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Yin Posture: Ankle Stretch by Chris Loebsack

6/18/2018

Setting Up:
Foundation-Begin sitting back on your heels, place hands on the knees.

Action- Lift the knees away from the ground by leaning backwards.

Boundary- Only go as far as the ankles and feet will allow without strain.

While You are There: Consciously soften. The full expression does have a little balance to it. Ease into the lean back so as not to go too deep too soon. Hold for up to one minute.

Modify- Lift only one knee at a time to decrease the pressure and weight bearing on the ankle. Sitting on the heels without the lift might be enough to get a stretch. Extra cushion may be more comfortable under the feet. If it is difficult to sit back towards the heels due to tightness in the quads or knee sensitivity you might place a rolled towel in the crease of the knees or a blanket between the hips and heels.

Deepen- The further back you rock towards the toes the deeper the stretch.

Transition out of the Pose: As you lower the knees back to the earth it may be natural to shift into Child’s pose or shift forward into table top stretching one leg behind you at a time to release the deeper knee compression.

Why (benefits)

Stretches the tops of the feet and ankles.
Stretches the anterior muscles of the shin.
Opens the lower portion superficial front body line and meridians crossing foot and ankle.

When to Avoid (contraindications)

Do not do this pose if there is an acute ankle sprain or more recent knee replacement.
Back off if there is any sharp or shooting pain in ankles, feet or knees.

Yang Variation:
Same pose for Yang with shorter hold and/or short hold with multiple repetitions

About Chris Loebsack
Chris Loebsack, 500 E.R.Y.T, fell in love with yoga in 1995 and began teaching in 2003. Chris uses the power of yoga to create a space for students that cultivates trust, playfulness and Divine connection with themselves and with community. Living by her mantra, Clarity, Integrity and Love, she draws upon her partner yoga practice to share the healing power of touch and safe intimacy.

A passion for discovering subtlety in movement has lead Chris to deepen her education with the Anatomy Studies for Yoga Teachers® kinesiology program. Her playful yet focused classes are filled with user friendly gems of applied anatomy leaving students with a greater understanding of how to find comfort and space in their bodies and smiles beaming across their faces. She encourages teachers to set a higher standard of excellence through knowledge and has become a valuable mentor to many upcoming yoga educators.

Chris teaches privates, classes and workshops across the globe. She is currently the director of the Boundless Yoga 200 hr and 500 hr Teacher Training programs and an Adjunct Teacher Trainer for the Om Factory® School of Yoga NYC 200hr, BambooMoves, Bhakti Barn Yoga, Just Plain Yoga, and NearMe Yoga 200hr Teacher Training Programs. She has also been featured in Fitness Magazine®, Yoga Journal: Yoga Mentor, Good an Well, Local Flair Magazine and the New York Times. In addition to yoga you are likely to find her laughing with friends and family or quietly meditating with her cats (Sukha, Fuzz-butt, and Squirrel) or traveling and teaching with her husband Brian M. Davis as Boundless Motion.

Boundless Yoga Studio Stroudsburg Classes:
Alignment and Anatomy of Yoga (All Levels) Mondays 9:30 am
Zen Flow (Level 1/2) Mondays 5:30 pm
Flow (Level 2/3) Thursdays 9:30 am
Flow (Level 1) Sundays 9:30 am

Boundless Yoga Studio Mt. Pocono Class
YIN Yoga (Stretch) Tuesdays 6:00 pm
Zen Flow (Open Level) Fridays 9:30 am - Begins June 1st, 2018

Upcoming Workshops Events:
7/20-22 The Yin Approach Advanced Studies Program Only 7 spaces remaining as of 6/17
11/3-5 Chair Yoga Advanced Studies Program
Fall/Winter 2018- 200 hr The Journey Begins Teacher Training Program 9 Spaces Remaining as of 6/17

Touring Schedule 2018 Contact Chris to register for any of the immersions
7/14/2018 Leighigh Valley Yoga Festival
8/22-Sept 7th Level 2 AcroYoga Teacher Training- Greece
10/5-7 Divine Play- Portland Oregon
November 10/11 and 17/18 2 Weekend Ontario AcroYoga Elemental Immersion

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Yin Yoga Pose: Anahatasana - Heart Opening Posture aka Melting Heart by Chris Loebsack

6/17/2018

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Setting Up:
Foundation-Begin in table top with knees hip distance apart and the hands under the shoulders.

Action- Walk the hands forward until the shoulders are fully flexed and arms fully. Extended. Allow the spine to come passively into extension.

Boundary- Keep the hips somewhat over the knees. Toes may be tucked or untucked depending on your comfort level.

While You are There:
Allow each exhale to help you sink your chest space in the direction of the earth.
Hold the pose 3-5 minutes

Modify- For knee sensitivity place a blanket under the knees or double up the thickness of the yoga mat. If the head cannot reach the floor place a block under the forehead. Readjust if there is any neck tension.

Deepen- At a certain point the head will stop you from going any deeper you may look forward to take the skull out of the way and settle the chest more deeply towards the floor.

Transition out of the Pose: Either shift back into Child’s Pose or slide onto the belly and rest there for a moment before any additional transitions. While it may feel nice for many to shift into Child’s Pose

Why (benefits):

Spinal Extension- more focus in the back bend on the upper and middle back.
Shoulder Opening- Stretch for the LATS, opens intercostal muscles and lengthens the rectus abdominis.
Chest Opening- Relaxes and opens the space around the sternum, middle and upper front ribs.
Stretches across the posterior aspect of the glutes.

When to Avoid (contraindications):

Neck compromise, injury or discomfort.
Nerve issues that cause tingling in arms- if tingling occurs try adjusting the arms to a wider stance. If tingling does not go away with adjustments skip the pose altogether.

Yang Variation:
Half Dog aka Puppy Pose: The difference in the yang form is that the hands and arms are quite active and the pose would only be held for 3-5 breaths.

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Living on the Edge by Tracy Gross

6/1/2018

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“Explore your edges”… “Play your edges”. I'd heard this queue many times and silently questioned what it meant for years. Those who know me know that I enjoy dangerously hanging out on the edge of a cliff, I find it exhilarating. But, what do our teachers mean by edges in the body? This didn’t become clear to me until I really slowed down my practice and discovered Yin Yoga. A typical Vinyasa class flows rather quickly compared to the slow, focused, attention we allow ourselves in the practice of Yin. On the surface, Yin may appear like you’re not doing much at all, but on a cellular level, we are actually quite busy. In Yin we hold the body in different shapes for several minutes. Typically in my classes, 3-5 minutes. Some teachers will go as long as 12 and even longer. Holding a posture for several minutes at a time may sound excruciating, painful, and to some, down right boring. And to be perfectly honest, I thought so too before I… got it. In Meditation, we are taught to find our most comfortable seat, and most of us know that if your seat isn’t just right, all you're going to be thinking about is the pain and discomfort of your imperfect seat. The same is true in the practice of Yin. If we dive deep into the full expression of a shape in the first 10 seconds, all we’re going to be thinking about is… get me the heck out of this pose! However, when we take time out to explore our soft edges, as we do in Yin, it’s a game changer. Learn to live on the edge.

I’m not talking about the adrenaline boosting dangerous edge of a cliff, or the edge of despair. Nor, am I referring to our maximum edge in a posture where if we go too deep we risk injury. The edge I’m talking about is soft and found subtly within the body. It’s that velvety, blissful edge. The first edge. Yin is practiced with intention while paying close attention to what we are feeling in the body. If you move to fast, you might miss it. Yes, this is the edge of glory. The edge where you just begin to feel something happening within the body. It’s the edge in a wide leg seated straddle, while simply sitting upright, you feel the inner thigh muscle just begin to stretch. Yeah, that. When you notice it, pause right there, close your eyes, breathe. Witness and observe your body and what you’re feeling right now, in this very moment. Take your time, there’s plenty of it. This is Yin. You have 3-5 minutes to explore this sensation, meditate and breathe. Then, if it feels right, if the edge has softened, go a little deeper and explore the next soft edge, and pause. Then the next. Pause. Oh that glorious pause, where the mind, body and spirit merge while the chaotic world around you continues, but you’re indifferent to it, at peace, and living on the edge of glory.

Explore your edges with me in Yin Yoga on Wednesdays and Fridays at 8:15am at the Stroudsburg studio and witness how Yin Yoga can transform your entire yoga practice. The Chinese philosophy of Yin/Yang describes how seemingly opposite or contrary forces may actually be complementary, interconnected, and interdependent in the natural world, and how they may give rise to each other as they interrelate to one another. In other words, yang grows and flourishes because of yin, and yin grows and flourishes because of yang.

Tracy Gross 200 RYT, Restorative CTY, Yin CYT, Reiki Master, & Studio Mural Artist

Tracy received her 200hr Yoga Certification from Asheville Yoga Center in Asheville, NC in 2015. Since then she has gone on to refine her yoga teaching skill set with advanced studies in Yin and Restorative Yoga. Tracy co-teaches the Advanced Studies Programs for Restorative Yoga and Yin Yoga and is currently enrolled in the 300hr Teacher Training program at Boundless Yoga Studio with Chris Loebsack.
A native of the Pocono region, Tracy is thrilled that Yoga has come to the Poconos with such and amazing lineup of Yoga educators and is humbled to be a part of the Boundless yoga community. Her classes are light hearted, fun and at times, down right hilarious with the perfect balance of meditation, asana and pranayama. As a teacher, she truly enjoys the balance of Yin and Yang with the many different types classes she has on the schedule. Weather you’d like to heat things up in an Open Level class, Relax and unwind in Restorative Yoga, find intense stretching in Yin, or perhaps you’re new to Yoga, take the first step of the journey in a beginners class… Tracy would love to connect with you. A graduate of the American Music and Dramatic Academy in NYC and retired singer, Tracy loves to occasionally bring the gift of song to Savasana.
Tracy is a Reiki Master, artist and jeweler and painted the mandala murals at both of our studios. Check our website under “workshops” and “Teacher Training” for scheduled training programs in Reiki Level 1 and 2, Yin Yoga and Restorative Yoga in the coming year.

Find joy, follow your heart and have as much fun on this wild
journey through life as you can! Find Tracy on her
Facebook pages Tracy Gross Yoga and her artist page Traé
Be True Design, and keep up with Tracy for upcoming class information, festivals and special events!

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Yin Posture: Ankle Stretch by Chris Loebsack

Yin Yoga Pose: Anahatasana - Heart Opening Posture aka Melting Heart by Chris Loebsack

Living on the Edge by Tracy Gross

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