Yin Yoga can be practiced by anyone at any skill level. The focus is different from Yang yoga, which is the yoga of the muscles and of internal and external bodily heat. Ying is a softer yet just as emphatic type of yoga. By working the deeper tissues and joints, Yin Yoga professes to enable the yogi practitioner to reach different areas of the body and to move toward a deeper yogis understanding of the practice and the self.
Yin Yoga Practice Principles
Stillness and contraction are the foundation of this static type Yin Yoga. The opposite of static bodywork is dynamic movement or Yang Yoga. Yang Yoga involves repetition of movement that builds and trains muscle. Yin movement affects different tissues types. Slow steady movement or stillness affects joint tissue without necessarily adding repetitions. Yin Yoga is a way to exercise joints without harmful repetition or weight bearing.
Pigeon, a hip opener becomes Sleeping Swan with the emphasis on the sciatic nerve. A pose shouldn’t be held longer than needed to create the tension in the joint or ligament but not the pain. Five breaths or 5 minutes is enough. The depth of the pose is the end point, not debilitation or muscle fatigue. The pose must be held quietly.
The Advantages of Yin Yoga
Yin yoga has advantages for anyone practicing yoga. It has particular advantages for those with connective tissue disorders or those who overwork the muscles in different types of activity including a more strenuous power yoga or ashtanga. It is not a restorative practice and is not geared toward rehabilitation. Some advantages are as follows:
- The ability to consciously relax muscles or separate the role of the muscle to the joint, fascia, and connective tissue underneath
- It works to relax the spine and lessen tension
- Yin Yoga is stress reducing
- It enables the practitioner to achieve stillness. Stillness is practiced and learned.
- There are no sore muscles after a session.
- It lessens aggression mentally as the mind becomes still and the muscles relax. The external work affects the internal workings.
- It is a complement to Yang Yoga. It balances the practice.
The Disadvantages of Yin Yoga
The practice is a mature practice, meaning immediate body changing appearance isn’t apparent. For some this is a disadvantage. No weight is lost during practice and rarely is sweat produced. Following are some typical disadvantages of Yin yoga.
- It is slow in movement and slow to show progress and visible results.
- It seems tedious.
- It can be exhausting.
- It isn’t restorative.
There is a risk of overuse or incorrect joint pressure without proper oversight. Going beyond one’s edge isn’t recommended. Finding that place takes time and practice.
Where to Find a Yin Yoga Class or Practitioner
Many yoga studios will offer an occasional yin class or pose to whet the appetite for more. Becoming a practitioner is immediate yet takes time, as with any style of yoga. There are books and downloads on the subject. Check the list below for more information.
- The Yin Yoga Institute trains teachers under its founder, Paulie Zink. Paulie Zink offers some beautiful photos of postures on his site. The site lists the certified trained instructors worldwide.
- Paul Grilley who trained under him presents some free downloads on you-tube of yin postures.
- There are also workshops provided. Bill Mitoefer has several listed on his site.
- Check the Omega Institute for different yoga types and classes.
- Mark Gerow Offers workshops in yin yoga.
- Sarah Powers has combined practices and Buddhism into insight yoga a form of yin yoga. She also has produced DVDs on the practice.
Read further about Zen Yoga, or Plan a Yoga Retreat. Check out some of the many types of yoga for various abilities, moods, and expressions.
Amy Andersen - Amy Andersen, MSN, ARNP, family & pediatrics certified, practices yoga and explores the inter-relationships of mind body fitness and ...
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