What is Yin Yoga?
Yin Yoga is a deeply healing practice that extends far beyond its physical benefits. By holding poses in relative stillness, Yin Yoga encourages a mindful and meditative approach. The practice offers a retreat from the busyness and Yang energy of modern life, providing an opportunity to pay close attention to bodily sensations. There is so much wisdom held within our bodies! By tuning into our bodies, we get to know ourselves on a deeper level, cultivating self-awareness and self-attunement. This process allows us to discern our true needs and shed layers of conditioning, helping us live more authentically.
Yin and Yang are relative terms; there is no such thing as purely Yin or solely Yang. Within the spectrum of a Yin practice, there are poses designed to be more stimulating and activating, such as backbends. The time of day—whether morning or evening—will determine the sequence of poses to align with the energy curve. A morning practice sets us up for the day ahead, while an evening practice helps us wind down and prepare for sleep.
Learning to "play our edge" involves listening closely to the needs of our bodies, balancing the mind's cravings and the body's yearnings. Sometimes, our bodies encourage us to slow down and do less. In Yin, we don’t want to go as deep as possible into a pose straight away. The essence of Yin is yielding and acceptance, aiming for about 60-70 percent intensity. Noticing whether we can breathe deeply and easefully or if we are holding tension elsewhere in the body (e.g., jaw, fingers, toes, teeth) can indicate whether we have gone too deep.
A key aspect of Yin Yoga is holding poses for longer periods, typically 3 to 5 minutes or even longer. While Yang Yoga targets muscles, Yin Yoga focuses on the deeper connective tissues, including ligaments, joints, and fascia. Students of Yin learn to discern between pain and discomfort, understanding that dull and achy sensations are to be expected. Holding poses for longer periods is one of the biggest challenges for students, as Yin Yoga tests our physical bodies as well as our mental tenacity, resilience, and patience.
Associated with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and the concept of meridians, Yin Yoga stimulates these energy channels, balancing the body’s energy flow and enhancing overall vitality and wellbeing.
Yin Yoga can be beautifully combined with meditation, mindfulness practices, and breathwork. Observing our breath—how we are being breathed in the shapes—often reveals whether we have met our edge or overexerted ourselves. For those who find traditional seated meditation challenging, Yin Yoga offers an entry point into the practice of meditation and mindfulness, helping practitioners cultivate stillness and presence that they can take off the mat and into their daily lives. Focusing on bodily sensations is one mindfulness technique to anchor our awareness in the present moment. Similarly, we can listen to our thoughts, notice how we speak to ourselves in each pose, attend to the surrounding soundscape, and observe any emotions that arise during practice. Often, classes are themed, offering another avenue for students to connect to their practice on a deeper and more meaningful level.
“We don’t use our body to get into a pose, we use the pose to get into our body.”
- Bernie Clark
