Yin Yoga to Balance the Chakras

This yin yoga series consists of 7 poses to balance the 7 chakras to sum up this 7 month  journey through the chakras! 

Find a timer to have by your side and a quiet place where you can practice. 

Surrender into the poses beginning from the root to the crown. Find your edge, find your breath and enjoy these poses to improve your energy flow by releasing  mental and physical blockages from the main energy centers in the body.

Photos by Saara Oinonen at Wasa Yoga Center

1. The Root Chakra. The pose for the first chakra is Butterfly pose. Begin seated with the soles of the feet touching. Either remain seated leaning back into the hands or if comfortable begin to lower don into a forward fold. Remain here for three minutes as you allow the body to become heavy. You can visualize roots anchoring you from your sit bones to the earth, keeping you grounded and safe. Keep your awareness at the location of the root chakra, at the base of the spine. 

2. The Sacral Chakra. Extend the legs out to the sides to target the hips and the second chakra in wide legged pose. Either remain seated or if comfortable begin to lower down into a forward fold. Allow it to take some time to nestle in to your variation of the pose, find your edge and remain there for three minutes. Keep your awareness at the location for the second chakra, between the pelvis and the navel. 

3. The solar plexus chakra. Lower down to lie on your back, place the right foot on the left knee and begin to lower the right knee down to the side into a twist. Allow the body to surrender into a twist rather than reaching deep into the pose. Extend the opposite arm out to the side and breathe here for three minutes before twisting to the other side. Rest your awareness in your core, the location for the third chakra, located behind the navel. 

5. The Heart Chakra. Come down to lie on the belly with the elbows under the shoulders into sfinx pose to open the heart. If this is too intense you can walk the elbows further away from you. To deepen the pose you can widen the distance between the hands and begin to straighten the arms into Seal pose. Relax the buttox and the legs. Remain here for 1-3 minutes keeping your awareness at the location for the heart chakra, in the middle of the chest. When your timer goes of slowly lie down on the belly to release the lower back for a couple of breaths.  

6. The Throat Chakra. Lower down to lie on the back and extend the legs up towards the sky. Begin to lift the hips of the mat and support the lower back with the hands, fingertips facing the sky and lower the feet towards the mat above the head into snail pose. If the toes don't touch the mat it is completely fine. Allow the spine to round and keep the chin towards the chest. Remain here from 1-3 minutes, lower down sooner if your body tells you to. Center your awareness at the location for the sixth chakra, at the base of the throat. 

6. The Third Eye Chakra. Come to sit on the heels and lower down the forehead to the mat into childs pose. Allow the spine to be rounded and the forehead to rest on the mat. Anchor your awareness at the point between the eyebrows, resting on the mat, the location for the third eye. Remain here for three minutes. 

7. The Crown Chakra. Lie down on your back into Savasana, final relaxation pose. Scan through  your chakras once again. Begin at the root chakra climbing up the chakra ladder all the way up to the crown of the head, the location of the crown chakra. Once you reach the crown of the head with your awareness remain here for atleast three minutes and surrender to the deep relaxation. Allow the energy, light and love to flow freely in your body. 

Before you awaken yourself, bring your awareness down one chakra at a time, from the crown of the head to the base of the spine to gather your energy and center yourself. Slowly open your eyes and thank yourself for practicing!

Namaste