WHAT IS YIN YOGA?

A Short History

Yin yoga is a slower, more passive style of yoga compared to a flowing, dynamic vinyasa practice. Its origins and inspirations can be observed as far back as 2000 years ago in China. There is evidence of Taoist priests sharing techniques that are similar to those in Yin yoga, within a practice called Daoist Yoga that was taught to those who practicing King Fu at the time.

It was then developed by Paul Grilley in the 1980s to form the practice “yin yoga”. The basis of the technique is rooted in traditional Chinese Medicine. Together with Dr Hiroshi Motoyama, a Japanese scholar and yoga practitioner, Grilley explored the concept of Qi and the meridians of the body as taught by Chinese Medicine.

Concept of Qi

Qi to the Chinese Daoists is what Prana is to the yogis of ancient India. It is the life force that unites all things. I like to think of it as a constantly flowing energy, vibration, blood flow, and breath. In Chinese Medicine, it is believed that tightness or “blockages” in the body can impede the most effective route that Qi can flow. Like in the technique of acupuncture, yin yoga poses target certain areas to allow Qi to flow unobstructed.

In Yin yoga poses are held from around 3-5 minutes and you are encouraged to be still during this time. After you are guided out of a pose, you move to your “rebound” pose normally lying flat on your back in a savasana position. It is in the rebound that it is possible to feel the rush of Qi back around the body as you allow the body to open up.

Body Meridians

Another essential concept of Yin yoga is the meridians of the body. In Chinese Medicine the channels that conduct energy in the body are meridians which form a network in the entire body targeting different organs. Once the meridians are cleared Qi can flow freely and the organ performs better.

If you have ever have acupuncture you will know often they place needles in trigger points like the feet or the hands when trying to treat an issue elsewhere in the body.

Yin vs. Yang

This concept has even filtered into our idiomatic language as “oh they are yin and yang”. It is the idea of opposing elements that in fact provide us with balance. Yin is the stable, slow, passive, downward energy and Yang is light, moving, upward, and excited energy. In terms of the physical body our muscles can be described as Yang they are responsible for action, and our connective tissues are Yin.

FASCIA

The connective tissues of our body include the fascia. Fascia is this web of interlocking tissue that forms a sheath all around our bodies. Since there is one singular piece of this stretchy, mesh-like substance interweaving through muscles and organs from head to toe like shrink-wrap, distress in one area can affect movement and create symptoms elsewhere.

So why the long holds? 

As Paul Grilley says,

“Yin yoga is not about effort, it is about time.”

SYNOVIAL FLUID

Holding the position for a significant amount of time gives the connective tissue time and space to be gently stretched. At around the 3 minute mark, that is when more synovial fluid is released by the body that naturally lubricates the joint allowing for more freedom of movement and less pain.

IMPROVED FOCUS & PATIENCE

The society we live in today forces us to be on the go all-the-time. Forcing a state of stillness can actually be incredibly challenging for a lot of us that are used to continuously rolling to do lists. Confronting this inability to stay still is key to growth both physically and emotionally.

HEIGHTENED SELF AWARENESS

 Once we allow ourselves to be still and give ourselves that space we start to notice ourselves. We start to learn to sit with discomfort, to let feelings arise when we are in a state of calm. You may find during your yin practice that you get quite emotional. This is normal. Cultivating awareness of Qi in the physical body (i.e. what can i feel? My hamstrings feel tight… or I can feel my shoulders starting to open up) is the first step to objectively experiencing your emotions too.

You are also in a state of relaxation. Your nervous system knows there is no threat to you so it is a perfect time to confront some uncomfortable feelings or situations.  

What will I need?

Props are incredibly helpful in Yin yoga. It is understood that each one of us has a slightly different skeletal system so no-one pose will be great for everyone. The beauty of Yin yoga is that it is not about how the posture looks it’s about whether you can feel the target area. Lots of different versions of each pose will be offered and you can use props to allow yourself to feel supported. In fact Paul Grilley has some fascinating research that shows our joints can be significantly different from person to person so we should never expect one pose to look the same for everybody. Check out the side by side photos here.

If you feel support from a prop you are more likely to allow yourself to fully release into the posture and get the maximum benefit (without pushing beyond that magic 60% sensation).

I normally recommend a bolster (or two sturdy cushions) and two blocks.

To practice Yin yoga yourself check out Emma’s new On Demand Series on The Online Studio (see below).