03.08.26 Adding Acupressure in a Yin pose
Before we dive into it, take a minute to stop a think “Do I have a favorite Yin pose?”. Maybe you thought of Butterfly, Shoelace, Puppy Pose, or Banana Pose. Would you be surprised if I told you that you can access an acupressure point while in each of those poses? And that’s just the beginning; the list goes on….
Butterfly Pose: I LOVE this posture elevated with my sit bones on the edge of a blanket or small bolster. The soles of the feet come together and the knees separate. Spine is nice and tall. Feel free to have blocks or rolled up blankets/towels under your knees for support. You can stay in an upright position or round the spine as much or little as you’d like. If you have Osteoporosis of the spine, I’d recommend staying in a posture where you are not forward folding and rounding the spine. There is an acupressure point on the sole of the foot called Kidney 1. I like to stimulate that point with my thumbs; massaging and applying pressure. You might find a little bit of pressure sensation. Kidney 1 is a great point to address issues like insomnia, restlessness of the mind, and headaches. After you stay with this for about 2 minutes, windshield wiper the knees side to side a few times.
Shoelace Pose: I also LOVE this pose elevated. If seated Shoelace is not accessible in your body, try it in a supine position. There’s a point in the webbing of the big toe and second toe called Liver 3. This point can help support digestive issues, help with stress, stagnation in the body, and irritability. I find it helpful to lightly massage that area for 2 minutes each side. You’re looking for a bit of tenderness. You can do both points at the same time or one at a time.
Puppy Pose: With this pose, your forehead is down to the mat or on a block. The space between your eyebrows (Third Eye) is an acupressure point called Yin Tang. The pressure you apply to that space in this pose is stimulating the point. You can always bring your awareness to this point while inviting in some deep belly breaths. This is a soothing, calming point for the mind. This point could bring some tenderness and sensation-but should never be painful.
Banana Pose: With your arms overhead in this pose, keep them relaxed. The acupressure point we can stimulate here is called Large Intestine 4; a commonly used point that is in the webbing of the thumb and index finger. You can massage or hold pressure for 2 minutes each side. This point is greatly for headaches, immune system, helps move Qi to calm the mind, and overall pain.
Please note, while it’s not common and easy to do, some acupressure points can induce labor if the points are stimulated too hard and too often. If you’re a pregnant woman looking for acupressure points, please reach out directly. None of these points should be painful, but some will be tender. As always, please do what YOU are comfortable with but also don’t be intimidated to give acupressure a try!