Yin Yoga
Quiet, long-held floor poses promoting a deeply releasing and soothing experience
In Yin we slow down, take poses on the floor, and stay in each shape for three to six minutes. By exploring the poses for a longer period of time, it gives an opportunity to attend deeply to the experience of being in our body. While gently tugging (stretching) on the soft tissues – fascia, connective tissue, muscle, ligaments, tendons and the tissue surrounding the bones -- we learn how to intelligently play our edge, as we listen to whatever sensations are coming up.
Yin Yoga is complementary to:
active styles of yoga such as Power, Vinyasa, and Iyengar, and others
strength training
running, biking, swimming, hiking, and so forth
a stressful, busy life
Through Yin you access the tight, stiff, harder-to-get-to areas of the body in a way that is simply not possible in faster, hotter, stronger styles of yoga and other strengthening and cardio activities.
The deep release that Yin yoga provides:
hydrates tissues
maintains healthy joint mobility
removes toxins from tissues
increases flexibility
slows the degenerative processes in the aging body (aging body anyone?)
mental clarity, balance and relaxation
From the outside Yin doesn’t look like much is going on, but the inner experience is very rich. In addition to physical benefits, Yin Yoga provides space for balancing emotions and moving stuck energy. Inner qualities of courage, calmness, and contentment are naturally nourished in Yin practice.
In this class, Wendy often reads aloud while you’re in the poses. Inspiring readings vary from poetry, Buddhist philosophy and psychology, mindfulness, practical neuroscience to hard topics like illness, death and loss. Being read to during the held poses allows time for deeper reflection, adding an embodied intellect to the class.
Adding Yin into your routine creates a more complete yoga experience. If you love hot, fast, strong styles of yoga, give Yin a try!
