FAQs - YIN YOGA
1. What is Yin Yoga?
Yin Yoga, a practice originally built upon the meridian theory of Chinese medicine, focusses upon the healing of connective tissue for the purpose of reawakening and cleansing the body’s energy grid of stagnant energy (Qi).
Chinese medicine is a healing system governed by the interdependent and harmonious interrelationship of opposing forces (yin/yang). Those “deeper” aspects of the human body, i.e. further below the surface of the skin, are considered yin, while those more superficial aspects, i.e. closer to the surface of the skin, are considered yang. It is theorized that within these deeper yin tissues are housed the body’s energetic pathways (meridians).
Sometimes called “Yoga for the Joints”, Yin Yoga is the passive practice of targeting and awakening these “deeper” connective tissues of the body, such as, ligaments, tendons and fascia, catalyzing energetic flow throughout the meridian system, increasing the health, mobility and longevity of the entire physical body.
2. What are the benefits of Yin Yoga?
Owing to its mindful, contemplative nature, Yin Yoga is highly beneficial for both mind and body.
It is extremely helpful for joint health and mobility, and aids in the breaking down and healing of scar tissue resulting from old injuries. This practice comes highly recommended by Whit who credits Yin Yoga with the healing of his innumerable sports-related injuries (surgeries, fractures, sprains etc).
Yin Yoga also provides an incredible opportunity to reopen the lines of communication between body and mind through the language of sensation. With patient practice Yin Yoga reawakens the mind’s innate fluency in the energetic language of the body (and cosmos), catalyzing our understanding of, and deepening our relationship to, the bodies in which we live.
3. Why practice Yin Yoga?
The unrelenting speed and concomitant pressure of contemporary human society is a blatant example of an imbalance of “yang”, or active energy.
As such, the passive practice of Yin Yoga could be practiced by everyone. It is the art of slowing down and a much needed respite for all human minds residing within our 21st century “type-A” culture. When guided properly and responsibly, Yin Yoga also carries within it the potential to heal deeply ingrained emotional patterns and psychological traumas.
From a physical perspective Yin Yoga is transformative for the healing of all sorts of injuries and imbalances within the body. Subtle in its effects at first, those able to apply patient endurance and mindful, compassionate attention to their Yin Yoga practice will, over time, receive an incredible array of benefits in both body and mind.
4. Is Yin Yoga for beginners?
Yin Yoga is often equated with being a beginner style simply because of the external appearance of the posture, as for the most part it is not a highly impressive or daunting posture practice. Nonetheless, the energetic psychological expressions that inevitably arise in our practice can be powerful and at times overwhelming to an untrained mind.
Yin Yoga can absolutely be practiced by beginners, but we would suggest at first to do so only through the guidance of a highly experienced and qualified teacher.
5. How does Yin Yoga affects connective tissue?
These human bodies contain a massive amount of the water element, with bones remarkably containing up to 25% water themselves. But as the body ages it naturally begins to dry up. A readily available example of this is expressed in the wrinkles seen in the skin of all aging bodies. Our bodies begin as grapes at birth and finish as raisins (if we are lucky) in old age.
In Chinese medicine it is theorized that the energetic pathways (meridians/nadis) are housed within the deep connective tissues of the body. Tissues that inherently have a very low fluid content. And so, as the body ages and dries out, the connective tissue begins to shrivel, losing mobility and constricting the free flow of energy (Qi, prana) throughout the system, leading to at best discomfort and at worst disease.
Yin Yoga counters this natural aging process by gradually reopening the connective tissue and in turn reawakening the free flow of energy throughout the system, benefitting the totality of our embodiment.
6. Does alignment matter in Yin Yoga?
Typically when we speak of “alignment” in yoga, we do so based upon the understanding that in order to “create alignment”, muscular action is required to bring the skeleton into a desired anatomical position in space.
But in Yin Yoga the muscles are not involved in the act of the posture, and in fact act as an impediment to targeting the deeper connective tissue. So from this perspective we are not creating alignment in this practice.
However, alignment in Yin Yoga can be and sometimes should be created. But instead of being created through muscular action, we align and position the body anatomically in space through the support of props (blocks, bolsters, blankets).
7. Can I practice Yin Yoga without props?
For the vast majority of bodies Yin Yoga should not be practiced without props. At least to begin.
For many practitioners of Yin Yoga, although the posture may look like a Yin posture on the outside, without the use of props the physiological processes taking place within the body would not constitute a Yin approach.
Props are used to support the body in space, enabling the muscle tissue to release and let go (the prerequisite to getting into connective tissue) and allowing gravity to act as the sole force upon the body. Unless one is hyper-mobile (at times a contraindication for Yin Yoga) and fully supported by the earth in every posture, most of our bodies will require the support of the props in order for the muscles to fully let go.
Props do not have to come from a yoga studio and can be created at home with books, blankets and pillows.
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