Chakra Yin Yoga with Yin Tonification | Yoga with Melissa 459

Chakra Yin Yoga

Our energy is so distracted, scattered and fragmented that often we experience insomnia, feel exhausted, burned out, anxious and depleted. In this chakra yin yoga class we will tonify yin at each chakra to build and fortify yin. Instead of searching desperately for energy outside of ourselves this yin yoga class tonifies yin at the level of each chakra to rebuild the vital energy and fortify chi from the inside out.

Yin yoga works with the deepest layers of our body, the connective tissues that wrap around the joints and the bones and the subtle energetic body known as the meridians. Instead of rushing around on the surface of our lives, yin yoga asks us to slow down, be still, soften and move deeply into the more dense parts of our bodies. Experiencing the depth of energy that is possible from the inner world allows for balanced and flowing chi.

The root chakra corresponds to the earth element and our connection to earth and home. To tonify yin here, we will take energy that is often disconnected, anxious, restless, and often overthinking and bring it back down into our bodies and connect it to our place on the earth. The earth is a sacred place that provides our most basic needs from nourishing food to shelter for rest. How often when we are ¨home¨ do we actually allow ourselves to rest and be nourished? How often are our minds elsewhere?

From a yin perspective, the second chakra is about the movement of chi through the subtle energy body. Too much work, workaholism, not enough rest and play leads to an imbalance in this chakra. When the chi moves without blockages or excess through the meridian pathways we feel balanced, smooth, harmonious flow in our emotional and energetic bodies. This chakra is about opening to the movement of your life force energy in your body and feeling the subtle flow of the rivers of energy within you.

The third chakra corresponds to the fire element and power. We have a lot of examples of fire being in excess and out of control in our culture. A lot of us have experienced being burned out. Through the practice of yin yoga we can tonify yin and stoke the slow burning gentle glowing embers of our fire to keep us warm and sustain our energy over time.

Yin tonification in the heart chakra is necessary for excessive heart chakra characteristics such as being overly ruled by your emotions, inability to let go of past pain, poor boundaries and inability to say no, tolerating too much from others to the point of poor emotional self care. It is incredibly important that the foundational elements of earth, water and fire of the first three chakras, a sense of connection to the earth and inner home, a connection with your subtle energetic body and the slow burning and glowing embers of your inner fire be well established before we enter into the territory of the unstruck or anahata. It is the emptiness of space that gives rise to the warmth of compassion towards all beings of which we are one.

The throat chakra is all about communication. We live in a world of excess noise. In order to tonify the yin of the fifth chakra it is important to spend time in stillness and solitude to connect with the truth of our inner world before we hope to allow for its expression in the outer world.

When it comes to the third eye we outsource our imagination through television and excess time on social media. To tonify yin in the third eye we need to stop looking outside of ourselves for all the answers and inspiration and rest deeply in our inner darkness, developing an inner confidence and strength in our inner vision. It is by dropping inwards in this way, relying on stillness, silence, that we will be illumined and be blessed by the light within.