Yoga nidra is a unique practice also called yogic sleep or psychic sleep. It is a guided meditation where one can experience the koshas or energy layers of the body and our existence.

These layers are referred to as "bodies" and include the physical, energetic, mental, intellectual, and bliss bodies. Yoga nidra provides a framework to experience these layers individually and allow the practitioner to rest in conscious awareness.

The goal of yoga nidra, like all other yoga practices, is samadhi—blissful awareness and enlightenment. However, on the journey toward samadhi during yoga nidra, there are many ways your everyday life can benefit. Some of these include:

• Decreased stress.
• Better sleep.
• Increased imagination.
• Higher levels of self-awareness and understanding.
• More focus.

Interested in how yoga nidra works? Lets break down exactly how the stages of yoga nidra correspond with each kosha. It is also related to the stages of meditation as described by the sage Patanjali.

These stages are asana (poses), pranayama (breathing exercises), pratyahara, (exclusion of the senses), dharana (concentration), dhyana (meditation), and samadhi.

Read: The 5 Koshas: The Veils of Atman

Understanding the koshas is an important aspect of the yogic energetic body that takes some time to demystify. It is not something that can just be thought of theoretically; it is something that needs to be experienced.

The koshas take us on a journey from the outside in, as most yogic practices do. What they teach us is that the physical, manifested world is in a relationship with the unmanifested world and that actually there is no duality between them, as we typically tend to perceive it.

Annaymaya Kosha, The Physical Body

The physical body is correlated with the annamaya kosha and is directly linked to the third limb of yoga, asana. As humans, we first and foremost experience the world through our physical bodies. This is why it is one of the first limbs of yoga. It is the starting point.

During yoga nidra, there is only one posture used: savasana (corpse pose). You can use props to support yourself as you will lie there for anywhere from 20-45 minutes in a typical yoga nidra session.

How to perform savasana:

1. Lie on your back.
2. Bring your feet wide and your hands a few inches away from your body, palms facing up and fingers relaxed.
3. Close your eyes and relax your whole body.
4. Breathe while holding the pose.

If you have trouble relaxing or being still, try performing a few rounds of more intense asana such as navasana (boat pose) or plank pose to tire the body out for complete relaxation.

Read: Don't Skip Savasana: The Importance of Corpse Pose

Pranamaya Kosha, The Energetic Body

Here is where we begin our relationship to our life force energy, or prana, as well as emotional body. The energetic body is aligned with the pranamaya kosha and is linked to the fourth limb of yoga, pranayama. Pranayama is often described as breathing practice; however, it is also defined as the control and expansion of life force energy.

Yoga nidra includes not only conscious breath awareness but also various breathing practices designed to relax the nervous system. This also slows the brain waves from their waking beta-state to the meditative states of alpha and theta and finally to the deep sleep stage of delta by the end of the practice.

It is common at first to just witness the breath without changing anything. From there, various practices can then be utilized, such as:

• Sama vritti (equalized breath at 4 or 5 counts).
• 4 count inhale/8 count exhale ratio.
• Anuloma viloma (alternate nostril breathing).
• Counting the breath backward from any number. Multiple of 9’s are common, such as 27 or 54.

Manomaya Kosha, The Mental Body

This level encompasses the next 2 stages of meditation, pratyahara, and dharana, which directly correlate to the mind. This is called the manomaya kosha.

During pratyahara, you withdraw your chitta, or consciousness, away from the five sense organs. This is done in the practice of yoga nidra through the process called the rotation of consciousness. This is essentially a body scan where you move quickly from body part to body part with awareness and nonattachment. This prepares the mind for the next phase, which is to focus the mind.

Dharana, which means concentration, can only be achieved once the body, breath, and consciousness find stillness through the other practices. Now, the mind can focus on the next stage of yoga nidra, which presents various feelings, emotions, and visual imagery. This improves a sense of harmony without being attached to whatever is being felt or seen on the inside so the practitioner is prepared for deeper levels of awareness.

Vijnanamaya Kosha, The Intellectual Body

At this stage is where true meditation begins to occur. It is called dhyana by Patanjali and is known as the vijnanamaya kosha. At this stage, duality begins to dissolve so that the barrier between subject and object disappear. It is here that deeper understanding takes place as a result of concentrated focus.

Read: Trataka: How to Practice Candle Gazing

Anandamaya Kosha, The Bliss Body

As you continue to climb the ladder up toward realization, you finally reach samadhi. This stage is correlated with the anandamaya kosha, also known as the bliss body. At the core of every being is this innate bliss. It is absolute ecstasy and also completely indescribable. At this moment, you are merged with the source and feel completely at one with everything. This is the merging of the Atman and Brahman.

In order for this to occur in yoga nidra, the practitioner must remain awake. This is the tricky part because the brain is used to sleeping when in the delta wave state! It takes dedicated and consistent practice to train your consciousness in this way. But just like with all yoga practice, it takes effort to see results. This will improve with each practice.

During a yoga nidra session, time and space are given at the end of the session to experience the anandamaya kosha. This is done through a period of silence, anywhere to a few minutes, or up to ten. This allows the entire process to completely unfold until the practitioner is drawn back out to their physical body lying on the floor in savasana.

Final Thoughts

For those looking to explore different states of consciousness, yoga nidra makes an excellent practice.

The framework it gives through the lens of the koshas and their relationship to the stages of meditation can add a multidimensional experience to any yogi’s journey for greater understanding on the path toward samadhi.

The post Experience the 5 Koshas Through Yoga Nidra appeared first on Yogapedia.

Why are they doing this? Because it's believed that by placing the hands in these various formations, yogis are moving energy into the places in the body that typical yoga postures can't reach.

Here's a list of 10 of the most intriguing mudras along with their benefits!

1. Gyan Mudra

This is by far the most commonly used mudra in a yoga and meditation practice. You’ve probably done this one hundreds of times if you follow yogic meditations online or if you have your own meditation practice. Gyanmudra, which is also called chin mudra, is the one in which your pointer fingers and thumbs come together to form a circle while the remaining three fingers remain outstretched.

This formation of the hands is believed to bring about union – both individually and universally. It’s also said to foster knowledge, concentration and creativity. Gyan mudra is used to open up the flow of energy throughout the body as well.

To practice gyan mudra:

• Bring the tip of the thumb to touch the tip of the index finger on both hands.
• Keep the remaining fingers out straight, but relaxed.

Read: 5 Mudras To Support Your Mental Health

2. Shunya Mudra

This one is done like gyan mudra, except you bring the middle finger to touch the thumb as opposed to the index finger. Shunya mudra, also called shuni mudra, is believed to foster an individual’s ability to be patient, stable and disciplined. It’s also believed to heal ear maladies. If you need more of these qualities in your life, practice shuni mudra as you sit quietly.

To practice shunya mudra:

• Bring the tip of the middle finger to the base of the palm.
• Press the thumb gently against the middle finger below the knuckle.
• Allow your other fingers to remain relaxed and straight.

3. Surya Ravi Mudra

Surya ravi mudra is done just like the two above but with the ring finger touching the thumb. It’s used to bring wellness, energy and positive transformation to the yoga practitioner. Surya and ravi both mean "sun" in Sanskrit, as such this mudra is also referred to as the "seal of the sun". You can practice this mudra when you also need to feel balanced and whole.

To practice surya ravi mudra:

• Touch the tip of the thumb to the tip of the ring ringer.
• Allow the other three fingers to remain straight and relaxed.

4. Lotus Mudra

Lotus mudra brings forth compassion and loving-kindness. This mudra also represents positive transformation, dissolving the layers of mud and muck until your true nature comes to the fore – the nature of your higher Self, your Atman.

To practice this mudra:

• Place your hands together at your heart center.
• Touch the pinky fingers together and the thumbs together.
• Extended the other six fingers towards the sky.
• Imagine your hands are forming a sacred lotus blossom in front of your heart.

5. Anjali Mudra

Anjali mudra is just as familiar to most people as gyan mudra. It’s the gesture we do when we say, “Namaste,” and it’s sometimes called Namaste or prayer position. You simply bring your hands to prayer position in front of your heart center.

This powerful mudra is a gesture of thanks. It’s also the symbol for gratitude and seeing the holy light in all others as well as in yourself. When we bow with our hands in anjali mudra it’s like saying, “The light in me acknowledges the light in you.” Most of us do this one just as often as we do gyan mudra, and people in India practice the mudra as they greet people in their every day lives.

(Learn more about Why We Say Namaste.)

To practice anjali mudra:

• Bring your palms together at your heart center with your fingers pointing skyward.

6. Karana Mudra

We practice karana mudra for dissolving negative thought waves in the mind as well as for removing obstacles in one's path. Karana mudra also stimulates the Fire and Ether elements within the body. Karana mudra is also known as the "gesture for warding off evil" due to its ability to dispel negativity and anxiety.

To practice karana mudra:

• Bring the left hand up to the heart with the palm facing away from the body.
• Bring the ring and middle fingers down towards the palm until the tip of the thumb can gently hold both of them.
• The other two fingers remain straight and relaxed.

Read: Connect With Yourself: 5 Mudras for the Heart

7. Ganesha Mudra

Ganesha mudra is the mudra for the elephant deity, Ganesh, who is said to remove obstacles. As such, this mudra is said to help provide a boost to self-confidence and provide the practitioner the strength to overcome personal obstacles.

This mudra also helps releases heart tension. Ganesha mudra is also said to relieve the intensity of any kind of heartache. If you’re feeling heavy hearted, as if the energy surrounding the heart is dense in any way, you’ll want to practice ganesha mudra.

To practice Ganesha mudra:

• Bring your palms together at your heart center.
• Swivel your palms so that your fingers are pointing towards the other arm's elbow with your right palm facing towards the body and the left palm facing outward.
• Slide the palms back until you can grip the fingers together.
• The thumbs rest against the little finger of the other hand.

8. Dhyana Mudra

Dhyana mudra is believed to invoke a sense of calm – perfect for sitting in quiet contemplation or meditation. This mudra represents total balance. The right hand represents enlightenment and states of higher consciousness and it sits over the left hand, which represents illusion.

To practice dhyana mudra:

• Bring the hands together in the lap with the back of the right hand resting on top of the palm of the left hand.
• Bring the tips of the thumbs together to complete the circle.

9. Hakini Mudra

Hakini mudra is believed to enhance communication and cooperation between both hemispheres of your brain. This mudra is named after the goddess Hakini. Hakini in Sanskrit means "power," thus this mudra is believed to give practitioners power over their own mind.

To practice hakini mudra:

• Bring the palms to face each other with a few inches between them.
• Bring the tips of each finger to touch the matching finger on the other palm.
• The hands can then be raised to touch the center of the forehead.

10. Abhaya Mudra

Abhaya mudra is a mudra of friendliness. It invokes a welcoming energy – one that expresses peace to others. Abhaya mudra is symbolic of safety and peace. Abhaya in Sanskrit means "fearlessness," as such this mudra can be used to invoke a sense of deep courage.

To practice abhaya mudra:

• Bring the right hand up to shoulder height with the palm facing outward.
• Keep the fingers relaxed and straight.

Good Mood Mudras

Consider using one of these 10 mudras for your practice – whether it's while you sit quietly in meditation or throughout the day – to influence your energy and tap into the inherent healing powers of your body.

For best results, keep your fingers in the mudra positions for at least five minutes with just enough pressure to feel the energy flow, but not so much that your fingertips turn white.

(In addition to mastering these mudras, here are 7 Steps to Take Your Meditation Practice to the Next Level.)

The post Top 10 Mudras for Your Yoga Practice appeared first on Yogapedia.

Recently, I've begun a journey into learning about Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy. I practice this type of therapy model with clients, as well as with my own therapist to tend to my healing journey.

Through my experience, I've come to believe that this model of therapy is deeply spiritual and connects me deeper to my Self.

In this article I will briefly describe IFS, how it compares to other forms of self-inquiry or meditation, and I will discuss the draft of the Self as it's presented in IFS.

Read: A Guided Meditation on the Universal Self

What Is Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy?

One of the most profound impacts that my yoga practice had upon me was how it connected me to my inner process with enough space to no longer identify with it. By observing what is going on in my mind and body during my yoga and meditation practice, I could create enough space to become the observer or witness.

IFS connects the person with their inner witness or Self-energy, which is also what I feel that my yoga practice has also been able to do for me. Internal Family Systems takes it a step further where it allows you to use the Self to be the inquisitor of your inner family system.

According to the IFS Institute:

"IFS is a transformative, evidence-based psychotherapy that helps people heal by accessing and loving their protective and wounded inner parts. We believe the mind is naturally multiple and that is a good thing. Just like members of a family, inner parts are forced from their valuable states into extreme roles within us. We also all have a core Self."

"Self is in everyone. It can’t be damaged. It knows how to heal.

By helping people first access their Self and, from that core, come to understand and heal their parts, IFS creates inner and outer connectedness."

In this model of psychotherapy, there is an underlying belief that we are inherently good and that our minds are dynamic – there are layers (called "parts" in IFS) on top of our Self. Internal Family Systems therapy believes that many of those parts have a noble purpose in trying to protect us, no matter how seemingly maladaptive or even violent that the part may have become.

Often, parts are stuck in time, sometime in our childhoods, waiting to be "unburdened" and allowed to take on a new role. By exploring our parts with our Self, the hope is that we can heal, release, and transform the parts that no longer serve an adaptive function in our lives.

Read: Yoga as Somatic Therapy for Healing Trauma and PTSD

What Is the "Self"?

The creator of Internal Family Systems therapy, Dr. Richard Schwartz, talks about accidentally stumbling upon this draft of "Self" that we already see in so many other spiritual traditions.

Self is the underlying stillness – the calm underneath the ego. It is how we are able to be curious and compassionate to our other parts.

Internal Family Systems differs slightly from other traditions in that the Self can become an active part with certain qualities. Being "Self-led" in IFS refers to using that energy to run your day-to-day life and make important decisions.

There are eight qualities of being Self-led (having Self-leadership) identified in Internal Family Systems.

The 8 Qualities of Self-Leadership

1. Curiosity
2. Compassion
3. Calmness
4. Confidence
5. Courage
6. Clarity
7. Creativity
8. Connected

Read: How to be Mindfully Aware of the Authentic Self

IFS Exploration Versus Meditation

Exploring your parts in IFS can feel very much like a guided meditation. Clients can undergo the process on their own, but is often more successful with a trained IFS therapist.

A person may close their eyes during the process in order to facilitate looking inward towards their internal process. The client reflects within to see what parts are currently active and explores to see what role each part is playing.

A major difference between IFS work and meditation is that thoughts, feelings, reactions, and sensations are often seen as "trailheads." This means they are opportunities for exploration, which differs greatly from a purely "observer and witness" model of self-inquiry.

During this process, you may notice a part that is having a particular reaction, and then notice where you feel it in or around your body.

With Internal Family Systems, you create space by coming into "Self" energy and asking that part of you questions to understand its purpose. From there, you may be able to identify how it is trying to protect you or help you.

Read: Dissolve the Ego With This Guided Meditation

Spiritual Based Self-Inquiry In Psychotherapy

Rather than interpreting the mental chatter as distractions, the mind is explored in depth using the 8 qualities of self-leadership. This creates opportunities for tremendous insights and healing. With IFS, you allow the answers to come.

Rather than seemingly endless psychoanalysis where the therapist is in the expert or listener role, as often is the case with traditional psychotherapy, in IFS the client is able to lead and explore their internal world with their "Self."

This model of therapy requires a deep trust from the therapist that the parts will reveal themselves at a safe pace, and the therapist accesses their own "Self" energy to guide the session without their own parts getting in the way.

Internal Family Systems therapy compliments an existing spiritual practice and could jump start a new one! I experienced a profound spiritual experience after a therapist lead me through something called "unburdening."

I highly recommend considering this revolutionary style of therapy to anyone who is trying to work on their behaviors, traumas, reactions, or overall mental health.

The post Pieces of You: Internal Family Systems Therapy and Yoga appeared first on Yogapedia.

Pretty much all of the movements in Kundalini yoga are referred to as kriyas and they’re meant to help release the kundalini energy, which is said to lay coiled at the bottom of the spine, laying dormant, until the energy is set free.

Freeing the kundalini energy is an advanced practice and is best done with the guidance of an experienced yoga instructor or spiritual guide.

However, the information below will help you get a better understanding about what to expect from this ancient yogic practice before attempting to add it to your practice.

Benefits of Kriyas & Kundalini

It is said that when kundalini energy is set free, it can heal and enlighten a person in amazing ways. Some people are drawn to the practice of Kundalini yoga for this reason alone.

However, these kriyas also have a number of benefits and can be practiced for other purposes than those having to do with the awakening of kundalini energy.

For starters, they work to detoxify and cleanse the body. Kundalini kriyas can help with anxiety disorders like obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and depression. It’s said that they can also allow the body to free itself of stuck emotions, paving the way for a lighter, brighter state of being. Kriyas also help balance prana and can help restore energy– both mentally and physically.

Kriyas and their benefits aren’t exclusive to Kundalini yoga. One example of a Hatha yoga kriya is called nauli kriya. This kriya is effective in getting the prana flowing freely in the body. It’s also great for improving digestion. It’s an abdominal movement in which we massage the organs of the abdominal region by contracting the muscles in this area and moving from side to side. You’ll want to do this kriya on an empty stomach and skip it altogether if you’re menstruating, pregnant, have high blood pressure, ulcers, hernias or heart disease.

Read: An Introduction to Kriya Yoga

Kriyas as Mudras and Pranayama

Have you ever heard of yogis being moved spontaneously by their kundalini energy or having what’s called a kundalini awakening? Sometimes when this happens, the kriyas arise spontaneously. Repetitive movements seem to move the yogi along in ways they have no control over. Mudras, or yogic hand gestures, are often included here.

An entranced yogi might be spontaneously moving his hands into various mudras when experiencing this state of kundalini energy moving through them. These experiences have been described by many as ecstatic and divine. It all sounds deeply transcendental and even mystical to those of us who’ve never experienced it.

There are simply hundreds of kriyas in the vast pantheon of yogic techniques–all of which benefit the body and mind in different ways. In fact, kriyas aren’t restricted to the world of Kundalini yoga.

The pranayama technique called nadi shodhana is an example of a kriya. Some refer to it as nadi shodhana kriya. With this kriya, we cleanse the energy channels, or pranic pathways, of the body. We also balance the left and right sides of the brain, which helps to support a good meditation practice.

Read: Hidden Magic: The Power of Nadi Shodhana Pranayama

Kriyas and Inner Transformation

Kriyas are also believed to help us break away from our negative habits. One of the most potent kriyas to free us from our bad habits and replace them with new ones is what’s known as the advanced abdominal strengthening kriya.

This kriya consists of a set of 13 postures that bring breathing techniques and deep abdominal strengthening movements together. Kriyas that work on the core also work on the solar plexus chakra, the place where the fires of transformation are said to reside. If we can get the energy going in this area, we can be empowered to begin the challenging process of inner transformation.

Many yoga schools, especially Kundalini yoga, believe that practicing a particular kriya every day, for 40 days, is what’s needed to form new habits and get rid of old ones. Forty is the magic number here, and the practices are best done first thing in the morning, before your day takes off. The kriya becomes the new habit, the one that replaces the bad one you’re working to eliminate.

Read: Kundalini Shakti: The Meaning of the Sleeping Serpent

Taking the Next Step

It’s important to note that kriyas can be very advanced in nature, so you might want to explore them with the guidance of an experienced teacher. You’ll not want to go trying to awaken your kundalini energy by practicing advanced kriyas at home on your own if you’re a beginner.

These days, there are many experienced Kundalini yoga teachers available to lead and guide you– at least in the beginning stages of your practice. If you’re interested in learning more about the various kriyas of Kundalini yoga, see if there’s a kundalini class at a yoga studio in your hometown.

The world of kriyas is vast. Explore them slowly and mindfully!

The post Understanding Kriyas and Kundalini appeared first on Yogapedia.

It is safe to say, some people may find the practice of yin yoga to be quite challenging, especially if they are used to more yang-style of asana practice, such as vinyasa, that targets the muscles rather than the connective tissue.

Why is yin yoga challenging? Many of the signature postures of yin yoga look deceptively simple, but when held for three to five minutes, a new depth emerges in the body and the mind may struggle to remain calm. This is why it has become such a popular complement to vigorous styles of yoga, as a slow, moving meditation.

The theory behind yin yoga is to exercise the connective tissue, namely the joint structures, such as the ligaments and tendons, as well as the fascia, which connects the entire body like a sheath.

Typically, these structures are not exercised in other types of physical yoga, as they require more care and time. The connective tissues are drier structures than large, moist muscle mass, therefore, you cannot access them quickly.

The Theory of Meridians

When things are in balance, the Chinese called this middle point of harmony Tao. When you drift away from the center, then you begin to experience either yin or yang.

One cannot exist without the other and they represent different qualities of life. Yin is characterized as the slow, feminine, yielding side, while yang represents the dynamic, masculine, active side.

One of the unique aspects of Yin yoga is its incorporation of the energetic lines of the body, known as meridians. These are similar to the concept of the nadis from traditional yoga philosophy.

However, what is fascinating is that Japanese scientist Dr. Hiroshi Motoyama discovered that the physical structure of the way hyaluronic acid ran through the body directly correlates with the pathways of the meridians laid out by TCM.

Dr. Motoyama discovered that when postures were held for longer periods of time, it stimulated the production of hyaluronic acid. It is believed that Yin yoga increases hyaluronic acid in the body and joints, therefore increasing the abundance of pranic energy for healing and health.

It is believed that when there is a blockage in a meridian or energy channel, disease sets in. One of the main functions of the meridians is to promote the flow of chi or life force energy throughout the body.

Read: Is Your Chi Blocked?

While this is not a visible force, it is stimulated in yin yoga via specific postures that target different organs and their relationship to the corresponding meridians.

The meridians correspond with the ten major organs of the body, which may be yin or yang in nature, as well as two special additional meridians.

There are six lower body meridians, which are often considered more yin nature, that start or end at the feet, and six yang meridians, which start or end at the hands.

If you’ve ever wondered why a yin yoga class targets the hips so much, it’s for this reason in particular: the six lower meridians are yin in nature, therefore, accessed through hip-opening postures.

The Lower Meridians

The Liver Meridian

The liver meridian begins at the big toe and runs along the inside of the leg until it reaches up to the liver itself.

It is known as the meridian that governs happiness, and when out of balance symptoms such as anger, frequent irritation, or lower back pain can develop.

Some poses that target the liver meridian include dragonfly pose (parsva bhuja dandasana) and frog pose (mandukasana).

The Gall Bladder Meridian

This meridian starts at the outer edge of the eye and branches into two lines that descend along the side of the body and ends at the big toes.

It is known as the meridian of worship and when out of balance may cause indecision or headaches. When balanced, it brings a sense of patience and healthy judgment.

Poses that target the gall bladder meridian include butterfly pose (baddha konasana) and happy baby pose (ananda balasana).

The Kidney Meridian

This kidney meridian is known as the creativity meridian and begins at the pinky toe. It then traces itself along the pathway of the inner thigh and terminates at the tongue.

Emotional disturbances, such as anxiety, occur when this meridian is imbalanced, along with physical repercussions in the urinary organs. When it is balanced, there is certainty and creative expression of life force energy.

Poses that target the kidney meridian include dragon pose and squat pose.

The Urinary Bladder Meridian

The urinary bladder meridian is the meridian of peace. It begins at the eye, goes up the head, and then runs along the backside of the body before finally terminating in the pinky toe.

When it is out of balance, one may experience restlessness and urinary disturbances.

Poses to include here are caterpillar pose and snail pose.

The Spleen Meridian

The spleen meridian begins at the big toe, runs along the inner thigh, and crosses the center of the body to end at the heart and tongue.

It is the meridian of confidence. When one feels rejected or careless, this meridian is not functioning versus feeling grounded in your being.

Saddle pose and cat pulling its tail pose are two examples of poses that target the spleen meridian.

Stomach Meridian

The stomach meridian starts at the side of the nose, snakes along the face, before descending down toward the groin and branching off to terminate at the third toe.

It is the meridian of satisfaction. When out of balance, one may experience greed and doubt along with bloating and gas. When it is balanced, one feels fulfilled.

Poses to practice for the stomach meridian include sphinx and seal pose.

The Upper Meridians

The Heart Meridian

Known as the meridian of forgiveness, the heart meridian begins right where it says it does- the heart. It branches downward, up the throat, and finally across the chest to terminate at the pinky finger.

Problems here can manifest as insecurity, loathing, heart palpitations, and insomnia. When balanced, one experiences love, joy, self-esteem, and empathy.

Poses for the heart meridian include melting heart pose (uttana shishosana) and reclined butterfly (supta baddha konasana).

Small Intestine Meridian

This meridian is called the meridian of joy. It begins at the pinky finger and travels along the arm where it branches to go down into the small intestine and then up the neck.

When imbalanced, it can manifest as neck pain, grief, or sadness.

Poses to help balance the small intestine meridian include thread the needle pose (parsva balasana) and open wing pose.

Lung Meridian

The lung meridian starts above the navel and snakes around the abdominal organs until coming up through the lungs, into the throat until finally extending out through the arm and into the thumb and index finger.

It is called the meridian of humbleness. It can manifest in respiratory disorders, such as asthma or coughing along with a false sense of pride or depression.

Poses to bring more tolerance and humility include banana pose and melting heart pose.

Large Intestine Meridian

This is the meridian of self-esteem and runs from the index finger, along the arm and down into the large intestines with another branch ascending into the head.

This meridian is all about self-worth and feelings of guilt and apathy can run rampant when out of balance.

To bring enthusiasm back, try the poses thread the needle or twisted roots.

The Pericardium Meridian

The pericardium is a sac that covers the heart and this meridian begins in the chest to connect to the pericardium itself. Then it moves downward, outward from the chest, and down the arm to the ring finger.

Known as the meridian of generosity, it brings feelings of relaxation and calm. It can manifest as poor circulation and feelings of jealousy and regret.

To balance this meridian, practice open wing pose and supported bridge pose.

Additional Meridians

There are three additional meridians called the Triple Burner, Governor Vessel, and Conception vessel, which pay more importance to TCM techniques and practices. However, a basic understanding of the meridian pathways of the body, their corresponding organs, and emotional frequencies can lend itself to a greater depth of both body and mind whenever you are in a yin yoga class.

The post The Relationship Between Yin Yoga and the Meridians appeared first on Yogapedia.