yin yoga sequence for liver and gallbladder

Savasana – Rest for a minimum of 10 minutes. Here’s a video from Bernie Clark on Happy Baby.ġ0. Carefully unfold your legs – bend and straighten the knees a few times. Release by using your arms and abs to help you sit up. Saddle Pose – 5 minutes (Alternate Option: Dragon Lunge, 2 minutes on each side) To release, lie on your back, stretch your arms overhead, take a big inhale and sigh (3 times)ħ. Cat Tail Pose – 2 minutes upright in “Phase A”, 2 minutes in twist “Phase B” on each side The top arm can rest on your head, or can stay down by your side.ĥ. This is a side bend from the seated wide-legged Dragonfly position (not folding forward). Squat Pose illustration & instructions from Bernie Clark here.Ĥ. Squat Pose – 2 minutes (Alternate Option: Happy Baby Pose) Release by coming into a neutral position on your back and take a few knee circles in each direction.ģ. Wiggle your hips side to side a few times.Ģ. Switch sides and repeat several times.Ĭome to sitting and practice flexing and extending the spine back and forth a few times (like a seated cat/cow), then side bend left and right a few times, moving with the rhythm of your breath. Still on your back, take a few Windshield Wiper Twists, moving your knees gently side-to-side with your feet on the ground.īring one knee into the chest as you stretch the opposite leg out. Feel the belly rise and fall with your breath, continuing to bring awareness to this space for several minutes. Take a few mindful breaths to settle in, then bring your hands to lightly rest on your belly. Opening Meditation: Lie on your back with knees bent and feet on the floor. So, here’s a sequence you can do at home to celebrate this holiday and support yourself on all levels: It’s a good idea to give your hard-working liver some love after Thanksgiving dinner. In Chinese Medicine this also works on the emotional level, as these meridians help us process feisty feelings like anger, frustration, and resentment. The Liver/Gallbladder Meridian pair can help us de-tox, since the Liver is the body’s chemical processing center. This pair is also associated with the positive attributes of abundance and enough-ness that relate to Thanksgiving, especially because of their connection to the Harvest Season/Earth Element. The Spleen/Stomach Meridian pair assists with physical digestion, as well as our ability to “digest” whatever happens to us mentally and emotionally.

This Thanksgiving-themed practice focuses primarily on the Spleen/Stomach Meridians, with a few Liver/Gallbladder poses thrown in for good measure.

The following Yin Yoga sequence doesn’t burn a ton of calories to get that gravy out of your system (I suggest a hike or long walk), but it can help restore you mentally, energetically, and internally. Don’t get me wrong – I savor Thanksgiving dinner as much as the next person, but I try to find a balanced way to celebrate the abundance of the season.

The spiritual teacher Ram Dass once said, “If you think you are enlightened, go home for Thanksgiving.”Ĭombine a little family button-pushing with a feast of comfort foods, stuffing, and pies, and you’ve got a recipe for holiday indulgence.

Yin yoga sequence for liver and gallbladder