Welcome to the Yin Yoga and Mental Wellness class brought to you by Building Hope, Meta Yoga, and Colorado Mountain College. We are delighted to share this incredible experience with you. The class will be taught by the fabulous Sam Stuber and Licensed Professional Counselor/Professor Drew Mikita. This class is designed to combine the therapeutic elements of Yin Yoga (handled by Sam) and components counseling and mental wellness. Below is the handout for the course that allows you to individualize the class to gain self-awareness and growth. Feel free to download a copy or just follow along on the page below. Please enjoy this as we have truly enjoyed creating it.

Yin Yoga allows people the space and time to reflect, process, and flourish. To learn more about Yin Yoga, click here. Remember, this is your practice, it is not about looking or being something other than you. It is ok if you aren’t flexible, everyone starts somewhere, and this is a wonderful place to begin. If it feels good, you are doing it right! Please follow along with us via video and engage as best you can. The poses will allow you to find physical comfort and growth, and the mental health prompts offer you the opportunity to reflect and evaluate. You will see ***, this is a space for you to fill in your responses to help you improve wellness and opportunities for growth, feel free to do this during class or after. Let’s get our Yin on! 🙂

First Shape: Child’s Pose & Intention Setting

Intention setting: Mindfully identifying a path, desire, action, or mindset that you are craving more of in your life and striving to obtain it. This can be momentary or long-term. Setting an intention for your yoga class, work day, or life, something fulfilling and necessary for you to grow more into the person you want to be. * Photo Very Well Fit

Ways to Practice Intention Setting

• Recognize positive traits you crave more of. Such as gratitude, confidence, kindness, peace, joy, love, connection, letting go, etc.
• Intentionally set one of these traits and focus on cultivating more of it in your life. Look for opportunities to find more of what you want.
• Check in frequently. See if you are truly living up to this intention, if not, start doing more of it now.
• Keep it Simple. Don’t overthink or convulude your mind with too much.
• Write down your intentions or share them with friends. This helps accountability and awareness.
• Find a positive trait, not just the reduction of a negative. Don’t even think about the negatives, or you will end up in them. 
• Be creative. Think outside the box in how you practice the intention and don’t limit yourself on opportunities to practice and grow. 

***My Intention for today’s class is _____________***

Second Shape: Sphinx  & Openness to the New

Openness to New: In order to grow and reach new heights we need to be willing to let go of the past. Easier said than done. Letting go of past habits and behaviors involves unlearning years (or decades) of negativity. If you are depressed, anxious, or just craving more joy, fulfillment, and satisfaction be willing to try and experience the new. This can be mindsets, foods, groups of people, attitudes, activities, supplements, treatments, anything healthy can help you grow. *Photo Very Well Fit Human

Ways to Be New

• Identify the traits you may want to leave behind. Minimize, or at least keep in check (negativity, controlling, anger, judgement, blah-blah-blah).
• Consciously and intentionally replace these with more desired positive often counter traits. Optimism, peace, joy, acceptance, are all great replacements for garbage feelings.
• DON’T BE SCARED OF SOMETHING JUST BECAUSE YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND IT! You don’t have to biologically or fundamentally understand how yoga, reiki, optimism, gratitude, diet, whatever work. Just try!
• Recognize when your old habits are often presenting. Generally when vulnerable, weak, tired, hungry, injured, stressed, is when bad habits rear their ugly heads. Be aware of when you may be susceptible so you can be proactive in combating the negative with a healthier option. 

***Old me often was_______________________***

***New me thinks, believes, or feels________________***

Third Shape: Frog & Self Awareness

Self Awareness:  Understanding who you are, what you want and need, strengths and short-comings, are all paramount to progress. Too frequently we overlook the life mirror at who we are. Often out of fear of the awareness it may present to us. Being aware of our positive traits does not make us arrogant or cocky, same as awareness of our shortcomings getting any worse, they just make us human. Take time to truly become aware of your strengths, and shortcomings. Often people just fall onto a path, ignoring intentions or desires. How can one reach a destination if unaware of it? *Photo Ekhart Yoga

Ways to Improve Self Awareness

• Journaling. Sit down and journal about anything and everything. Who you are. Where you are. Where you are going. Feelings. Desires. Needs. Strengths. Tools in your life. Gratitudes. Whatever comes to mind is something to be aware of. 
• Intentionally be self aware. Make conscious, intentional, and mindful attempts at being more self aware. Check in with yourself on your feelings, life path, and always the quality of your heart, as yogi Murray Greene reminds. 
• Get feedback from valued members of your life. Be careful about who you seek feedback from, as people can be negative and attacking. Yes, it is called “self” awareness, but family, friends, co-workers can often lend valuable insight when maybe you are lacking. Be prepared to potentially hear amazing and also difficult aspects about you. Don’t be defensive but rather seeking awareness for growth.
• BE HONEST! Lies in any capacity do not serve you. Attempt to be objectively honest with long-term progress being the biggest focus.

***One of area of improvement I have is_____________***

***Five strengths or assets I have are***

________ ________ ________  ________ ________

Fourth Shape: Pigeon & Mindsets and Perspective

Mindsets and Perspectives: Some people say, I am not a pessimist, but a realist. This person is undoubtedly an unabashed pessimist in denial! Sometimes people feel obligated to find the negative, or it has just become so routine there is no awareness of the negative perspectives. Your perspective on everything in your life is your choice, choose wisely or you will live an unfilled and even grumpy life. Be willing to adapt to new and better perspectives and mindsets to serve you better.  *Photo Well Fit Human

Finding Best Perspectives

• Be aware of negative or unserving perspectives and mindsets. Don’t take on a negative approach just because you defaulted to it. Check in with yourself on what your perspective currently is and how it is serving you. 
• It is far easier to accidentally fall into the negative pit than intentionally climb the positive peak. If you aren’t aware of your perspective it will often fall into the negative, because that is often we are around.
• Perspectives are a choice.  You always have choices. 
• Don’t focus on the negative and go right into it, like skiing into a tree.
• You create the energy you live in, so make it positive, productive, and satisfying. We often blame others for creating a negative energy (and sometimes it is difficult to overcome). But we cultivate the energy we live and breathe in, choose your perspective with awareness and intention. 

***A negative perspective I default to is_____________***

***Three perspectives or mindsets I want to cultivate*** _____________       _____________       _____________

Fifth Shape: Caterpillar and Forgiveness

Forgiveness: Forgiveness can come in a variety of forms. Internally, forgiving ourselves for failures, shortcoming, decisions, attitudes, actions, etc. Or externally in forgiveness of another person, the universe, or an outside entity who possibly wronged or failed us in some capacity. Often, we hold onto anger, resentment, hurt, or other negative emotions without awareness. This can be damaging, and the longer it persists the more damage that can be done, “Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intention of throwing it at someone; you are the one getting burned.” ~Buddha. The longer we hold on, the more we get burned. *Photo Yin and Yogis

Finding Forgiveness

• Forgiveness and reconciliation are different constructs. You can forgive a person and never speak with her or him again, or at least not right now. Forgiveness is a far more internal process, whereas reconciliation is more external and involves a mending of something fractured. Do not think reconciliation is necessary for forgiveness to occur, but also don’t rule it out. 
• Forgiveness does not require forgetting. It is impossible to think a person can just forget some egregious pain. We don’t have a “delete” button. But just because we haven’t forgotten does not mean that we haven’t forgiven. 
• Express forgiveness when you can. Don’t be scared to communicate with someone that you forgive him or her, it can help the process and mend fences.

***I want to forgive myself for_____________________***

***I want to forgive ___________ for_________________***

Sixth Shape: Deer Pose & Medicine vs. Poison

Poison vs. Medicine: Many things in life fill our metaphorical cup and energize us. Giving us strength to be the best version of ourselves and serve others, medicines. Other things in life drain us, sucking our energy and leaving us with an empty battery, useless to the world around us, poisons. Be aware of the things, people, activities, foods, places, whatevers, that are enriching and fulfilling medicines and those that are toxic and harmful poisons. *Photo Endless Yoga

The Ingestion of Medicines and Poisons 

• Medicines can often become poisons, quickly. Something positive and fulfilling when exposed to excessively or intensely can turn negative. Alcohol can be fun and fulfilling in the right circumstances (glass of wine with friends, at a concert, after shredding, at a family meal) but also getting wasted and driving has serious holistic consequences. Or spending time with family, too long together and maybe you get frustrated with one another and have a bad experience. Going to the gym is a great medicine, but pushing too far can result in injury. 
• What is medicine for one is poison for another. Just because going to a concert is fulfilling and medicine for me, doesn’t mean it is the same for you. Trying out different healthy medicines with your friends, or seeking recommendations for improved wellness is awesome, but we are all different.
• Self awareness and honesty. Your demons in your head may lie to you. Enabling bad decision making and confusing temporary-numbing-false-medicine as genuine, fulfilling,  and necessary when the true toxic nature is felt later. Be deeply honest about what is medicine and what is poison.

***One Poison I need to Avoid is_______________***

***Three True Medicines I Need***

________________       ________________       ________________

Seventh Shape: Legs Up the Wall & Flipping Perspectives

Flipping your perspective: Sometimes the world seems backwards, upside down, and inside out. It is easy to get caught up in this confusion. Your perspective, and life for that matter, are not going to change on their own. When life is crazy, it is on you to change your perspective, find a better one, same with life. Don’t like your perspective? Change it. Don’t like your life? Change it. Don’t be discouraged by this, but rather empowered. *Photo Gaia

Tips for Flips

• Self awareness is where it begins. You may not even be aware of your negative perspective, so check in with yourself. Awareness is key to a change, often we are just unknowingly leap into the negative pit. Know your signs and symptoms of being in a funk to mitigate it
• There is no positive perspective shift too small to make a difference. Even the smallest improvement in light improves your ability to see more clearly. Don’t think about needing a massive shift in attitude, start small and build. 
• Sometimes we just need to see another perspective. Think about all the angles you can view something from. Choose the one that serves you best. 
• Literally put your legs up a wall to stop an anxiety attack. While it may be difficult in the heat of an anxiety to attack to get you or someone else in this position, but when possible, it can quickly get a person back to calm. Free and side effect free way of stopping a very unpleasant experience. 

***I can best flip my perspective by______________***

Eighth Shape: Supported Bridge & Human Connection

Human Connection: Scientifically is proven to boost overall mental and physical health, human connections are essential to our existence. Positive connections enhance, fulfill, encourage, and enlighten our existence. Taking the human experience to a deeper and more satisfying level. On the flip side, negative, hurtful, or toxic relationships will deplete us and make life seem miserable and unlivable. Cultivating healthy human connections may seem like effort, but is incredibly worthwhile, especially if you are currently struggling in some area of life. Human connection awards us so many holistic benefits.

Finding Your Tribe

• Surround yourself with people who encourage you to be the best version of yourself. Look at the people in your life that help lift you up, or pick you up when you are down. The people who don’t just accept you, which they often do, but encourage you to be better. You know, the folks who let you ugly-cry on their shoulder without judgement. Cultivate more with these people. 
• Be the type of friend or partner you wish to attract. If you want to have more positive people in your life, be more positive. Want to find a person to hit the trails with? Get on the trails. Being that person draws in those people. 
• Approach making friends like a kid. Kids just walk up to someone and say, “Hi, my name is Drewbie, do you want to play kickball?” And then, poof we became friends. Why is this so much harder in adulthood? Put yourself out there. *Photo Gaia

***One thing I can do to cultivate better relationships is ____________________***

***Three People that are Positive In My Life Are***

________________       ________________       ________________

Ninth Shape: Supported Reclined Butterfly & Best Version of Yourself

Best Version of Yourself: Sometimes it can feel like you are two different people. Actions, words, mindsets, decisions seem to be that of two strangers with no knowledge of the other. A demon and an angel forced to share one body, with no similarities. It is normal to have this dichotomous nature, a duality in many aspects. This is what makes us human. Do not view yourself as an absolute either of these versions, but rather a blend positive and negative, beautiful and yucky, sweet and sour. They both encapsulate you and represent parts of you. Finding ways to maximize the best version and minimize the negative is crucial. *Photo Very Well Fit

Who is this Best Version of me?

• Realize and recognize when you are at your best. Look at your  highest levels of joy, satisfaction, productivity, fulfillment, and functioning and connect that to what you are doing, who you are with, when it is, what you are eating, etc.
• Accept both versions of yourself. Truly, there are more than just two versions of us. Far more gray than black-and-white. We are all imperfect, accept and find ways to grow as a result into more-frequent-better-you.
• Get to know you, all of you.  These aspects that we have all cohabitate one body, getting to know them can help keep them all in check and make for a more harmonious existence. 
• What is your favorite version of you. The one that you want to share with everyone. The one who smiles, laughs, dances, cares, cries, anything. 

***The less-than-best-version of me is _____________***

***The best version of me is***

________________       ________________       ________________

Savasana & Rebirth and Gratitude

 

Rebirth:  At the end of a yoga session, savasana allows your body to relax and release, while growing from the practice. There are no limits on how many times you can restart your day, rebirth is possible at any time. You can always reset yourself. During this time one thing to reflect on is your intention you set at the beginning of practice. Work on stillness, calmness, and centering, or use it is a time meditate.

Gratitude: A fundamental part of yoga is being grateful. Appreciating what one has allows us to minimize unfulfillment. Gratitude is a no-cost, side-effect free way to improve overall wellness. Taking time to identify gratitudes is essential to positive mental health, and even improved overall physical health and well-being. *Photo Very Well Fit

Practicing Rebirth & Gratitude

• Say goodbye to old you, and howdy to new you. Say goodbye to her or him and let go. You may see each other now and again, but say goodbye. Spend far more time getting to know this new person than lamenting the old.
• Keep a gratitude journal. Write down three things you are grateful everyday, take a photo of gratitudes, find ways to track and log the things you appreciate. 
• Express gratitude. Don’t be scared to tell those around you they are appreciated. It will make everyone happier and more fulfilled. 

***My rebirth is about __________________***

***5 things I am grateful for are***

__________   __________   __________   __________   __________