This article consists of three parts:
#1 – The Root of Fear of Death
#2 – Turn Unhealthy Fear into Healthy Fear
#3 – Asana & Meditation to Overcome Fear of Death
#3 – Yin Yoga Sequence to Overcome Fear of Death
Body-Mind Connection
In the last part of this series I introduced a few meditation techniques to work with fear and especially fear of death. The deep realization that we will die and we do not know the actual time of death will urge you to bring more direction, meaning, and deep longing for clarity in your life. Personally, I find those meditations extremely powerful and have helped me significantly in my life and the choices (any) I constantly make. However, for many people it is difficult to bring up the concentration and dedication to sit still and go through the meditation process.
Other than doing a meditation, we can work beautifully with the body and especially yin yoga poses. Any emotion is expressed in our physical bodies. Here is whereI really value the Yin Yoga practice that works with energy pathways in the body and brings you into a posture in which you stay for a longer time. Yin Yoga is a slow-paced style of asana practice. Poses are held for longer time (usually 2-5 minutes, or even longer). The purpose of a Yin Yoga class are many fold:
Applying moderate stress on the connective tissues: tendons, ligaments and fascia, to increase circulation and flexibility of those structures;- Developing more female qualities such as acceptance, patience, compassion
- Improving the flow of prana (qi in Chinese Medicine) which runs through the nadis (meridians in Chinese Medicine) to improve organ health, immunity, and emotional well-being
- Cultivating the quality of observing one’s nature of the mind and coming to inner stillness
Fearful Kidneys
A great Yin Yoga sequence to work on fear is poses that affect the kidney meridian as stagnation there is know to result in fear and anxiety. I often teach the following sequence, while i talk them through a meditation bringing in the understanding and reasoning that I gave above. Without exception it is always a beautiful class that really brings a little transformation. (Be prepared for some tears!)
Savasana (with guided body scan) – 5 to 10 minutes
Butterfly – 5 minutes
Baby Dragon (right side) – 2 minutes
Twisting Dragon (right side) – 2 minutes
Adho Mukha Svanasana – 30 seconds as counter pose
Baby Dragon (left side) – 2 minutes
Twisting Dragon (left side – 2 minutes
Adho Mukha Svanasana – 30 seconds as counter pose
Dragon Fly (right side) – 5 minutes
Windshield whipers – 30 seconds as counter pose
Dragon Fly (left side) – 5 minutes
Windshield whippers – 30 seconds as counter pose
Dragon Fly (centre) – 5 minutes
Sphinx – 5 minutes
Balasana – 30 seconds as counter pose
Sleeping Swan (left side) – 5 minutes
Adho Mukha Svanasana – 30 seconds as counter pose
Sleeping Swan (right side) – 5 minutes
Adho Mukha Svanasana – 30 seconds as counter pose
Square (right leg on top) – 5 minutes
Square (left leg on top) – 5 minutes
Adho Mukha Svanasana – 30 seconds as counter pose
Cat pulling its tail (right side) – 5 minutes
Cat pulling its tail (left side) – 5 minutes
Savasana – 10 minutes
Address: Parimukti Yoga Center, Kanira Homes,
Girkarwaddo, End of Magic Park Road,
Arambol, 403524,
Goa, India
Phone: +919637521278
Email: info@parimukti.com
Website: http://parimukti.com/
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