Winter Solstice Yin Flow

The roots of solstice are Latin in origin: “Sol” refers to the sun. “Stice” is derived from “sistere” and refers to standing still. Literally, solstice means “the sun stood still.”

Winter Solstice is the shortest day and longest night of the year. It’s also the moment in the earth’s trajectory around the sun when the sun rests at its most southerly position and appears to pause…. before it gradually returns to brighten and lighten each day toward spring. The tradition of embracing darkness on winter solstice, while holding hope in our hearts for the return of light, connects us back to our ancient human ancestors. Yin is a wonderful way to connect with your own inner stillness, quietude, and soft light this solstice. Observe how the cosmic patterns of nature are also alive in you, as you. As you settle into your practice and breathe, notice the inherent brightening quality of the inhalation (like daytime). Notice the inherent softening and quieting of the exhalation (like nighttime). Let the exhalations pour out longer than the inhalations (like the long nights in winter). Embrace the natural pause at the bottom of each exhalation, so much like the pause on solstice, before the next brightening cycle begins.

This yin flow welcomes winter by encouraging the flow of xi (vital energy) along the winter meridians: urinary bladder and kidney. This pair is the foundation of balance for all other organ pairs. You can visualize the urinary bladder line beginning inside your eyes and traveling across your forehead, along the back of your skull and neck, along either side of your spine, down the backside of your legs, ankles and feet to end in your pinky toes. You can visualize the kidney line beginning at your pinky toes and flowing along the arches of your feet into your inner ankles, inner calves, inner thighs and groin, flowing internally through the body to the kidney, upwards into the throat to end at the root of the tongue. Encouraging the uninterrupted flow of xi through these lines revitalizes the mind-body systems and enables us to experience greater flow, acceptance, confidence and peace in our lives.

Notes about this practice: Kidney tapping is a good way to stimulate kidneys before this flow: Stand with a wide base and let your arms swing freely around you. Let the back of your hands take turns gently tapping against your kidneys (lower back beneath the ribs) as your torso twists.

Dangling 3-5 minutes

Squat with blanket roll under feet 2-3 minutes

Toe stretch (for less intense sensation lean your body weight forward or do from hands and knees) 1-2 minutes

Puppy pose (or half puppy with one arm at a time, the other arm folded in and supporting your body’s weight) 2-4 minutes

Sphinx with blanket roll under ribs 3-5 minutes

Cat pulling its tail 3-5 minutes each side

Supported fish with bolster under kidneys 5-10 minutes