“Yin Yoga: Let’s move inside and have a look at the interesting things we find.” – Unknown
Most people who think about yoga are familiar with Yang yoga, where the muscles are the primary focus. Yin yoga focuses on the deep connective tissue (fascia, ligaments, joints, and bones), which open up when poses are held for an extended amount of time.
This form of yoga was developed by a martial arts champion, Paulie Zink, in the 1970’s, where he taught a combination of India’s Hatha yoga with China’s Taoist yoga, which both had some long-held poses. Yin combines theories from Traditional Chinese Medicine’s meridians, and Traditional Indian Medicine’s nadis. Meridians are the path through the energy of “qi” flows through, and nadis are channels where the energies of prana (life force) travel. These energy paths are the same as Hinduism’s concept of chakras, which we have spoken of in numerous posts.
In Yin, most poses are either in a sitting or lying position, and are held for 2-5 mins each. Breath is a major component, for without deep breathing, it’s difficult to both sink into the pose, and hold it. This deep, or diaphragmatic, breathing triggers the parasympathetic nervous system, which controls stress, blood pressure, immunity and hormones. Activating this system, through conscious breath moves one into a relaxation mode.
Yin revitalizes the tissues of the body by lengthening the tissues, thereby becoming more pliable. It’s through this subtle release that takes one deeper and deeper into a pose. It restores the body’s range of motion, returns us to our body’s awareness, makes us slow down and prepare for a meditative state, allows ourselves compassion for our body, and to observe and sit with the emotions that arise during this time.
As I mentioned in my post Journey to becoming a Yoga teacher, emotions and memories are stored in our connective tissue, and the stretching open of these tissues, creates an outlet for these to become present on a conscious level again. When you also combine the meditative state, and being in the present moment together, for some, it forms the perfect conditions for emotional release, something that has occurred fairly regularly for me. It used to be a sudden and unexpected purge, but after practicing this for so long, it’s now just a gentle, flowing release of any left over by-product I haven’t yet addressed.
While Yin is considered “easier” in someways physically, it is a practice that is not for just anyone. People who prefer Yang yoga, sometimes have problems with being in their inner space for any length of time, and find Yin “difficult”. It’s a practice for people ready for going deeper inside themselves, to cultivate a sacred space internally.
To practice this type of yoga, one must be willing to find stillness within the body and the mind, so that one can concentrate on breathing, releasing fully into the pose. In this way, there is a level of comfortable discomfort that is found, which is needed to push to the next level of connective tissue opening up. This comfortable discomfort should never shift into pain, just a state of uncomfortable. There will be no growth without discomfort.
There are many variables that can take place practicing Yin that affect the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual planes, while also stimulating the senses of sight, smell and sound. In this way, Yin yoga can be a very fulfilling experience.
Teachers of Yin yoga, usually give “dharma” talks during the long-held poses. This could include the explanation of the anatomy involved in the pose, the chakra associated/activated with the pose, or they will explore spiritual and personal growth concepts, or even read poetry or sing.
In my class, I do a sequence that addresses the shoulders, neck and hips, since that is where most people store their stress. Due to that, these areas also tend to be very tight. First, I create a space of relaxation, with dimmed lighting, burning incense, and slow, peaceful, music. Then I start my students in the meditative state of Child’s pose, while I speak of focusing on the breath.
We then move through approximately 15 poses, for a time frame of about 45 mins, starting with the shoulders/neck and ending with the hips. During the holding of these poses, I read from personal soul growth or enlightenment books, with my students focusing intently on the words, as opposed to the comfortable discomfort that starts creeping in eventually.
When the transitioning poses are completed, the final rest phase of savasana (corpse pose) presents itself, where I dim the lights even more, and play a long (10 min) song. Along with this, I create a sound bath with singing bowls, rain sticks and chimes. I spray an aromatherpy, that has herbs that are related to the sacral and throat chakras, which tie into the shoulders, neck and hips. Along with the aromatherapy, the song also carries with it a frequency that resonates with the soundbath instruments, creating a healing sound the body uses to clear any blocked energy pathways (chakras). I believe a longer rest period is needed in Yin, in order for the body to incorporate and integrate all that occurred during class.
Its always so gratifying and fulfilling for me to see my students so relaxed and glowing after class. The fact that I am able to create a healing experience for my students has got to be one of the most amazing feelings there is.
Please feel free to check out the studio I work at, and if you’re a local, I invite you to come try a class! Hard-Yoga, Huntington Beach
Thank you for reading. xoxo
