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Welcome to a gentle evening yoga practice designed to cultivate hope and positivity as you transition from your busy day into restful sleep. This practice, thoughtfully guided by Allie Van Fossen, invites you to reconnect with your body and mind through subtle side bends and gentle backbends, creating space for renewal and possibility for tomorrow.
Table of Contents
- Setting the Intention: Embracing Hope in Your Evening Yoga Practice
- Preparing Your Space and Props for a Comfortable Practice
- Beginning with Grounding and Breath Awareness
- Gentle Lateral Side Bends: Opening the Side Body with Hope
- Subtle Backbends in Sphinx Pose: Awakening Wisdom and Intuition
- Forward Folds and Chest Openers: Nourishing the Body and Mind
- Closing with Child’s Pose and Cat-Cow Movements
- Pranayama: The Three-Part Dirga Breath to Expand Awareness
- A Bedtime Story for Calm and Confidence
- Conclusion: Embrace Hope with Gentle Evening Yoga
- Frequently Asked Questions about Evening Yoga
Setting the Intention: Embracing Hope in Your Evening Yoga Practice
Evenings often bring reflection on the day’s challenges and unmet expectations, which can cloud our minds with worry and stress. This evening yoga session is crafted to gently shift that narrative by fostering a mindset of hope. As Allie shares, it’s common to go to bed burdened by responsibilities or frustrations, missing the chance to embrace the potential of a new day.
By engaging in this calming sequence, you cultivate a state of being that welcomes possibility and optimism, preparing both body and mind for restorative sleep and a fresh start.
Preparing Your Space and Props for a Comfortable Practice
Creating a warm, inviting environment is vital to settling into this evening routine. Allie recommends having two yoga blocks on either side of your mat, a blanket rolled into a “burrito” shape or a bolster to support lateral stretches, and seating atop a folded blanket for spine alignment.
Comfort and coziness are key—whether you’re using props or simply adjusting your space to feel supported, this preparation allows you to fully relax and benefit from the practice.
Beginning with Grounding and Breath Awareness
The practice starts in an upright seated posture, focusing on grounding through the sit bones and elongating the spine. Connecting with the earth beneath you reminds you that you are held and supported—even when internal dialogue might say otherwise.
Breath becomes a powerful tool here. Inhale and exhale through the nose with gentle sighs on the exhale to release tension and let go of the day’s burdens. This mindful breathing helps build presence and intention as you prepare to move.
Gentle Lateral Side Bends: Opening the Side Body with Hope
We then move into laterals, or side bends, using the blocks and bolster or rolled blanket for support. Starting on one side, the right rib cage gently lowers onto the prop while the left arm extends overhead, creating a stretch along the side body.
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While the side touching the prop may feel restricted, the focus is on cultivating awareness and breath in the opposite side—the side that feels free and open. This duality mirrors life’s challenges: even when faced with resistance or obstacles, there remains a space for hope and possibility.
After holding on one side, you switch to the other, repeating the mindful awareness and breath practices to cultivate balance and openness throughout the body.
Subtle Backbends in Sphinx Pose: Awakening Wisdom and Intuition
Next, we transition into sphinx pose—a gentle backbend supported by the prop placed beneath the sternum. Pressing into the forearms and grounding through the legs, you lift and broaden through the chest, creating length and space along the spine.
This posture acts as a gateway to your inner wisdom and intuition. As you breathe here, you are encouraged to transcend mental and emotional fluctuations and reconnect with your deeper truth and possibilities for tomorrow.
Forward Folds and Chest Openers: Nourishing the Body and Mind
Returning to a seated position, you fold forward with arms extended, allowing the head to hang heavy and inviting a sense of inner nourishment. Interlacing the hands behind the back and rolling the shoulders back opens the chest further, balancing the gentle backbend and side stretches.
This sequence encourages you to organize your body in a way that feels nourishing and supportive, reinforcing the theme of self-care and hope.
Closing with Child’s Pose and Cat-Cow Movements
To wind down, you settle into child’s pose, reaching the hips back toward the heels and extending the arms forward. This calming posture reinforces grounding and support, echoing the affirmation: “I am grounded. I am supported, and therefore, I am able to believe in what tomorrow can bring.”
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Gentle side-to-side movements in child’s pose and several rounds of cat-cow in tabletop help to release remaining tension and prepare the body for rest.
Pranayama: The Three-Part Dirga Breath to Expand Awareness
The practice concludes with dirga pranayama, or the three-part yogic breath. This breathing technique involves filling the abdomen, rib cage, and upper chest sequentially with each inhale, then emptying completely on the exhale. Placing the hands on these three regions can help guide your awareness.
This full yogic breath expands the entire torso, promoting calm, balance, and presence. It is advised to avoid this breathwork if you have just eaten or are experiencing respiratory congestion, in which case natural breathing is encouraged.
A Bedtime Story for Calm and Confidence
Finally, Allie reads a soothing bedtime story to nurture a sense of calm and self-belief. The affirmations celebrate freedom, playfulness, strength, beauty, and calmness, reminding you that you fit perfectly in your world and can be anything you choose.
“I am yoga. I can touch the sky. I am so tall. I can soar among the clouds. I am so free. I can sparkle with the stars… I am calm. Now the world is just the right speed. Now my world is just the right size. Now I see I fit in just fine. I am yoga. I can be anything.”
This heartfelt conclusion integrates the practice’s intention of hope and possibility, setting a peaceful tone for your evening and the new day ahead.
Conclusion: Embrace Hope with Gentle Evening Yoga
Incorporating this gentle evening yoga routine into your nightly ritual can transform how you approach rest and renewal. By combining mindful breath, gentle movement, and reflective affirmations, you create a sacred space to release the day’s weight and cultivate hope for tomorrow.
Remember, as Allie encourages: “I sincerely hope that you feel a sense of hope as you continue into your evening, as you head into a state of sleep, and as you awaken tomorrow and awaken with a sense of possibility for what tomorrow can bring.”
For more gentle and restorative yoga practices, explore this 15-minute relaxing restorative yoga session or discover yoga for self-care and stress relief to deepen your holistic wellness journey.
Frequently Asked Questions about Evening Yoga
What are the benefits of practicing evening yoga?
Evening yoga helps to release the physical and mental tension accumulated throughout the day, promotes relaxation, improves sleep quality, and fosters a positive mindset for the next day.
What types of yoga postures are best for the evening?
Gentle and restorative poses such as subtle side bends, supported backbends, forward folds, and calming breathwork are ideal for evening practice as they relax the nervous system without overstimulating the body.
Can I practice evening yoga if I have respiratory issues?
If you have upper respiratory or nasal congestion, it’s best to avoid breathwork techniques like dirga pranayama that require nasal breathing. Instead, focus on gentle movement and breathe naturally.
Do I need any props for this evening yoga routine?
Props such as yoga blocks, a bolster, or a rolled blanket can enhance comfort and support in side bends and backbends, but you can adapt the practice to your available props and comfort level.
How can evening yoga help me cultivate hope?
Evening yoga encourages presence, breath awareness, and mindful movement, which can shift your mental state from worry or frustration to calm and openness. This creates space to embrace hope and positivity for the new day ahead.
This article was created from the video Gentle Evening Yoga: Cultivate Hope for a New Day with the help of AI.
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