Have you tried Yin yoga? If you answered yes, then you know the greatness that is Yin. If you answered no, you need to try it. Yin yoga is a style of yoga where you put yourself into deep stretch poses and then just lay there in them, in a balance of deep stretch and deep release. Yin yoga is the uncomfortable in the comfortable. It’s the dark in the light. It is often described as a deep relaxation style, but it is so much more than that. Yin is a journey, and we invite you to step onto the path.
Yin is slow.
One of the best things about yoga is just how varied it is. When people say they have tried yoga and it wasn’t for them, my first question is, what style of yoga did you try? Yin ticks the boxes for so many yogis while other styles do not. It’s slow moving. From seated to lying down positions, you hold each pose for minutes, not seconds. You won’t get lost or left behind in a Yin class.
Yin is gentle.
Are you recovering from an injury, back into practice after an extended break, or just feeling a bit like the tin man? Yin is gentle. The poses are simple and foundational. You control just how much or how little you take each stretch. There is no winning pose, it’s all about how you feel.
Yin is a challenge.
Gentle and a challenge, can this be real? Yes, with Yin yoga, while the poses are gentle, holding them for minutes on end can push your limits. While your teacher will encourage you to only stretch as far as you feel comfortable, sometimes the challenge is in holding the pose and sometimes the challenge is in keeping your mind in the moment.
Yin is healing.
While Yin can be healing for a sore muscle or not so great feeling body, it can also be healing spiritually and mentally. Sitting in the asana for minutes at a time, with only your thoughts to focus on, can be a time for self-reflection. Connecting to mindfulness during Yin yoga can awaken and unearth things inside us all, and it’s a safe space to explore how not only our body is reacting but how we are too.
Yin is just what you need.
Yin can seem too slow if you are used to power flow. It can seem too much holding an asana for that long. All you need to do is give Yin yoga a try and you will fall in love with it. Want to open your body up? Want to fall into a deep relaxation? Want to sleep better, feel better, think better? Yin yoga is exactly what you need!
Want to try some Yin now?
Follow this link to our library full of Yin classes.
Namaste.