, stretching. In this third episode in our Becoming an Evidence Informed Yin Teacher or Student, I'll be reviewing some actual papers for you that are not directly about Yin Yoga but instead about an important component of our practice, stretching. I'll demystify th...

Ready to level up your Yin Yoga teaching or practice? We're back with part two of our enlightening series, and this time, we're demystifying the process of reading research. In this solo episode, I'll guide you to improve your research literacy, ensuring you can critically evaluate studies and make sure that the research you read is relevant to you or your students. We will also explore ways to ensure that the research you are reading is credible. To demonstrate how and why, we will loo...

In this solo episode I share invaluable insights that will empower both teachers and practitioners to deepen their understanding of Yin Yoga, as well as underscore the importance of employing research-backed knowledge for the betterment of physical and mental health.I'll share the top reasons why Yin Yoga is the perfect canvas for evidence informed practice and teaching. I'll also teach you how to find research that is relevant to your needs as a student or your niche as a teacher. By the end...

So many of us suffer with hip flexors that feel stiff, tight, sore or even painful. it's not uncommon for me to encounter clients and students that are even plagued with a reduced range of motion and trouble fully extending the hip. So it makes sense to just stretch right? Though it seems plausable that lenghening what feels tight is the best course of action, the hip, the self are far to complicated to reduce this experience to just the state of our biological tissues. So in this practice we...

In this episode we peel back the layers of Eastern wisdom with our esteemed guest, Josh Summers. Seasoned Yin teachers and novice practitioners alike will benefit from Josh's perspective in this fascinating discussion.Josh generously shares his insights on how Yin Yoga, when melded with TCM, can prepare the mind and body for deeper meditation. But we also recognize the challenges teachers face when trying to assimilate and impart this knowledge. Josh gives some great advice for teachers...

Though the front of the neck and throat are only a very small part of the physical body, they have an oversized role in self hood. This practice is amazing for my listeners with neck pain, but especially valuable for those of us who hold stress in the throat area.In this gentle practice you will cultivate a benevolent awareness for the front of the neck and throat. My goal is to provide a profound sense of safety for any and all movements of the neck and expressions that come from the t...

You might think you know the intricacies of your shoulder anatomy, but this practice will take you to a depth of understanding that you've never reached before. We're not just talking about the surface-level stuff; we're diving right into the complex details of your shoulder anatomy. We're also discussing how increased blood flow, nervous system benefits, and a temporary effect of increased muscle extensibility are the real benefits of the techniques we explore in this pod practice. In essenc...

Ever felt frustrated with persistent hip tension that just won't go away? Ever wondered if there's a simpler, more holistic way to relieve that discomfort? Today, we're using the healing power of awareness in movement: Yin Yoga, to bring radical acceptance and relief to our bodies. I'll equip you with practical strategies to maximize your relaxation and release built-up tension not just for today, but more and more over time.As you practice the postures, we'll be using a simple breathin...

Register for my Yin Masterclass: Creating Yin Sequencing Poetry. Join me live on September 11, 2023 at 2 pm CT (USA) or request the recording after 9/11 at https://yoga.mandyryle.com/creating-yin-sequencing-poetry/Join us as we unravel the intriguing five element theory with Dr. Melissa West, a pioneer of Yoga on YouTube since 2009. Learn how to apply this theory to your everyday life and to your Yin Yoga practice. This podcast will provide some great insights for you on how we might live mor...

Ever wondered why tension seems to build up in certain areas of your body, like the front of your pelvis and groins? This episode of the Yin Yoga Pod-practice aims to provide answers to this question while helping you find a solution through mindful movement. education and of course, stretching. We unravel the profound connection between your daily habits, lifestyle, and the discomfort you feel in these areas, developing a comprehensive understanding of these correlations. The goal here ...

Yoga is a bit preoccupied with muscles, Yin perhaps a bit too preoccupied with joints and connective tissues. But there is another element to healthy movement that is being influenced in our practice, in all of our movement really... that's the nerves. This practice puts the other tissues in a supporting role in favor of mobilizing, and gaining awareness of our nerves. Especially the ones that exit the thoracic region of the spine. We will use somatic and a bolster to gently mobilize the...

How can Yin Yoga and nervous system communication unearth your unique and authentic voice? Join us on a fascinating journey with Elise Besler, a Yin Yoga teacher, musician, and leadership coach, as she sheds light on the intricate interplay between our nervous system, yoga practice, and the environment we create in our classes. We delve deep into intriguing topics such as polyvagal theory, trauma, perfectionism, and imposter syndrome, with practical strategies that you can implement right awa...

Some of these poses are unfamiliar! If you need a visual, Click for a pose gallery of this practice. We don’t usually think about inversions in Yin. So to introduce them into a mild practice takes a bit of creativity and, in this case a bolster and a strap. The poses will emphasize the hips but our true purpose is to encounter something new, something novel. Throughout the practice you’ll be contemplating some features of your nervous system and learning ways to keep your brain sharp, fl...

The podcast is still on break for a couple more weeks. But that doesn't mean that we aren't hard at work on future episodes. As I plan the rest of the 4th season, I can't help but wonder what YYP listeners would like more of. In fact, this information is so valuable to me, that it's worth a $104 Hugger Mugger bolster. No. Two of them! I'd love your input. Please just take a few minutes to chime in on your interests. Your responses will help me as I plan the rest of season 4 and as I prepare f...

I'm on break for the next couple of months but will be returning with fresh new episodes on July 26.You can keep practicing with me this Summer in The Shift School! Take advantage of this special deal and get unlimited access to The Shift School for 50% off. You'll get dozens of Yin practices, somatics and even strength based Vinyasa. Join the 3 month strength challenge to build muscle, or learn how to reduce your pain with a Step by Step Pain Care program. Get in a quick movement snack ...

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, yog...

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. Follow Me:FacebookInstagramTicTocEnroll in one of my email courses to join my newsletter: Intro to Pain CareYin Yoga Pose RepertoireTransfor...

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 y...

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! To cont...

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...

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 aw...

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. Transformational Self CareA Late Winter Wellness Retreat in the Dominican RepublicMarch 3-10, 2023Join me for a 7 day Caribbean wellness retreat. Each day we will focus on a pillar of self ca...

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 blanketLet's take this to a format more conducive to conversation!Follow me on Instagram: ht...

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 ...

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 l...

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 increas...

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 p...

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 re...

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 lear...

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!Some of the poses are not so familiar so I have again provided a pose gallery. You can find the images to follow along with here: For your practice you will need a couple of blanketsTransformational Self CareA Late Winter Wellness Retreat in the...

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...

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. Transformational Self CareA Late Winter Wellness Retreat in the Dominican RepublicMarch 3-10, 2023Join me for a 7 da...

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 fo...

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. To see a gallery of the poses in the practice, visitProps: Bolster, 2 blocks and a blanket.Transformational Self CareA Lat...

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...

Many of my clients experience a pain flare during or after travel. Pain is so complex and multifaceted, so there is never any one reason that it rears it’s ugly head. Often, when pain is flaring in a travel situation, it’s because we have some anxiety and we aren’t moving very much. This practice addresses both issues. I’ve chosen the stretches we all crave when we’ve been sitting in a car or airplane as well as regulation practices to help you calm your nervous systems to get some perspectiv...

This gentle but powerful practice explores a concept as well as the shoulder through movement and mindfulness. Your practice will be supported by a simple task, moving from a place of curiosity rather than agenda. You will have an opportunity to explore how your beliefs shape your impressions of your shoulder as well as your movments. This is a very deep and satisfying practice that may just transform how you experience your shoulder and even the world itself. Transformational Self CareA...

When most of us hear the word acceptance, we think of giving up or giving in. Our culture makes a virtue of resisting, fighting, wriggling out of difficult circumstances. But there is enormous value in the practice of accepting first. Acknowledging is the first step in self compassion. This pod-practice is about moving forward with compassion, rather than squashing our feelings or disappointment or grief. We will explore poses that focus on the shoulders, chest and upper back as we progr...

I’m sort of amazed, and appalled, about how much misinformation there is about neck pain. One really irksome myth is that if your neck is tight, some stretching will help bring relief and over time, this stretching will fix the tightness and the pain it is “causing”. Total horse$%I$. Sorry to all of those influencers who are peddling this myth. There are ways that we can use stretches as part of a pain care plan however, and this is what you will practice here. I’ve combined somatics, st...

Gratitude is a practice just like any other. It requires effort, even when it's challenging. But it's worth it. People who commit to a more grateful existence experience better physical and mental health, more happiness and closer relationships. For this practice we will not look outside of self but deep within to the very building block of life, the cell. We will build a foundation of embodied gratitude FOR the body. This is a live practice event and is extended to provide plenty ...

No human can survive without the ability to engage with the world. Our nervous systems are beautifully evolved to help us to attend to our survival needs by interacting with not just the objects and situations of the natural world, but also, other human nervous systems. But the opposite is true as well. No human can survive without the ability to disengage from the world. Our nervous systems evolved platforms to help us to release what is outside of us so that we may fulfill an essential...

Breathing is the simplest thing in the world. But it's also incredibly powerful. Science is just recently tuning in to the capacity of the breath to heal mental illness, chronic pain, chronic stress and so much more. While there is no wrong way to breathe, there are certainly more strategic ways to breathe. This practice is a purposeful exploration of the breath in simple, restorative postures. You'll be introduced to a strategy that primes you for deep learning and connection. Props nee...

All of us tend to hold little grudges against our bodies. Maybe you can't do something as well as you used to, or pain casues you to opt out of things you really want to do. This is a wall practice which will focus on healthy and happy range of motion for the hips and knees. But we will also explore a simple meditation on the benevolent and loyal body. Perhaps we can release a few grudges we've been holding and replace them with something more affirming. All you need for practice is a wall, t...

When people ask me for an elevator pitch about what I do, the quickest, most accurate answer that I can give, is that I rehabilitate body image. Most people believe that Pain Care Yoga is all about stretching. And yes, Yoga for pain care may include stretching, but it's just one ingredient in a very complicated recipe. Each element is part of a process for building capacity and improving body image. This is a practice that includes all of the ways that I rehab body image; movement, stillness,...

During my wonderful 3 weeks in Croatia and Greece, I spent most of my time in areas where the sea meets the mountains. Indescribably beautiful, so many narrow streets and medieval villages to explore. But there is a particular feature of these locations, stairs. So many stairs, and hills. I watched countless people stand at the bottom of a daunting set of stairs to some magical scene with a mixture of fear and demoralization. They were concerned about their fitness level but, mostly their kne...

We have a big problem with misinformation in the Yoga world. This problem seems most rampant around the hamstrings but is by no means exclusive to the hamstrings. The myth that stretching the hamstrings will “lengthen” the hamstrings and reduce the subjective experience of tightness has been going around for some time. For this 30 minute practice, we will practice a very traditional Yin practice focused on the hamstrings, EXCEPT, we won’t be stretching the bejesus out of your hamstrings. I’ll...

This 30 minute practice is for you if you tend to get down on yourself, if you are a bit perfectionistic. I've borrowed from a meditation I got from the self compassion researcher, Kristen Neff. We will blend Yin Yoga poses with a breathing practice and simple meditation to establish warmth and affection. Our anatomical focus is the shoulders and chest. Props Needed: A Yoga Block and a BlanketYin Yoga Teacher Training: Transformational Self CareA Late Winter Wellness Retreat i...

For our final practice in this four part series, we will be working with the upper back, or thoracic region of the spine. For your exploration, I've borrowed a bit from a Feldenkrais Method® Lesson, the thoracic clock. If you are a movement geek like me, you will be blown away by the simple complexity of this somatic experience. Prepare to feel stuff you may not have felt in your back before. We will also be touching on one more important back related topic that can't be ignored. The in...

This is the third class in our series, Getting to Know Your Back. You are welcome to explore these practices in any order. In this practice, we will explore another layer of the experience of the back, the Thoraco Lumbar Fascia. I am fascinated by fascia and have spent a great deal of time studying it. But the TLF is special. The fascia in the low back is unique as you will learn in this practice. Getting to know the TLF will I hope, engender feelings of friendliness even awe in you for...

Many who have back pain believe that their spine is unstable. There is a distinct feeling of instability and vulnerability in the back that is reinforced by confusing or misleading messages coming from popular culture and even medical professionals. Current research shows however not that people with back pain are not unstable, but too stiff! In this short practice we will gently explore that stiffness and seek to restore subtilty and differentiation to the movements of the back, especially t...

Most of us think of the back as a collection of tissues; North of the hips and behind the core, supported by the spine. We don’t think too much about it unless something goes wrong. Which, happens a lot. Most adults will experience non-specific back pain within their lifetime. That is to say, back pain which has no specific etiology that can be seen on scans. The back is an incredibly complicated structure anatomically, but even more so when you consider other parts of the experience like the...

For this gentle but incredibly powerful practice, I have borrowed a lesson from the Feldenkrais Method. You will engage in gentle progressions to experience not just movement of the shoulder joint, but the embodied experience of the shoulder, from the tissues, to your thoughts and beliefs about your shoulder. A practice like this feels mild, but trust that your body is learning, that your nervous systems are developing a faith and confidence in your shoulder. This is a very affirmational way ...

If I had a dollar for every time a student asked for a yoga pose for tight, or painful hips.... It's one of the main reasons that people come to Yin. The notion that stretching tight hips will relieve stiffness is well embedded into our Yoga/fitness culture. But, based on the evidence that I have seen, stretching does not adaptively lengthen muscles. So, can Yin help? YES! Just not for the reasons you may think. This is a short go-to practice for you if you suffer with tight or painful hips. ...

This is a gentle yet very effective practice for challenging our biases. Neck pain is one of the most common types of chronic pain and like all pain, is a product of bi-psycho-social factors. For today, we will focus of the psychological and cultural contributors to neck pain. We’ll do so with somatic movements intended to activate tissues in your neck, shoulder, and chest. You will also have time in common yin poses to explore and contemplate. This practice is the heart of what I do in Pain ...

To me, Yin is the answer, the cure, for our stressful times. A practice which invites us to slow down, attend to the self and surrender is not just helpful, it's vital. So for this practice we will retreat from the heart opening, expanding and activating for an opportunity to soften, to close and defend to heal. As a people pleaser and perfectionist, this meditation and simple movement is not natural for me, but it is so sweet and healing. Transformational Self CareA Late Winter Wellness...

This practice is a special offering just for my listeners with neck pain. I do a lot of episodes about neck pain. Why? Because it's one of the most common types of chronic pain. And because it's hell. Many of my pain care clients come to me for neck pain and so I have a pretty big library of tools and strategies. This practice focuses on restoring the rhythm between the sternum, neck, jaw and hip. We will utilize some somatic movements to help you attend to the sternum. For many this movement...

This is one of those practices that you just crave. You’ll spend the whole hour on your back enjoying delicious somatic movements and simple Yin poses. Throughout your practice I will be encouraging you to tap into subtle experiences of self. Your efforts will culminate in a meta awareness that feels so good and right. This practice is so valuable if you are someone who suffers with chronic pain. Often when we hurt, it can be hard to access our painful areas with the benevolent attention that...

In this very supported practice we will be focusing on the movements of the spine: delicious forward folds, sublime twists, exquisite sidebands and soft hearted back bends. As we gently experience the body in these movements and poses, we will explore an idea from the Buddhist tradition, that it takes a strong back and a soft heart to practice compassion. Throughout your practice, I'll be encouraging you to direct your compassion and self acceptance inward. You'll get to experiment and feel t...

We are each granted an amazing opportunity in life to cherish and protect this priceless vessel that we get to live in. I've noticed that when my students learn more about their body they can't help but be in awe of how incredible it is. How unfathomable and amazing is it, that this flesh facilitates our unique and evolving consciousness throughout our lifespan? I've learned over the years, that when people know more about their body they make better choices. And that's what your practice thi...

This Week's 30 minute practice is designed to usher you into a deep and restful sleep. We will combine a breathing practice with simple yoga poses that you can do in your bed right before it's time to turn in. Equal parts, nervous system regulation and gentle stretch, this practice is all about shifting into your rest and digest nervous system platform. Props: a yoga bolster or firm pillow. a blanket or bed pillow for under your head.Transformational Self CareA Late Winter Wellness Retre...

Posture is an incredibly loaded topic in our culture. If you've been involved in yoga for any time you've been receiving messages about posture that may not be helping you. We have hundreds of not thousands of sources daily telling us that our bad posture is the cause of maladies such as chronic pain functional movement issues breathing issues and more. The problem with these well meaning sources of advice, is that they are not evidence-based. We don't really have any evidence to show th...

So… unfortunately, none of the movements in Yin actually achieve the conditions that are required to build strength. BUT! Yin can be an amazing complement to strength training. Active restoration and rest are as essential to building muscle, endurance and stamina as weight training and cardio. Those activities break us down a bit, in a good way! And rest supports the natural regeneration of tissues that allows us not to just get back to where we started, but a little better. Over time this is...

This practice is what you need if you've been struggling with tight, uncomfortable hips. In addition to some familiar Yin poses we will also be practicing bits and pieces from a Feldenkrais Method® lesson that I've borrowed. We really tend to vilify tension in our culture. We've got dozens of ways to blast, release, roll and massage this supposed problem. But what if the tension you were experiencing was not exactly what you thought it was? What if it wasn't harmful? What if the strategies yo...

To be an adult is to sometimes struggle with upper back and neck tension and even pain. This is my professional opinion. Though this pain/tightness can really disrupt your life, it’s important not to get too tied up about it. This practice is to give you some go to tools for managing this suffering. Knowing that you have a way to feel better, is a medicine in its own right. Though you really feel the need to stretch these tissues, it won’t help. That is my professional opinion. There are bett...

This is an important practice for all of my fellow sisters and brothers in perfectionism. If you are someone who never feels like they can take a break, who only looks at accomplishments and sees what they didn't do right, who has critical self talk, I hope that you sill spend an hour with me here. Perfectionism is a hard habit to break. Sometimes we even criticize ourselves for being self critical! So I just want you to know that, I see you. I have compassion for you. I’d love to offer...

All of the nerves in our body require a state of sliding and gliding within our tissues. When nerves get stuck, or compressed, they tell us. While the causes of sciatic nerve pain or sciatica are numerous and not terribly well understood. We do know that restoring a suppleness and fluidity to the tissues of the low back, glutes, pelvic floor and thighs can be helpful . To restore or maintain this fluidity, in this practice, we will use a technique known as nerve flossing. I often feel that th...

This is a very gentle practice focused on the side bodies. I wanted to work with a part of the body that most of us don’t experience too many problems with so that we could really just work with observing sensation. As you move through the poses, I will add another layer to practice. Our true goal is to practice self awareness or interoception. This is an important skill for developing self compassion. The benefits of self compassion go way beyond this practice and well into your life. ...

I get a lot of requests for practices that focus on the low back and hips. These are notoriously sensitive areas and students really want stretches to address the tightness and pain that they are experiencing. The only issue is, I don't really think stretching is the best way to release these or really any tissues. For this practice, we will do some familiar Yin poses but with a different angle. As you practice you will learn about the important thoracolumbar fascia and hopefully gain some un...

As a Movement for Healing Coach, I work with a lot of people with chronic back pain. While every client is different, there are some go to practices that I find are very helpful. This practice is a distillation of some of the strategies I use with my clients; Somatic work, Yoga, mindfulness and light, experiential education. It's a bit shorter than my average episode as well, since I want to make sure you can fit this into a busy day if needed. My hope is that this practice will be a go...

I think we're all a little tired right now. Things are piling up for sure at this stage in the pandemic. This is a practice that I offered recently to bring a bit of TLC and care to some students who are dealing with some heavy stuff. Even in these moments, maybe especially, Yoga has something to offer. This practice is all about being available to now, a moment where everything is right. I've also used movements to gently provide an experience of safety for you to let down your guard for a b...

Wall Yin is by far my most requested class. It's a sweetly intense restorative type of practice. During your postures I will cue you through a simple meditation observing both restlessness and peace in the physical body. My theme this week was inspired by the first Matrix movie which, IMO, is full of Yoga/Eastern Philosophy concepts. For class you need a wall space! You'll place the short edge of your mat to the wall and need about 3 feet on either side of your mat. A bolster or some pil...

Evidence informed practice doesn't need to be complicated. This gentle practice makes use of research backed techniques to reduce anxiety during practice, but also to provide daily tools for relief. Simple, repetitive movements, breath awareness, body awareness, novelty. Each of these are very powerful, drug free methods for anxiety relief. We will focus on the hip flexors and adductors (front and insides of your legs). These areas are often very stiff and guarding in those who suffer from an...

This is the kind of wiggly, stretchy, feel-y practice that I love. We will focus our movement on more comfortable side bending, but I think that you will find that the side bend contributes to many other movements like shoulder comfort and hip mobility. Short sections of somatic education will be bookended with favorite Yin poses. As you move we will explore the unfathomably amazing body that you have, it's capacity to learn, grow, and protect you far beyond your conscious awareness. No ...

Develop skills for your home practice as you learn how to attend to your own needs and intuition. This session is a a minimally guided intuitive Yin practice. Learn how to listen to a pose and to allow the body to guide your choices. Your practice will include the use of a pranayama, three part breath to cultivate a cohesive experience. Props needed: Anything you may need to help you feel more supported and creative. Need some props for your home practice space? Join the Yin Yoga Es...

A very traditional supported Yin with plenty of stillness in our favorite feel good poses. In this practice we will practice outcome independence. Often when we practice we have a goal or intention in mind. While this can be useful, meditation is most productive when we approach with a sense of openness and curiosity. Learn how cultivating outcome independence can enhance your Yin practice, meditation practice and even your life. Props needed: bolster or firm pillows, 2 Yoga blocks and a...

If you are looking for some yummy supported hip openers, this is the class for you. We will practice facing the long edge of the mat, using props to sink into some Yin standards. We will also explore the qualities of stability and ease and discover their importance in the Yoga tradition. Props needed: Bolster (or firm pillows), blocks and blanket. https://yoga.mandyryle.com/--- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mandy-l-ryle/messageTransformational Self CareA Late Winter Wel...

In this practice we will take bits and pieces of a Feldenkrais Method® Lesson focusing on effortless shoulder movement. Yummy Yin poses will be held at strategic moments to allow you to integrate and rest between progressions. My main intent with this practice is to improve the reach. This is a movement that can be problematic for many. As we age especially, the ability to reach comfortably and fully tends to be diminished. But it's such an important skill! This practice will take some common...

This practice is a special hug for my fellow Yogis who suffer from neck pain, stiffness and tension headaches. We will incorporate a few Yin poses into a somatic lesson that I created to help you to free your sternum. Learning how to free the center of your chest and differentiate your ribs can be life changing. Allowing your hip to communicate with your sternum and your nose and even your eyes will have a profound effect on how your neck feels. This class is a big education for your deep nec...

This practice cycles very gentle dynamic stretches with more passive poses. As you breathe in movement and stillness you will meditate on pure sensory data and experientially learn to mute thinking in favor of feeling. This simple meditation has profound effects on your nervous systems and on your quality of movement. As you marinate in sensory data, I'll explain a bit about how beliefs influence quality of movement. Our poses will focus on the hips and low back, making this practice an incre...

I love Yin. I hope that is obvious. I've spent years developing my teaching style and skill. I am always studying topics as diverse as cell structure and psychology to apply to my teaching. So, I hope you will understand that sometimes, when I hear people talk about Yin, I get a bit testy. Because, if you poll most Yogis, Yin is about stretching connective tissue. But Yogi, that is the least interesting thing about Yin. We have so much more to do here. In this practice, we will explore s...

This practice is not a very traditional Yin. If you love to be exposed to something different in your practice you will love this. If you enjoy learning things about yourself in movement and stillness, you will love this. We will make use of little bits and pieces of an Awareness Through Movement lesson called Hip to Shoulder as well as poses that illuminate this relationship particularly well. This is a practice that I use often with my students who come to me with contralateral hip/shoulder...

Many of us develop an antagonism with our bodies. In our younger years it's because we fret that we don't have the most desirable features, or that we don't measure up to attractiveness standards. As we age we feel betrayed by the body for getting older, for not being as bullet proof as it once was in youth. Illness and pain almost always result in negative feelings about the body, sometimes even anger. In this practice we will move through some gentle yet powerful somatic informers to help u...

If you suffer from neck tension, neck discomfort, or pain this is the practice for you. More than just a little bit of stretching, this practice will address the real reason for your pain and tension. All you need for your practice is a yoga blanket.To learn more about Pain Care Yoga, Please check out my FREE video course, Introduction to Pain Care Yoga: https://yoga.mandyryle.com/free-digital-course-overcome-chronic-pain/--- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mandy-l-ryle/messageTran...

This is a restorative-y Yin with somatics thrown in for good measure. In my work with students and clients, I find that the sacroiliac joint is quite misunderstood. This really chill practice invites you to explore the anatomy of the hip as well as the movement available to you. It feels so amazing, especially if you get achy in your hips and low back. This is a practice you should bookmark if you often have issues with your hip/low back on one side. You will need a bolster, or a couple ...

For this practice you will need a blanket or thick towel. If you have experienced shoulder pain or discomfort either now, or in the past run, don't walk to your mat! This gentle practice has what you need to move with confidence again. It feels really great and includes all of the elements of practice that I love. Lots of wriggly movement exploration, crave-able stillness and contemplation, a theme full of feels and personal discovery. To learn more about Pain Care Yoga, please chec...

If you are suffering from a sore, tight or painful neck, drop everything and hit play. When the neck is in this state, it's not really the time to work with it directly. Now is the time for gentle, effortless movement so we will influence the neck passively by moving the pelvis. This technique is all about neuroplasticity. Your brain has been practicing pain and stiffness for awhile, if we want to de-sensitize, we'll need to teach the brain that the neck CAN move freely and without pain. This...

Got neck pain? 3 out of 5 people will say yes. In our new zoom culture it's even more prevalent and I have certainly been seeing this with my clients. My work is mostly with individuals suffering from chronic pain and this practice is one that I employ often. Effortless movement in the neck generated by the pelvis is soothing for the nervous system and informative for the body and interoceptive maps in the brain. Also, it just feels really good :) You will need a couple of blankets for this p...

Your spine is the most exquisite structure. Capable of incredible mobility and unparalleled stability, it's been evolving for millions of years and has within it the intelligence of eons. Yet, if you listen to popular culture and even some Yoga wisdom, the spine is very delicate. It is in need of protection and only truly stable in a few select positions. From my perspective as a Yoga for Pain Care Specialist, this is not just wrong but inestimably harmful. This class is an homage to your spi...

For me, Somatic Education is an extremely valuable tool for helping my students and clients who suffer from chronic pain. Of particular interest to me are the areas of the neck, shoulder and jaw. This somewhat experimental practice feels incredible but it also illuminates these areas in the body mind in a powerful way using a somatic technique called thumb gliding and traditional Yin poses. Treat this practice like your meditation for the day. You will be amazed at how much more freedom you h...

Hey. Here's the deal. My comfort zone seems to be swimming upstream. I like to make things so much harder than they need to be and struggle and strive with every step. So every now and then I have to remind myself of something. The Universe really wants for me to thrive. Not just me but all of us. I'm not a super spiritual person but I do love science, and I feel like science backs me up here. So this practice is about exploration because I don't want you to take my word for it. I want you to...

This blissful practice is perfect for the end of a difficult day. Reconnect with your body, your breath. We'll work with the resources of peace and also activity within the physical body and practice nurturing without agenda. This is a very sweet and mindful practice to replenish yourself though movement, breath and awareness.Props needed: bolster, blocks, blanketLearn more about Yin Yoga Teacher Training, Nov. 12-17: https://yoga.mandyryle.com/yin-yoga-teacher-training/--- Send in a voice me...

I have a voracious appetite for information about neuroscience right now. I'm reading books, research, articles etc... My interest is in applying this knowledge to my teaching. This practice is a little taste of that. Wag with your whole body is a simple practice that combines some light neuroscience education with gentle movement and breathing. Props: bolster (or two pillows), blocks, blanketI am offering a 40 hour Yin Yoga Teacher Training this Fall! Join me in person in Omaha, NE at S...

For me the intersection of science and Yoga is really exciting. One area of great convergence is in the study of interoception. The internal sense of oneself is correlated with more compassion, better health and even better perception of time. This practice focuses on the experience of feeling both in a sensory way and emotionally. I'll coach you through Somatic education blended with long holds in gentle postures to offer you opportunities to experience sensations and the emotional feelings ...