Traditional Chinese Medicine and Yin Yoga for Fall
To sequence a yin yoga practice, first choose your theme. Some examples of themes include an area of the body, a specific action or movement, a contemplative practice, or a Chinese Medicine meridian. There are many directions you can take with this, so get creative and have fun!
The season of fall is when energy transitions from yang to yin. It’s a time when the natural world starts to descend into the darker days of winter. The fall is a great time to do more yin yoga because it is naturally quieter and slower, qualities that are both emphasized this time of year.
This yin yoga sequence for fall emphasizes the upper chest and arms and targets the Lung and Large Intestine meridians in Chinese medicine.
In Chinese Medicine, meridians are considered channels through which Qi, or life force, flows. While each yin yoga pose usually affects multiple meridians at a time, you can combine the poses in a sequence to emphasize a certain energy. The Lung and Large Intestine meridians are associated with the fall, so targeting these channels helps create balance in the autumn.
Learn more about meridians with this video: What are meridians? How do meridians work?
The season of fall is also related to the metal element in Chinese Medicine. To learn more about the metal element and the fall, read this article.
Acupressure Point Lung 1 (Zhong Fu):
This point is good for lung congestion, coughing, breathing, or an excess of grief. During your sequence, some poses may compress these points, and others will release the compression. You can also place gentle pressure on the point at the beginning, during, or at the end of your practice.
Find this acupressure point on the chest. This point is one thumb’s width below the delto-pectoral triangle. The delto-pectoral triangle is the hollow where the clavicle meets the shoulder. The point is located just below and in the small groove of the first intercostal space.
Yin Yoga Sequence for Fall:
** Hold poses between 3-5 min. depending on your ability.
I hope you enjoy the sequence! Let me know in the comments if you used this yin yoga sequence for fall 🙂
Want to learn more about making changes for fall? Check out my Self-Care for Fall Mini Course.
