What is Yin Yoga?
What is Yin yoga?
Yin yoga is a gentle and intuitive practice centred around finding stillness in specific poses and remaining in them for a few minutes at a time, normally somewhere between 3 and 5 minutes (or longer if you so desire!) In a Yin practice we focus on releasing muscle activation, thereby targeting the deeper layers of the body: connective tissue (fascia, ligaments, tendons), joints and bones. This gives us the opportunity to release stored tension on a physical level and also on a mental and emotional level due to the intrinsic connection between all aspects of our being.
What are the principals of Yin yoga?
There are three main principals in Yin yoga:
To come to our edge, or an appropriate depth in the pose for our individual and unique body. This should be to a degree that allows us to feel a good stretch in the target area without feeling sensations of extreme discomfort or pain.
Once we have reached our threshold, we come to stillness, allowing gravity to do its work and the body to fully release.
We resolve to stay in the pose for the specified duration of time. If, of course, one feels the need to ease out of the pose slightly as the threshold was initially surpassed, or the release of our muscles over time invites the body to sink deeper into the pose, slight movement is both fine and encouraged.
When considering the appropriate depth to which we arrive in a pose, a traffic light analogy is often used; red indicates pain (any sudden sharp, stinging sensations) and we try to actively avoid this by moving very slowly in and out of poses…we don’t want to be in the red! Amber relates to the zone where we feel a decent stretch in the part of the body being targeted (hamstrings, the spine, hips, etc) but it’s neither too intense nor too subtle. In contrast to restorative yoga, where the aim is to feel as little as possible, in Yin yoga we want to actively feel physical sensation, both in the poses and immediately after coming out of them (known as the rebound). In the green zone we feel very little or nothing at all; although not as undesirable as the red zone, we don’t really want to be in the green either, as the benefits of the practice will not be as significant. So really, we’re looking to be somewhere in that amber region.
Why practise Yin yoga?
As with any yoga practice, the benefits of a regular Yin practice can be significant. Due to its slow and gentle nature, in which the strengthening and lengthening of our connective tissue and joint mobility are specifically addressed, it can be a wonderful accompaniment to more active forms of exercise, such as running, cycling or even more dynamic styles of yoga. In the same vein, it’s an immensely important practice as we age, as by targeting these deeper layers of the body in a gentle manner, the overall health of our bones, joints and tissue can be maintained and even improved. On a mental and emotional level, the meditative quality of Yin yoga can be helpful for anyone that finds sitting in meditation challenging; on one level, a Yin asana practice can release pent up tension in the body to allow for more ease in the body when sitting still in meditation for longer periods of time. On another level, the attention to stillness and acceptance of whatever sensations arise in the practice, both on a physical and mental level, can bring a profound sense of peacefulness and clarity, leading to us perhaps finding our mediation in the practice itself rather than on the cushion.
Lastly, but perhaps most importantly, Yin yoga has a tremendously beneficial effect on our nervous system. Connection to the breath and mindful breathing should be emphasised throughout the practice and this attention to deep diaphragmatic breathing, along with relaxing the body in each pose, encourages the activation of the parasympathetic branch of our autonomic nervous system (ANS). Many of us experience life in a state of sympathetic dominance, with the ‘fight and flight’ branch of the ANS almost continually switched on due to prolonged exposure to significant levels of stress. This has a profound effect on us physiologically and negatively impacts the function of all the systems in our bodies (cardiovascular, endocrine, digestive, reproductive, etc). Keeping stress levels in check is one of the most important things we can do for our physical and mental wellbeing and one of the quickest ways to bring our nervous system into balance is through the way we breathe.
Yin yoga is truly a practice that can benefit everyone and indeed encourages attention to how we feel in a pose over how we look in a pose. No instagram yoga here! Props and modifications in every pose are available, allowing for the uniqueness of each of our bodies to be acknowledged and supported. It’s all about creating and adapting a practice to work for you and your needs as an individual…a celebration of you being you!