yin yoga – 2nd Avenue

Wrap and release

I probably spend most of my waking hours rounding forward — staring at computer screens, bending over a pan on the stove, hunching over my phone or any of a million other tasks. It’s not great for posture and the downward position also tends to tug down my thoughts and emotions, too.

The yoga antidote is supported fish, a lovely, well-propped, chest-opening posture.

Softening into spring & summer

Laura's smiling eyes with a background of fluffy pink feathers — Photo taken at Sonja Lackner’s incredible exhibit in 2021

I’m teaching two more online yoga classes as part of the current series. Both will use lots of props to create wonderful nests—although probably no pink feathers!

I won’t be teaching over summer, so this is the last chance for a while to join me live on Zoom—or enjoy the recorded sessions anytime over the weekend.

Calming the disquiet

There’s a swirling sense of anxiety. And it’s making me unsettled.

Woman wearing a white disposable mask holding up one thumb (like thumbs up) — We all doing okay?

I know logically that I’m quite well-protected. It’s not a challenge to stay fed and sheltered and entertained. I’m pretty healthy and likely to stay that way. I have just about every creature comfort at my disposal. But those rational thoughts don’t stop me from fretting about the state of the world.

A few things help: talking with friends, family, and a professional (shout out to Building Bridges for excellent online counselling), giant hugs from my very-in-bubble husband, staying off social media if I’m feeling meh, getting into nature, cuddling with Sofie (she’s less and less amenable, but occasionally consents), and meditating.

Meditation for compassion

Laura seated in well-propped easy pose demonstrating a gently moving meditation to encourage compassion — Laura mid-way through an easy, five-minute meditation to encourage compassion

Most of us could stand to show ourselves and others a little more kindness. And I feel that need for compassion is more with the amplified sense of hatred, fear, confusion, and division that’s reflected in my social media feeds.

I ended my last online Yin Yoga class with a short meditation to encourage compassion for ourselves and others and I’ve recorded this short practice to share more broadly.

Darkness inspires deep relaxation

This coming Saturday I’m teaching a special extra-long yoga class at Younion Yoga to mark the Winter Solstice. It’s the third year I’ve led this seasonally-driven session and I particularly love using yoga to embrace darkness on this longest night of the year. The inspiration for the practice fits perfectly with my teaching style: deliberately slow, purposely restful, mindfully self-centred, well-supported—and with a bonus literary touch.

Back to the original (or orig-yin-al)

In what now feels like a completely different lifetime, I borrowed Yin Yoga: The Foundations of a Quiet Practice on DVD from my local library—and kickstarted my love of yin yoga.

Laura settling in to a yin squat pose — Me settling in to a yin squat

The DVD led me to seek out yin yoga in real life and I stumbled into an amazing class at a local community centre with the knowledgable, approachable, sensitive, fantastic Brenda from Beautiful Yoga.

The season of yin

Beige woolen socks with bokeh effect in the background — Photo by freestocks.org on Unsplash

The weather in Copenhagen has turned colder, greyer and windier. The leaves are changing and this morning was the first dog walk in a long time that I needed gloves. Likewise, I’ve put away my sandals and lightweight dresses and embraced wooly socks again.

With the sun setting noticeably earlier, there’s an invitation to be inside more, to get cozy, to hygge it up.

Bring on the yin yoga!

Continue reading “The season of yin”