a late summer yin sequence
I love late summer! While there might be a tinge of melancholy in the air as the weather closes in and warm bright days drift into memory, I am a great advocate of enjoying and savouring what each season has to offer.
In the TCM tradition, this moment isn’t considered autumn yet - it’s a transitional moment, and these moments are associated with the Earth element - a time to come home, to pause and absorb what has been. The Earthy organs, Spleen and Stomach, support us in the process of digestion and assimilation, both of the foods we eat and of the experiences we have. So yes - summer is coming to an end, but can we be here in this quiet space to let the magic of warmer days seep deep into our skin and our hearts, to receive and integrate the gold, before the letting-go of autumn begins.
This late summer yin sequence is designed to let us soak in this process - if you try it, let me know how you get on 🙏
let your body rest on the ground, and let the Earth receive your weight.
let it make you softer, so that you can absorb what’s coming next (and what has come before)
draw a leg in towards the body and let it be held there with a strap - the arms fall out to the side in a receptive gesture. As the thigh presses against your belly when you breathe, can you melt around it?
The belly opens, releasing the diaphragm. After compression, we soften, to savour the aftertaste.
The value is not only in doing the thing, but pausing afterwards to integrate.
the weight of the legs draws length across the whole front line of the body.
we make some space for breath, for the belly - to float.
Let the legs hang up in the air. We’re suspended in the present moment -
a transitional space.
the bolster helps the pelvis to curl in. we get close to ourselves.
with one knee bent, or maybe both. we’re moving in two directions at the same time.
coming from the past, also moving forward into the future
maybe we can grab the foot of the bottom leg, making length across the front of the thigh, closing the loop between two knees, two legs. unwinding between left and right, future and past.
finally we unfurl, opening up to receive. Let the body drop and be held by the Earth, to integrate and receive the practice and where you are.
If you’d like to practice yin with me, I have two weekly classes at Merchant City Yoga - online and in person.
Find out more and book here: https://merchantcityyoga.com/yoga-classes-glasgow
Or, join me at Fitforit PT in Cathcart for YIN TGIF! An evening of unfurling at the end of the week. Coming up on October 10th. Find out more here: YIN TGIF
Learn how to teach immersive, meditative and deeply grounding yin for all bodies on my 50hr Yin Yoga Teacher Training, taking place in May/June 2026. Find out more here: yogaema.com/yin-training
OM SHANTI! x
