What is Yin Yoga?
Yin Yoga is the missing link to a balanced yoga practice. Most styles of yoga practiced these days, are fast, hot, assertive “work-out yoga” or “Yang”. And most of our lives are busy, extroverted, active and constantly engaged. Also, “Yang”. Yin is the balance to Yang.
Yang styles of yoga (astanga, flow, bhakti, hot yoga etc.) target building strength, mobility and resilience in the muscles. Yin Yoga targets building strength, mobility and resilience in the dense connective tissue of the bones, joint, joint capsule, tendons and ligaments, essential to a long life of physical activity.
Yin yoga is practiced in a very specific way that is safe and gentle but can also be quite challenging as slowing down is for many of us. Yin is practiced almost completely on the floor. Poses are held for 2-5 minutes while focusing on relaxing the muscles (rather than engaging them) so that we can get “into” the dense connective tissue to effect it positively. All tissue needs exercise, and Yin exercises these tissues in a safe and effective way resulting in a body that is more vibrant, resilient and balanced.
I teach Yin from the lens of mindfulness because Yin already lends itself so well to a meditative quality. We will explore bringing kindness, curiosity, and intention to our practice without judgement. There will be attention paid to the breath, the sensations in the body, as well as to thoughts and emotions that may arise in the practice. In addition to deep release of long held tension in the body, many find that Yin Yoga also releases deep tension held in the mind and the heart.
If you’d like to learn more, schedule a workshop or take my upcoming Yin Yoga Training, please reach out! lauri@lauriglenn.com or 530-386-5578
