07 Jan What Is Yin Yoga and Why You Should Try It

Image by William Randles  

We live in a society where being busy is considered the norm. If you’re not busy, you can begin to freak out that you’re not busy. Thankfully Yoga has become increasingly popular and is a practice to wind down and sit in a state of mindfulness. 

This style of yoga is yang based and is usually filled with people sweating it out flowing to cool yoga music. Although there is nothing wrong with this, for people that are stressed out, they need to give themselves time to recover from their crazy schedules.

This is where Yin Yoga comes in.

Yin and Yang

A passive, more meditative style of yoga which kicks into our parasympathetic nervous system which; lowers your heart rate and blood pressure. Yin is responsible for controlling the balance and maintenance of the bodies systems which aides in a more healthy and hopefully longer, happier life.

If we constantly live in a yang state our sympathetic nervous system (fight and flight mode) is working overtime. This releases adrenalin, increasing our heart-rate, slowing digestion, and tightening muscles. Over a long period of time this state can take it’s toll on our bodies; causing disease, early deterioration of our organs, depression, anxiety, and loss of sleep.

Yin Yoga also compliments the more yang forms of exercise as it targets the connective tissues, ligaments, fascia, and bones. Even the joints which can be left out when doing more active exercise. A wonderful way to maintain flexibility and movement in the joints which can deteriorate with the ageing process.

Why do Yin?

What you could expect in a Yin Yoga class? You will come into a posture, find your appropriate edge (which means coming into the pose non-agressively and sensitively, ensuring the breath remains slow and not forced), then stay a while. You could also use props such as bolsters/blankets or blocks to support areas in need.

The term ‘a while’ could be anywhere between 1-3 minutes for a beginner and for someone more advanced 3-6 minutes or even longer.

We have a plethora of Yin Yoga classes on our online yoga platform here at Yogaholics, check them out!

Source Yoga Junction

Did you know we also have a Peaceful Warrior Retreat?

Slow down, escape your normal routine and create space within during this beautiful weeklong retreat. A beautiful blend of learning about Traditional Chinese Medicine [TCM] theory, yin yoga and its accompanying philosophies, this retreat will directly impact your personal practise and the lives of the students you teach. During the retreat, you will:

• Take a deeper look at the 12 myofascial meridian lines and body reading in order to implement sequencing into your teachings that can help transform bodies and lifelong injuries
• Learn the concepts of Fascial Rehydration and how to deliver this knowledge powerfully to your students.
• Daily meditation, pranayama, dynamic yin flows and long, juicy yin practices using fascial lines, chi balls and creative sequencing to expand and balance energy in the body.

Slow your week down and register for your spot on the retreat here.

Written by Tamara Siekman from Yoga Junction  ・