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Twists have been said to do a number of things in yoga, from detox to deep release. While science has debunked the idea that twists wring our organs and subsequently detoxify our bodies, Traditional Chinese Medicine suggests twists can bring about deeper release within the subtle energetic body.
Yin Yoga is informed by the Traditional Chinese Medicine principle that there are energetic lines, or meridians, throughout the body. These are just like the nadis in yoga philosophy. In accordance with Traditional Chinese Medicine, each meridian corresponds to a special organ. Twists can stimulate different meridians, but they most effectively compress the urinary bladder meridian.
To conceptualize how this meridian functions and its potential for energetic release, consider how its corresponding organ functions. Physically, the bladder eliminates what we don’t need. Energetically, based on Traditional Chinese Medicine, it’s the identical.
And just as elimination is lots harder once we overtax the body with things that aren’t useful, the identical is true once we’re holding on to energy we don’t need. Twists, based on this wisdom, provide a possibility to release the entire energetic crap that doesn’t nourish us.
During this Yin Yoga practice, you’re given the chance to maneuver your body and your energy in various ways, to breathe, and to listen in order that chances are you’ll access what won’t be serving you. Then, perhaps you release it—if not without end, no less than for some time. Should you cannot let it go, breathe, soften, and let or not it’s.
A Yin Yoga practice for deep release
For this practice, it can be helpful to have a bolster (or a few sturdy pillows) and two blocks.
(Photo: Tamika Caston-Miller)
Heart Bench
We’ll begin the practice in Heart Bench. The way in which we’ll set this up is a bit different than perhaps you’ve before. Lie back with a bolster under your lower back and a block on its medium level underneath your head. Bring the soles of your feet to the ground along with your knees bent. Notice the entire places along your back body which might be supported by the ground, bolster, and block and feel for grounding into what’s supporting you. Notice your inhalation and your exhalation. As your body begins to open, you may lower the peak of the block under your head to create more opening along the throat. Stay here for five minutes.
(Photo: Tamika Caston-Miller)
Mermaid
From Heart Bench, allow your knees to fall over to your left side and let your body go together with it, keeping the bolster underneath your ribs and the block under your head. Your left arm can be cradled in between the block and the bolster. Rest your right arm alongside your right ear and reach your right leg toward the space behind you to create more sensation along the front of your right hip and along your right side. You’ll be able to increase or decrease the feeling in your right leg by bringing it closer or farther from your left knee. Stay here for 3 minutes.
Slowly roll onto your right side and repeat, remembering to regulate the position of your left leg as needed. Stay for 3 minutes on this side.
(Photo: Tamika Caston-Miller)
Square Pose
From Mermaid, make your way onto one side and are available to all fours. Sit back in your heels so you’ll be able to feel the effect of the previous poses in your body. Come to a cross-legged seat and stack your right shin on top of your left shin, right knee on top of your left nee. Should you feel tightness within the hips, chances are you’ll place your right foot on a block in front of your left shin to create extra space. Alternatively, keep your legs crossed, right leg ahead of your left, if stacking your shins stresses your hips. Lean forward over your crossed or stacked legs. Stay here for 3 minutes.
(Photo: Tamika Caston-Miller)
Twisted Deer
From Square, walk your hands back toward your body, unstack or uncross your right leg, and are available to seated in your left hip. Bend your knees 90 degrees and draw your right leg towards the space behind you until you notice sensations within the front of your right hip. Press into your hands and lengthen through your spine, then twist over your left thigh or hip. Bend your elbows to bring your forearms to the ground, blocks, or bolster or keep your arms prolonged straight like kickstands. Find the twist that you simply’re in search of. Stay here for 3 minutes.
(Photo: Tamika Caston-Miller)
Swan
From Twisted Deer, walk your hands back to center and convey your left knee toward the left side of your mat and draw your left shin toward parallel to the short side of the mat. Extend your right leg long behind you for Swan. Chances are you’ll bring blocks underneath your hands to create more of a backbend here, which can increase sensations along the proper hip flexor, as well. Stay for two minutes.
(Photo: Tamika Caston-Miller)
Twisted Swan
From Swan, lift your upper body barely and thread your right arm under your chest and your left arm, just like the way you twist in Thread the Needle. Draw the left shoulder back to create more of the twist, and wrap your left arm behind your body for Twisted Swan. It is advisable to bring a block under your head to create extra space to accommodate the twist. Take a full inhale and exhale as you sigh all of it out. Stay here for as much as 3 minutes.
Release and repeat Square Pose along with your left leg on top, followed by Twisted Deer, Swan, and Twisted Swan on the opposite side.
Release to Downward-facing Dog and some other movement that lets you sense the rebound, or release, in your body.
(Photo: Tamika Caston-Miller)
Supported Locust
Come onto your belly and convey a block under each forearm. Finding the proper place for the blocks is a person pursuit, but know that you simply’re creating the form of a propped-up Salabhasana (Locust Pose). My suggestion is to have the blocks on their medium height supporting the shoulder and upper arm. Your brow will come to the mat and your legs will prolonged straight behind you. If the bridge of your nose is long, chances are you’ll bring a blanket under your brow to create extra space to accommodate it. Let your whole body give up to gravity. Stay here for five minutes.
Slide the blocks off to the side and rest for a moment along with your hands stacked underneath your brow in Supported Crocodile. After a couple of moments, press back into Child’s Pose and breathe.
(Photo: Tamika Caston-Miller)
Savasana
From Child’s Pose, make your way into Savasana. Due to the entire twists on this practice, an unsupported Savasana might feel welcome. If it doesn’t, be happy so as to add props to create the entire conditions of rest you would like. Stay here for so long as you want.
See also: More Yin and Restorative practices with Tamika Caston-Milller
About our contributor
Tamika Caston-Miller, E-RYT 500, is the director of Ashé Yoga, where she curates yoga experiences and trainings in service of collective healing and community repair. Having begun her yoga journey in 2001 with a house practice, she now holds advanced certifications and training in Trauma-Informed Yoga, Somatics, Yin Yoga, Restorative Yoga, and Yoga Nidra. Tamika’s journey has been informed by chronic pain and injuries, social justice for QTBIPOC communities, the battle between shame and compassion and quest for ancestral healing, and the love for the practice and philosophy of yoga.