Balancing Yin and Yang

Video Transcript

Audio File

Wellness for Educators Podcast · Balancing Yin and Yang Sitting Meditation

Instructions

Sit with hands on lap, palms down or facing in towards body.
If sitting in a chair, keep feet flat on the floor and knees at a 90 degree angle
Spine is straight and relaxed, shoulders relaxed. Slightly flatten the curve of the lower (lumbar) back so that the abdomen and chest aren’t arching forward.
Lower chin slightly so that back of neck is long and relaxed; keep head comfortably in line with spine (do not thrust it forward).
Keep tongue gently on roof of mouth behind teeth (or if you have high blood pressure, you can place tongue behind bottom teeth inside the mouth).
Eyes can be open or closed.
Breathe in slowly and deeply through the nose (if possible) and into the abdomen, letting the diaphragm expand as you inhale.
As you continue to breathe deeply and gently, imagine that roots grow down from your feet deep into the earth and out in all directions.
As you breathe in, you draw the restoring Yin energy from the earth, up the legs, and into the body’s energy storehouse, the Dantian, located an inch and a half below the navel and in the center of the body. As you exhale, the Yin energy collects and gently condenses into the Dantian.
Hold this visualization for a minute or two, or as long as is comfortable as you continue to breathe steadily and gently.
Next, visualize the sun shining above you, shedding its warmth and light on the top of your head, neck, and shoulders and down the arms. This is warm Yang energy, which travels down through the body into the Dantian as you inhale, collecting at the Dantian as you exhale.
Hold this visualization for a minute or two, or as long as is comfortable for you as you continue to breathe steadily and gently.
If you’d like, and if it’s comfortable, you can try to hold both images at once to draw in the Yin/Yang energies. Or you can focus on the one you feel you need (you can also emphasize Yang energy by keeping the palms facing up or Yin by facing the palms down).
Continue meditation for as long as is comfortable for you. If you begin to feel agitated or restless, or if you experience any pain or discomfort in your body from sitting, stop the meditation session. (Over time longer sessions will become easier.)