Yin Yoga & Meridian Theory - Teacher Training

Explore the lung and large intestine meridians through breath, conscious touch, and energy-lock exercises to harmonize fire and earth energies, awaken vitality, and cultivate pulse-focused meditation.

Explore the stomach and spleen meridians and their Gemini and Cancer energies, revealing the gut brain axis, vagus nerve links, and practical breath and mudra techniques for balance.

Explore the bladder and kidney meridians, linking Libra and Scorpio energy to fluid balance, urination, and kidney function through pulse listening and mindful energy work.

Explore gallbladder and liver meridians within yin yoga theory, using Aquarius and Pisces energy associations, mudras, and harmonizing techniques to balance emotion, energy flow, and digestion.

Download the teacher training manual for part two, explore the physical body, and print the pose charts for reference.

Ankle stretch strengthens and stretches the ankles and feet, improves circulation, and grounds you with 1–3 minute holds, linking to six meridians: stomach, spleen, bladder, kidney, gallbladder, liver.

Lengthen the spine and open the hips with banana asana, a supine crescent moon pose, for deeper breathing, while engaging the shoulders, arms, and gallbladder and heart meridians.

Practice the butterfly pose (baddha konasana) to open hips and groin, boost flexibility, support the pelvic floor and digestion, and engage meridian pathways (liver, kidney, spleen, bladder) through mindful breathing.

Camel pose, a hatha yoga asana, counteracts forward bending by stretching the hip flexors, abdomen, and chest, opens the heart and lungs, lengthens the spine, and may relieve back pain.

Explore the caterpillar pose held 3–5 minutes to decompress the spine, stretch the hamstrings, support digestion and calm nervous system, and engage meridian energies of bladder, kidney, stomach, and spleen.

Practice child's pose in a yin yoga class held 1 to 5 minutes to gently stretch the spine, relax back and hips, and activate the parasympathetic nervous system through diaphragmatic breathing.

Practice the dangling pose, Yin Yoga’s only standing pose, to lengthen the spine, improve balance, and boost blood flow to the brain, with meridian support for bladder and kidney.

Use deer pose to open the hips and increase flexibility by targeting the psoas, while promoting both internal and external hip rotation for a solid prep for deeper hip stretches.

Dragon pose opens hips and groin, stretching glutes and pelvis to ease lower back tension and sciatic pain. Hold 3-5 minutes with knee support, engaging liver, kidney, and spleen meridians.

Explore frog pose (Mandukasana) as a deep hip opener that stretches the hip flexors, inner thighs, and groin, improves hip flexibility, supports digestion, and influences liver, kidney, and spleen meridians.

Practice happy baby pose (ananda balasana) to stretch hips and groin, calm the nervous system, relieve lower back and sciatic tension, gas, constipation, and support liver, kidney, and spleen meridians.

Hold melting heart pose to stimulate the heart and lung meridians, release emotional blocks, calm the nervous system, deepen breath, and improve posture and shoulder mobility.

Practice open wing pose, aka broken wings, to stretch shoulders and chest, releasing tension and improving alignment; opens diaphragm and psoas with breathing and meridian energies, note rotator cuff contraindication.

Practice reclining butterfly to open the hips and groin, stretch the pelvis and chest, lengthen the breath, and activate meridians through the groin and chest for deep relaxation.

Relieve sciatic nerve pain with reclining thread the needle. Target the piriformis and hips, calm the lower back, and support digestion via meridian energies.

Practice reclining spinal twists to relieve chronic back pain, improve spinal mobility, and stretch rib cage, diaphragm, IT band, glutes, and obliques, with deep breathing for 3-5 minutes per side.

Master saddle pose (supta virasana) to release tight hips and lower back, open the chest, and influence stomach, spleen, and kidney meridians, with mindful entry from hero pose.

Practice shoelace pose (paduka bandini) to open the hips, increase flexibility in hip joints, and stretch IT band, glutes, and hamstrings while supporting digestion and alleviating low back pain.

Practice the sleeping owl pose to stretch the deltoids, triceps, and trapezoid, improve arm nerve function, and ease tension for typists or drivers, noting rotator cuff or elbow injury contraindications.

Explore sleeping swan, a dynamic pigeon pose that opens hips and stretches hip flexors, glutes, and hamstrings for 3–5 minutes, while engaging meridian energies of liver, kidney, and spleen.

Practice snail pose (salamba sarvangasana) to improve spine health, posture, and relaxation, stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system while massaging abdominal organs and supporting digestion.

Explore Sphinx pose and seal pose, a variation of cobra held 2–5 minutes to strengthen the spine, stretch the abdomen and psoas, and improve breathing.

Practice square pose, also called fire log, to externally rotate the thighs for hip opening and spine decompression while stimulating liver, kidney, and spleen meridians for 3–5 minutes.

Practice the squat pose (malasana) in hatha yoga to improve hip and ankle flexibility, promote grounding, and relieve menstrual cramps and lower back pain with 3–5 minute holds.

Straddle pose (dragonfly) in yin yoga opens hips and pelvic floor, stretches thighs, adductors, hamstrings, and groin for 3–5 minutes, with folds and meridian focus on liver, kidney, and spleen.

Practice supported fish pose (matsyasana) with a bolster for 3–5 minutes to open the chest and diaphragm, align posture, and stimulate the thyroid and parathyroid glands.

Thread the needle pose, or parsva balasana, stretches the shoulders, back, neck, and chest through a spine twist, held 3–5 minutes per side, potentially easing menstrual cramps while noting contraindications.

Strengthen the toes, ankles, and knees with toe squat to improve balance and circulation, stretch the soles, and activate toe meridian energies through stomach, bladder, gallbladder, spleen, kidney, and liver.

Hold tortoise pose for 3–5 minutes to stretch the hips, thighs, inner thighs, hamstrings, spine, neck, shoulders, and arms. Calm the nervous system by massaging abdominal organs and meridian energies.

Practice a 30 minute yin yoga sequence that targets the upper body and arms while addressing the lower back, with child’s pose, camel pose, spinal twists, breathing, and shavasana.