Yin Yoga is a slow-passive practice focusing of stretching the deeper connective tissues (fascia, tendons, ligaments, even our bones.)
During this meditative practice, you will focus on holding postures for longer periods of time (about 3-5 minutes.) It will be different for everyone, if you are just starting out with this yin practice you may want to start with 1-3 minutes to hold. If you are a more experienced student you may want to hold longer (3-7 minutes.) Everybody's body is different and everyone's practice will be different.
Listen to your body
In a yin practice you want to activate your edge. Since we are holding these asanas (postures) for longer periods of time we want to feel a stretch, but you don't want it to be so deep that you can't breathe while in the pose.
Don't go past your edge
Yin poses can feel intense at times and you will begin to feel uncomfortable sensations and that is okay, but you don't want to feel pain.
What's the difference between pain and uncomfortable sensations?
After about 10 breaths or so of being in the pose you will begin to feel the sensation decrease. If you feel it's getting more uncomfortable then you want to either back off or come out of the pose completely. You never want to feel sharp, shooting or electrical sensation during a yin practice. What you are looking for is more of a dull, throbbing sensation and it will feel like a bit of a stretch.
Finding Stillness
You want to try to remain still without shifting too much. Every time we move, we engage our muscles. Moving also requires energy, which affects the breath. Learning to calm your breath and remain still will allow your muscles to relax as you begin to experience the effects of a deep stretch. Which will lead to greater circulation in your body. Sometimes the mind will wander, that's normal. Notice if you are having thoughts about the future or past and remind yourself to come back to the present. Allow yourself to focus on taking deep breaths in and long breaths out to calm the breath. Once the breath becomes calm, stillness will arise.
What are the benefits of yin yoga?
- Improves flexibility
- Improves joint mobility
- Increase fluidity in tissues
- Increase energy
- Releases fascia
- Stress reduction
- Greater states of presence
- Calms the nervous system
- Better organ function
- Emotional healing
After a yin practice you will begin to feel more open and relaxed, almost like you just received a massage.
