Yin Style Yoga

Yin yoga is an alternative form of yoga practice, one that is designed to connect the body with the spirit and promote deep tissue healing. It is a calm, gentle yoga practice — one that emphasizes the need for simple poses that must be held for longer periods of time. On the surface, it may seem too basic or too slow, but it is actually a powerful form of yoga practice that offers a vast range of benefits.

Common Yin Yoga Poses

• Child’s pose —
  Child’s pose is a relaxing, meditative pose that gives you plenty of time to reflect. This pose is ideal for those who are beginning yin style yoga, as it is also common in yang yoga classes. To achieve child’s pose, you will want to bend your knees, and slowly bring your hips toward your feet. Leave your arms outstretched in front of you and focus on taking deep, restorative breaths.

• Melting heart —
  This pose requires you to begin in the tabletop position, and then walk your arms forward until you can rest on your forearms. Keep your hips aligned above your knees, so that you are stretching your upper body and your back. This pose allows you to open up your chest and take very deep breaths. It should be held for about four minutes.

• Full forward bend —
  Some mistakenly assume that this is a simple pose, because it only requires you to bend over at the waist. Your arms should reach toward the floor as you bend over, and you should hold this pose for as long as possible. It is a relatively easy pose to master, but it provides worthwhile results for those who are practicing yin yoga. This pose can be altered for those with health issues, and the individual can lay on the floor and place their legs vertically along a wall.

• Seal pose —
  The seal pose begins by laying on the floor, and then you use your forearms to stretch your upper body up. In seal pose, your hands support your upper body and you should stretch your chest forward while aligning your head, neck and shoulders. This pose should be held for at least three minutes, if not longer.

• Butterfly pose —
  Butterfly pose requires the use of a cushion prop. Sit on the edge of the cushion, with your knees bent and your feet together. Slowly use your hands to walk your upper body forward, and rest your head between your feet while your arms are stretched out in front. This is an ideal meditative pose, and should be held for a longer period of time. Ideally, you would push your comfort zone in this pose.

• Corpse pose —
  Corpse pose is the ideal way to end a yin yoga session. To achieve corpse pose, rest flat on the floor while on your back. With one hand on your heart, and another on your stomach, allow yourself to ease into total relaxation. Maintain this pose for at least eight minutes, or longer if you prefer.

3 Tips for Practicing Yin Style Yoga

1. Begin by selecting two or three poses that you are most comfortable with. You will need to hold these poses for a longer period of time than during traditional yoga sessions, so you will want to be able to withstand the duration.
2. Start by holding each pose for about a minute. With each session, increase the amount of time that you hold the pose. In yin style yoga, most poses are held for at least three to five minutes, but they may be held for as long as 20 minutes. The goal is to focus on deep breathing and meditation while holding the poses that lead to deep tissue healing.
3. Use the right props needed in order to hold the pose and achieve the desired results. In yang style yoga, props are often seen as crutches, but they are actually essential accessories in yin style yoga. Props can help a person get into the exact position that they need, and ultimately maintain that position for the desired length of time.

Yin style yoga is an ideal yoga practice for those who are looking to increase their flexibility, improve their range of motion or heal from an injury. It is a yoga style that can be practiced by beginners as well as experienced yogis. Those who are interested in trying yin style yoga should contact a local yoga studio or community recreation center in order to see if there are any yin yoga classes available.

Until next time, here’s to yin!

Sincerely,

Jill Schoenberg
a Lover of Yin Yoga and Life