Restorative yoga & yin yoga are not the same yoga. They do share some similarities and to the outside eye they may, to a certain degree look the same, but they have very different intentions
Click HERE to read an article on the differences between Restorative Yoga & Yin Yoga
Click HERE to read another article on the differences between Restorative Yoga & Yin Yoga
Click HERE to read an article on the differences between Restorative Yoga & Yin Yoga
Click HERE to read another article on the differences between Restorative Yoga & Yin Yoga
Yin is a complimentary yoga practice to the more dynamic and invigorating yoga styles, sports, exercise, and other active pursuits that are predominant today. Some call it the "other half of yoga." Yin is a slow, mindful form of yoga which focuses on deep stretches which target the fascia - the connective tissues that surround our organs, muscles, blood vessels, and nerves. By holding poses for longer, you take the stretch deeper into those connective tissues, muscles, tendons and ligaments. It helps to rejuvenate the natural strength and length of these tissues which may have been lost due to aging, diet and/or lifestyle. Yin postures (mostly done on the floor or against the wall) are held for longer periods of time giving you the opportunity to observe and bring awareness to the breath and sensations in the body as well as cultivate a deeper contemplative practice. Proponents say Yin poses have a similar effect on the body to an acupuncture session. They release blocked energy and restore the healthy flow of Qi (Chi/prana/energy). This class offers modifications tailored to your unique body using functional yoga principles. All levels welcome - including beginners. Deborah's class Includes 15-minute Sound Bath Savasana!
Yin yoga works deeply into our body with passive, longer-held poses.
It targets the deepest tissues of the body, our connective tissues – ligaments, joints, bones, the deep fascia networks of the body and the meridians. This is contrast to a Yang yoga practice such as Vinyasa yoga which targets the muscles.
Energetically, Yin yoga improves the energy flow, enhancing the flow of chi in the organs. To be healthy, we need healthy organs as well as healthy muscles. Yin yoga also offers wonderful emotional and mental health benefits.
It targets the deepest tissues of the body, our connective tissues – ligaments, joints, bones, the deep fascia networks of the body and the meridians. This is contrast to a Yang yoga practice such as Vinyasa yoga which targets the muscles.
Energetically, Yin yoga improves the energy flow, enhancing the flow of chi in the organs. To be healthy, we need healthy organs as well as healthy muscles. Yin yoga also offers wonderful emotional and mental health benefits.
What to expect in a typical Yin yoga class A Yin yoga class usually consists of a series of long-held, passive floor poses that mainly work the lower part of the body – the hips, pelvis, inner thighs, lower spine. These areas are especially rich in connective tissues. The poses are held for up to five minutes, sometimes longer. Yin is almost entirely passive, although some Yin asanas contain Yang elements. During the asanas, muscles are relaxed to avoid muscle spasm, which could result from engaging muscles for long periods.
Benefits of a regular practice
Origins and History Holding stretches for long periods of time and other techniques closely related to Yin yoga have been practised for centuries in China and Taiwan as part of Daoist Yoga, which is sometimes known as Dao Yin. Taoist priests taught this knowledge, along with breathing techniques, to Kung Fu practitioners around 2000 years ago.
Philosophy and Principles of Yin Yoga Yin yoga is based on the Taoist concept of yin and yang, opposite and complementary principles in nature. Yin is the stable, unmoving, hidden aspect of things; yang is the changing, moving, revealing aspect. In the body, the relatively stiff connective tissues (tendons, ligaments, fascia) are yin, while the more mobile and pliable muscles and blood are yang.
It works on the Yin tissues – also known as the connective tissues. Connective tissue responds best to a slow, steady load. If you gently stretch connective tissue by holding a yin pose for a long time, the body will respond by making them a little longer and stronger – which is exactly what you want. Remember the principle of the exercise is to stress the tissue so the body will respond by strengthening it.
Yin Yoga requires the muscles to relax around the connective tissue in order to get a stretch, so not all yoga poses can be done safely or effectively when practising Yin style. Thus Yin asanas have different names.
Qi Yin yoga poses are also designed to improve the flow of qi (or chi) the subtle energy that, according to Chinese medicine, runs through the meridian pathways of the body. It is suggested that these meridians are created by our connective tissue and that the improved flow of qi improves organ health, immunity, and emotional wellbeing.
Five main principles to remember when practicing Yin yoga:
Benefits of a regular practice
- Increases circulation and improves flexibility
- Calms and balances the mind and body
- Reduces stress and anxiety
- Releases fascia
- Encourages deeper relaxation
- Improves joint mobility
- Brings balance to the organs through meridian stimulation
Origins and History Holding stretches for long periods of time and other techniques closely related to Yin yoga have been practised for centuries in China and Taiwan as part of Daoist Yoga, which is sometimes known as Dao Yin. Taoist priests taught this knowledge, along with breathing techniques, to Kung Fu practitioners around 2000 years ago.
Philosophy and Principles of Yin Yoga Yin yoga is based on the Taoist concept of yin and yang, opposite and complementary principles in nature. Yin is the stable, unmoving, hidden aspect of things; yang is the changing, moving, revealing aspect. In the body, the relatively stiff connective tissues (tendons, ligaments, fascia) are yin, while the more mobile and pliable muscles and blood are yang.
It works on the Yin tissues – also known as the connective tissues. Connective tissue responds best to a slow, steady load. If you gently stretch connective tissue by holding a yin pose for a long time, the body will respond by making them a little longer and stronger – which is exactly what you want. Remember the principle of the exercise is to stress the tissue so the body will respond by strengthening it.
Yin Yoga requires the muscles to relax around the connective tissue in order to get a stretch, so not all yoga poses can be done safely or effectively when practising Yin style. Thus Yin asanas have different names.
Qi Yin yoga poses are also designed to improve the flow of qi (or chi) the subtle energy that, according to Chinese medicine, runs through the meridian pathways of the body. It is suggested that these meridians are created by our connective tissue and that the improved flow of qi improves organ health, immunity, and emotional wellbeing.
Five main principles to remember when practicing Yin yoga:
- Find an appropriate edge: Move slowly and gently into the pose, and look for an appropriate amount of intensity, never stretch so far as to cause pain.
- Stillness: consciously try to release into the pose, and to remain still, without shifting position unless readjusting your edge as it changes.
- Hold the position: begin by holding for 3-5 minutes gradually progressing to 6 minutes or more.
- Come out of the pose gently and slowly.
- Stay in a rebound position for about a minute to allow the body to acclimate any changes that occurred during the pose. You are training the body to be comfortable with the uncomfortable.
Who is Yin yoga for? Yin yoga is for you if you are tired and craving energy or you’re over-stimulated and have too much energy. Basically, yin yoga is beneficial for almost everyone!
Our world bombards us with stimuli, 24/7, keeping our minds constantly busy with processing all the information that’s thrown at it. Whether the information is valuable or rubbish, it doesn’t matter; the mind still needs to deal with it. Eventually, we get used to that level of stimulus and start to crave it if things become quiet. So we end up browsing, looking for stuff; it doesn’t matter what, as long as we fill the gaps. Any form of dynamic yoga caters to this aspect of keeping ourselves busy. Although the mind may calm down as a result of active exercise, we’re still feeding the part of us that craves intensity and wants to be stimulated. We just happen to have found ourselves a healthier stimulus! I’m not encouraging you to cut out the dynamic yoga, just try to balance all the on-the-go aspects of life. A great way to do that is by practicing Yin yoga.
Yin yoga and the body: Yin yoga works on the yin tissues – also known as the connective tissues. Connective tissue responds best to a slow, steady load, which is why we hold the poses for longer. If you gently stretch connective tissue by holding a yin pose for a long time in this way, the body will respond by making it a little longer and stronger – which is exactly what you want. Different Yin yoga poses stimulate and remove blockages in the myofascial meridians in the body, which in turn balances the body’s internal organs and systems. Yin yoga requires the muscles to relax around the connective tissue in order to get a stretch or pull, so not every yoga pose can be done safely or effectively when practicing Yin style yoga. Thus, Yin asanas have different names.
For example, Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle pose) in a Yang yoga class involves lengthening the spine, stretching the muscles of the back and engaging the muscles of the legs and abdomen to fold the torso towards the legs. However, in the Yin style version which is known as Butterfly (pictured), the muscles are relaxed and the spine naturally rounds so that the head comes towards the knees, rather than the feet, as the body releases.
Yin yoga and the mind: Becoming still in a pose and staying for a while creates those gaps that I referred to earlier. Keeping the gaps empty creates space for anything that wants to come up. This could be anxiety, happiness sadness, boredom…any emotion or feeling you suppress with all busyness in your life. Yin yoga gives you the time and space to allow emotions, thoughts and feelings you have kept in the shadows, to surface. Generally speaking, during a Yin yoga class, you will be encouraged to allow all those feelings to be there, but not to identify with them. To observe but not get caught up in them. It costs the body a lot of energy to keep things suppressed, so the release you feel from letting it all come out can be just as big.
"You learn to observe only the pure physical sensations of emotions, without getting
caught up in the stories about those emotions. "
These stories are usually related to why we feel such and such, whose fault it is etc. Just observing the physical sensations, without giving ‘juice’ to the stories, allows those emotions and physical sensations a way out of your system. This helps to clear the mind of these often unconscious emotions, and thus gives your system an opportunity to work through the blockages those emotions have caused in the body. What a wonderful and much-needed release!
Our world bombards us with stimuli, 24/7, keeping our minds constantly busy with processing all the information that’s thrown at it. Whether the information is valuable or rubbish, it doesn’t matter; the mind still needs to deal with it. Eventually, we get used to that level of stimulus and start to crave it if things become quiet. So we end up browsing, looking for stuff; it doesn’t matter what, as long as we fill the gaps. Any form of dynamic yoga caters to this aspect of keeping ourselves busy. Although the mind may calm down as a result of active exercise, we’re still feeding the part of us that craves intensity and wants to be stimulated. We just happen to have found ourselves a healthier stimulus! I’m not encouraging you to cut out the dynamic yoga, just try to balance all the on-the-go aspects of life. A great way to do that is by practicing Yin yoga.
Yin yoga and the body: Yin yoga works on the yin tissues – also known as the connective tissues. Connective tissue responds best to a slow, steady load, which is why we hold the poses for longer. If you gently stretch connective tissue by holding a yin pose for a long time in this way, the body will respond by making it a little longer and stronger – which is exactly what you want. Different Yin yoga poses stimulate and remove blockages in the myofascial meridians in the body, which in turn balances the body’s internal organs and systems. Yin yoga requires the muscles to relax around the connective tissue in order to get a stretch or pull, so not every yoga pose can be done safely or effectively when practicing Yin style yoga. Thus, Yin asanas have different names.
For example, Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle pose) in a Yang yoga class involves lengthening the spine, stretching the muscles of the back and engaging the muscles of the legs and abdomen to fold the torso towards the legs. However, in the Yin style version which is known as Butterfly (pictured), the muscles are relaxed and the spine naturally rounds so that the head comes towards the knees, rather than the feet, as the body releases.
Yin yoga and the mind: Becoming still in a pose and staying for a while creates those gaps that I referred to earlier. Keeping the gaps empty creates space for anything that wants to come up. This could be anxiety, happiness sadness, boredom…any emotion or feeling you suppress with all busyness in your life. Yin yoga gives you the time and space to allow emotions, thoughts and feelings you have kept in the shadows, to surface. Generally speaking, during a Yin yoga class, you will be encouraged to allow all those feelings to be there, but not to identify with them. To observe but not get caught up in them. It costs the body a lot of energy to keep things suppressed, so the release you feel from letting it all come out can be just as big.
"You learn to observe only the pure physical sensations of emotions, without getting
caught up in the stories about those emotions. "
These stories are usually related to why we feel such and such, whose fault it is etc. Just observing the physical sensations, without giving ‘juice’ to the stories, allows those emotions and physical sensations a way out of your system. This helps to clear the mind of these often unconscious emotions, and thus gives your system an opportunity to work through the blockages those emotions have caused in the body. What a wonderful and much-needed release!
What is Yin Yoga? In simple words, it is a new style where certain passive yoga poses are held for a longer duration of time. The poses can be held for 3-10 minutes. Contrary to the belief that Yin Yoga is from China, this concept is taken from the ancient practice of Classical Hatha Yoga - where the poses were held from 3-to 10 minutes. It is important to know that originally Hatha Yoga was practiced by monks who were practicing yoga as an austere practice. But when teachers like Swami Sivananda introduced Hatha Yoga to common people, they modified the duration to 1-3 minutes to make it accessible for everyone.
In Yin Yoga, only the passive (yin) poses are used. The use of muscles is kept to a minimum, so the muscles are gently engaged to hold the posture without any extra effort. This allows the fascia, tendons and ligaments the opportunity to release tension. As the poses are to be held for a longer duration, the use of props like cushions, bolsters, etc., is encouraged. The poses are also taken from Hatha Yoga but new names are given to avoid direct association. In his book, Paul Grilley calls Yin Yoga ‘old wine in a new bottle.’
History of Yin Yoga Some people believe that this is a centuries-old yoga style. This is not true, and it is based on the association of the word ‘yin’ with ancient Chinese medicine.
Yin Yoga started in the late 1980s when Paul Grilley saw a presentation on national television by Paulie Zink, a martial arts champion and Taoist Yoga teacher. Paul Grilley got impressed by the flexibility and range of motion of Paulie Zink. So, he went to Paulie Zink and attended his Taoist Yoga classes. There, Paul practiced holding the poses for long durations of five to ten minutes. Even after doing Taoist Yoga classes regularly for many months, Paul saw not much improvement in his flexibility. So, he stopped going to the classes and continued to practice and teach the dynamic forms of yoga, like Vinyasa Yoga. With time, he started to teach some passive stretching classes to his students. The results were overwhelming; he saw quick improvement in the range of motion of his students. As he had an inclination to Buddhism and he did not want people to confuse his classes with Indian Hatha Yoga, he called his classes Yin Yang Yoga.
A student of Grilley, Sarah Powers, pointed out that as he is only teaching passive yin poses, he should better call it Yin Yoga. From this moment onward, ‘Yin Yoga’ started to spread throughout the yoga community.
Difference Between Yin Yoga & Other Yoga Styles:
Duration of an asana The primary difference is the duration of holding a pose. In Yin Yoga, we hold most poses between 5 and 10 minutes. This is in contrast to the dynamic forms like Ashtanga Vinyasa and Vinyasa Flow, where the poses are held for 5 to 10 breaths, and we constantly move in and out of the poses.
Even though Hatha Yoga is much more static, most poses (for beginners) are held up to a maximum of 3 minutes. So, in Hatha Yoga, too, we usually do not hold the poses as long as in Yin Yoga.
(FYI: Traditionally, however, asanas were held for 5 to 10 minutes too!)
When we hold a pose for a longer period, we bring the stretch to the yin tissues, which are the deeper tissues such as the tendons, fascia, ligaments, and the other connective body tissues. Our yin tissues are less vascular (supplied with blood) and less elastic, and therefore need more time to stretch. When stretched regularly, it increases the overall flexibility, circulation, and range of motion in the joints and ligaments.
In dynamic styles, such as Vinyasa Yoga, and modern Hatha Yoga, the movement makes the muscles take the main load and stretch. Muscles are yang tissues; they are quick to warm up and stretch but also quick to cool down and rebound. That is why, if you do not practice for a few days, you see a big decline in flexibility and strength.
So, if you practice only dynamic forms of exercise or yoga, you will gain muscle strength, but not necessarily a wider range of motion. To have a healthy range of motion around our joints, many of us need to also stretch the deep connective tissue and the joints.
According to Paul, Yin Yoga is a complementary practice, not a substitute for the more yang exercises.
Breathing Pattern Conscious, controlled breathing is a central aspect of yoga. The way we regulate our breathing affects how our muscles and minds respond to a particular pose. In Yin Yoga, the emphasis is on relaxed belly breathing. Long, slow, and, deep breaths are vital for letting the body relax and be in a pose for longer durations.
Concept of Yin and Yang in Yoga The concept of yin and yang is similar to the concepts of Ida (moon) and Pingala (sun) from the Hatha Yoga tradition. Yin Yang is mentioned in Traditional Chinese Medicine, and Ida Pingala is mentioned in yoga and Ayurveda.
These are ancient principles that describe the two opposite forces in nature that are present in everything. The principle of yin and yang, while contrary to each other, is not rigid but more relative.
Yin refers to slow, soft, passive, and cold. It is also associated with water, earth, moon, femininity, heavy, and night. Yang, on the other hand, refers to fast, hard, active, hot, masculine, light, and day.
In yoga, we see this difference in the practice of asanas. Some poses are passive and activate yin qualities in the body and mind, whereas other poses are more dynamic and active, activating yang qualities.
Yin & Yang Tissues Bones, tendons, ligaments, and discs are yin tissues. Muscle and blood are yang tissues.
Yin tissues resist stretching, and they rebound slowly like stiff dough. Muscles stretch easily and rebound quickly like rubber. All tissues are a blend of yin and yang qualities. For example, the tendon of a muscle can be dense like a ligament (yin), but the belly of that muscle can be quite soft and elastic (yang).
Yin & Yang Yoga According to Paul Grilley, all tissues can be worked out in a yin way or a yang way. What is unsafe in a yang practice might be safe in a yin practice and the other way around.
If you train fascia in a yin way, it becomes longer and more elastic. If you train fascia in a yang way, it becomes shorter, stronger, and stiffer. Yin Yoga is slow and static-like traction. Yang Yoga is rhythmic, and repetitive like weightlifting or running. In Yin Yoga, the targeted muscles are relaxed. In Yang Yoga, targeted muscles are generally contracted.
Functional Principles of Yin Yoga When practicing and teaching Yin Yoga, you should keep these principles in mind:
Flexibility refers to the extensibility (capacity to stretch) of the myofascial groups, ligaments, joint capsules, and discs.
Compression is the ultimate range of motion in every person.
What are the Benefits of Yin Yoga
Physical Benefits -The most important benefits can be summarized by understanding the effect on the following issues:
Fascia – With the long holds, we stretch and stimulate the layers of fascia in our body. With regular stress, our fascia becomes subtle, and the flow of nutrients increases. This results in the improved overall functioning of the body.
Ligaments – Our ligaments connect bones to bones. Ligaments are stiff and strong fascial bands that protect our joints from going out of place, and therefore, limit our range of motion. But ligaments are always contracting with age. With Yin Yoga, we gently stretch our ligaments and maintain the range of motion of our joints. In other words, we stay younger by stretching our ligaments.
Tendons – Our tendons are the connective tissue that connects muscle to the bone. With yang exercises, the tendons become strong and short. This results in a decreased range of motion of the tendons. This is the top reason for injury in athletes. With yin poses, we pressure and lengthen the tendons gently and retain their range of motion.
Joints – All physical movement happens at our joints. But due to the modern lifestyle which promotes a lack of movement and short-range movements, the fluids in the joint capsules decrease. This decreases the lifespan of the joint. With Yin Yoga, we put gentle pressure on the joints, which revitalizes the joints and renews the fluids.
Viscera – With gentle and long pressure on our internal organs, we stimulate them and improve their functioning.
Myofascia – As the quality of the connective tissue is improved, the range of flexibility in our muscles (myofascial) is also positively affected.
Physiological Benefits - Studies based on five-week Yin Yoga-based interventions have found that Yin Yoga works as a preventive tool in lowering plasma adrenomedullin. High ADM is one of the main causes of stress, anxiety, and depression. These are added risk factors for many non-communicable diseases. (1)
Mental Benefits Stress release – It helps to release stress which is stored in our deeper tissues. That is why you will often see people getting emotional or silently crying during classes. You should know that such reactions are completely normal and can be expected.
Emotional balance – It stimulates our endocrine glands by pressuring them during the long-held poses. The effect is an improved hormonal balance which results in more balanced emotions.
Clarity – There is power in stillness. The regular practice of sitting still and focusing brings mental clarity.
In Yin Yoga, only the passive (yin) poses are used. The use of muscles is kept to a minimum, so the muscles are gently engaged to hold the posture without any extra effort. This allows the fascia, tendons and ligaments the opportunity to release tension. As the poses are to be held for a longer duration, the use of props like cushions, bolsters, etc., is encouraged. The poses are also taken from Hatha Yoga but new names are given to avoid direct association. In his book, Paul Grilley calls Yin Yoga ‘old wine in a new bottle.’
History of Yin Yoga Some people believe that this is a centuries-old yoga style. This is not true, and it is based on the association of the word ‘yin’ with ancient Chinese medicine.
Yin Yoga started in the late 1980s when Paul Grilley saw a presentation on national television by Paulie Zink, a martial arts champion and Taoist Yoga teacher. Paul Grilley got impressed by the flexibility and range of motion of Paulie Zink. So, he went to Paulie Zink and attended his Taoist Yoga classes. There, Paul practiced holding the poses for long durations of five to ten minutes. Even after doing Taoist Yoga classes regularly for many months, Paul saw not much improvement in his flexibility. So, he stopped going to the classes and continued to practice and teach the dynamic forms of yoga, like Vinyasa Yoga. With time, he started to teach some passive stretching classes to his students. The results were overwhelming; he saw quick improvement in the range of motion of his students. As he had an inclination to Buddhism and he did not want people to confuse his classes with Indian Hatha Yoga, he called his classes Yin Yang Yoga.
A student of Grilley, Sarah Powers, pointed out that as he is only teaching passive yin poses, he should better call it Yin Yoga. From this moment onward, ‘Yin Yoga’ started to spread throughout the yoga community.
Difference Between Yin Yoga & Other Yoga Styles:
Duration of an asana The primary difference is the duration of holding a pose. In Yin Yoga, we hold most poses between 5 and 10 minutes. This is in contrast to the dynamic forms like Ashtanga Vinyasa and Vinyasa Flow, where the poses are held for 5 to 10 breaths, and we constantly move in and out of the poses.
Even though Hatha Yoga is much more static, most poses (for beginners) are held up to a maximum of 3 minutes. So, in Hatha Yoga, too, we usually do not hold the poses as long as in Yin Yoga.
(FYI: Traditionally, however, asanas were held for 5 to 10 minutes too!)
When we hold a pose for a longer period, we bring the stretch to the yin tissues, which are the deeper tissues such as the tendons, fascia, ligaments, and the other connective body tissues. Our yin tissues are less vascular (supplied with blood) and less elastic, and therefore need more time to stretch. When stretched regularly, it increases the overall flexibility, circulation, and range of motion in the joints and ligaments.
In dynamic styles, such as Vinyasa Yoga, and modern Hatha Yoga, the movement makes the muscles take the main load and stretch. Muscles are yang tissues; they are quick to warm up and stretch but also quick to cool down and rebound. That is why, if you do not practice for a few days, you see a big decline in flexibility and strength.
So, if you practice only dynamic forms of exercise or yoga, you will gain muscle strength, but not necessarily a wider range of motion. To have a healthy range of motion around our joints, many of us need to also stretch the deep connective tissue and the joints.
According to Paul, Yin Yoga is a complementary practice, not a substitute for the more yang exercises.
Breathing Pattern Conscious, controlled breathing is a central aspect of yoga. The way we regulate our breathing affects how our muscles and minds respond to a particular pose. In Yin Yoga, the emphasis is on relaxed belly breathing. Long, slow, and, deep breaths are vital for letting the body relax and be in a pose for longer durations.
Concept of Yin and Yang in Yoga The concept of yin and yang is similar to the concepts of Ida (moon) and Pingala (sun) from the Hatha Yoga tradition. Yin Yang is mentioned in Traditional Chinese Medicine, and Ida Pingala is mentioned in yoga and Ayurveda.
These are ancient principles that describe the two opposite forces in nature that are present in everything. The principle of yin and yang, while contrary to each other, is not rigid but more relative.
Yin refers to slow, soft, passive, and cold. It is also associated with water, earth, moon, femininity, heavy, and night. Yang, on the other hand, refers to fast, hard, active, hot, masculine, light, and day.
In yoga, we see this difference in the practice of asanas. Some poses are passive and activate yin qualities in the body and mind, whereas other poses are more dynamic and active, activating yang qualities.
Yin & Yang Tissues Bones, tendons, ligaments, and discs are yin tissues. Muscle and blood are yang tissues.
Yin tissues resist stretching, and they rebound slowly like stiff dough. Muscles stretch easily and rebound quickly like rubber. All tissues are a blend of yin and yang qualities. For example, the tendon of a muscle can be dense like a ligament (yin), but the belly of that muscle can be quite soft and elastic (yang).
Yin & Yang Yoga According to Paul Grilley, all tissues can be worked out in a yin way or a yang way. What is unsafe in a yang practice might be safe in a yin practice and the other way around.
If you train fascia in a yin way, it becomes longer and more elastic. If you train fascia in a yang way, it becomes shorter, stronger, and stiffer. Yin Yoga is slow and static-like traction. Yang Yoga is rhythmic, and repetitive like weightlifting or running. In Yin Yoga, the targeted muscles are relaxed. In Yang Yoga, targeted muscles are generally contracted.
Functional Principles of Yin Yoga When practicing and teaching Yin Yoga, you should keep these principles in mind:
- The purpose of yoga is to harmonize the flow of the prana (life energy) in our bodies. This is accomplished by stressing the deep connective tissues.
- In a functional approach to Yin Yoga there is no perfect pose. Every hand and foot position either helps or inhibits our ability to stress the target areas. The most effective way to do this varies from person to person.
- Every bone in everybody is different. What is easy for one skeleton may be impossible for another.
Flexibility refers to the extensibility (capacity to stretch) of the myofascial groups, ligaments, joint capsules, and discs.
Compression is the ultimate range of motion in every person.
What are the Benefits of Yin Yoga
Physical Benefits -The most important benefits can be summarized by understanding the effect on the following issues:
Fascia – With the long holds, we stretch and stimulate the layers of fascia in our body. With regular stress, our fascia becomes subtle, and the flow of nutrients increases. This results in the improved overall functioning of the body.
Ligaments – Our ligaments connect bones to bones. Ligaments are stiff and strong fascial bands that protect our joints from going out of place, and therefore, limit our range of motion. But ligaments are always contracting with age. With Yin Yoga, we gently stretch our ligaments and maintain the range of motion of our joints. In other words, we stay younger by stretching our ligaments.
Tendons – Our tendons are the connective tissue that connects muscle to the bone. With yang exercises, the tendons become strong and short. This results in a decreased range of motion of the tendons. This is the top reason for injury in athletes. With yin poses, we pressure and lengthen the tendons gently and retain their range of motion.
Joints – All physical movement happens at our joints. But due to the modern lifestyle which promotes a lack of movement and short-range movements, the fluids in the joint capsules decrease. This decreases the lifespan of the joint. With Yin Yoga, we put gentle pressure on the joints, which revitalizes the joints and renews the fluids.
Viscera – With gentle and long pressure on our internal organs, we stimulate them and improve their functioning.
Myofascia – As the quality of the connective tissue is improved, the range of flexibility in our muscles (myofascial) is also positively affected.
Physiological Benefits - Studies based on five-week Yin Yoga-based interventions have found that Yin Yoga works as a preventive tool in lowering plasma adrenomedullin. High ADM is one of the main causes of stress, anxiety, and depression. These are added risk factors for many non-communicable diseases. (1)
Mental Benefits Stress release – It helps to release stress which is stored in our deeper tissues. That is why you will often see people getting emotional or silently crying during classes. You should know that such reactions are completely normal and can be expected.
Emotional balance – It stimulates our endocrine glands by pressuring them during the long-held poses. The effect is an improved hormonal balance which results in more balanced emotions.
Clarity – There is power in stillness. The regular practice of sitting still and focusing brings mental clarity.
QUOTES ON YIN YOGA . . . .
"Yin yoga is joint rehabilitation," says Paul Grilley, the godfather of yin yoga. "The poses work your joints in a way similar to how other types of exercise work your heart."
"Yin teaches you to relax in simple poses that you hold, and hold - so that the stretch penetrates the connective tissue in your spine, hips, and other joints. Holding a pose for a long period can be beneficial," says Claudette Lajam, MD, assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at NYU Langone Medical Center. "Over time the fascia - the tissue that binds groups of muscles - may become inflamed and stick to the muscles, which can cause pain and stiffness. But repeated, gentle stretches can help release those sticking points."
It's not that yin yoga is easy. Any long hold can bring on a dull ache. But that can lead to a bigger payoff," says Sarah Powers. "Instead of needing to be comfortable to relax, we learn to relax with discomfort. That is a very transferable skill." After a few breaths, the ache vanishes and is replaced by a feeling of openness and length in your body. Still, the best argument for yin may be how it calms your mind, creating a sense of deep refreshment - as if, in Powers's words, you've taken an "inner shower."
"Yin teaches you to relax in simple poses that you hold, and hold - so that the stretch penetrates the connective tissue in your spine, hips, and other joints. Holding a pose for a long period can be beneficial," says Claudette Lajam, MD, assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at NYU Langone Medical Center. "Over time the fascia - the tissue that binds groups of muscles - may become inflamed and stick to the muscles, which can cause pain and stiffness. But repeated, gentle stretches can help release those sticking points."
It's not that yin yoga is easy. Any long hold can bring on a dull ache. But that can lead to a bigger payoff," says Sarah Powers. "Instead of needing to be comfortable to relax, we learn to relax with discomfort. That is a very transferable skill." After a few breaths, the ache vanishes and is replaced by a feeling of openness and length in your body. Still, the best argument for yin may be how it calms your mind, creating a sense of deep refreshment - as if, in Powers's words, you've taken an "inner shower."
Metta is "loving kindness."
Most simply, metta is the heartfelt wish for the well-being of oneself and others.
Click here to read more about "What is Metta."
Most simply, metta is the heartfelt wish for the well-being of oneself and others.
Click here to read more about "What is Metta."
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