When I first saw Yin Yoga as a class listing at my studio, I had no clue what it was. Used to the vigorous and challenging hot yoga classes I normally took, I was pleasantly surprised when I walked into the classroom. The lights were all dimmed, candles were lined up down the middle of the room, and bolsters sat at the foot of every mat. The teacher went from mat to mat giving us all a few drops of essential oils, and still wearing my fuzzy socks and OSU hoodie, I laid down for the start of class. As the hour went on, I could feel my mind slow and my muscles relax. I felt a deep stretch that I had never reached before in such a calming way. When the class came to a close, I felt light and calm, not to mention all previously sore areas felt so much more open. This sense of calmness and vulnerability that I had experienced is the reason I wanted to start offering Yin Yoga. Not only is this class great for relaxation and stretching, but it is also a very important part of staying whole and balanced- as there must always be a yin with the yang.
Yin Yoga is extremely restorative and therapeutic for both body and mind. This meditative practice challenges the student to stop for a second, in a world that praises constantly being on the go, and take a minute to allow themselves to heal and be present. The practice consists of holding passive poses from anywhere between 3 to 10 minutes, which can bring about discomfort that teaches the mind to reroute and not go into the fight-or-flight response. By allowing the body to fall into the parasympathetic nervous system, emotions and thoughts are allowed to release and flow freely without attachment. This is why, if taken seriously, Yin Yoga can teach you to connect more with yourself and divine wisdom.
While the benefits of Yin Yoga on the mind are great, so are the benefits on the physical body. As we age, we lose mobility in our joints and the fascia and connective tissue begins to tighten. Connective tissue only starts to really lengthen and stretch when a pose is held for a long amount of time and the body is relaxed. The longer the pose is held, the deeper the body gets into the stretch and the tissue and fascia is rehydrated- which actually helps in slowing down the aging process! The gentle amounts of stress put onto the joints also aid in bringing more mobility to the body. This deep stretching is like a massage for the whole body and blockages are removed from the myofascial meridians. Other benefits include improved sleep, reduced stress and anxiety, increased circulation, and even a greater sense of companion and self-love for our body.
I hope that, if you haven't already, you try this practice, as well as bringing more yin into your day-to-day life!
With love,
Louisa