Last week, I caught up with Senior Yin Yoga Teacher, Leonie Lockwood, and after feeling inspired to get DEEPER into my postures and sit LONGER in my poses, I wanted to share some cool tips I found about getting your OWN Yin Yoga Practice started.
“This practice is designed to help you sit longer, and more comfortably, in meditation by stretching connective tissue around the joints (mainly the knees, pelvis, sacrum, and spine). A passive practice, Yin Yoga involves variations of seated and supine poses typically held for 3 to 5 minutes, accessing deeper layers of fascia. Yin Yoga was originally introduced by Paulie Zink.” – Yoga Journal
If you’re nervous about getting into Yoga, Yin can be a gentle, SAFE way to start a slow practice and learn to connect your breath with mind and body. It’s a passive practice, so your muscles are not actively working, but that DOESN’T mean it’s not good for you!! In fact, the times I’ve come to the mat in a Yin Studio; I’ve left feeling like a just gave myself a HUGE dose of body love and leave with the feeling a massage brings. It’s definitely up there on my #selflove list.
Yes, I agree that I can of course be biased, but the team over at Mind-Body-Green have compiled a whole LIST of benefits from jumping out of the rat race, and slowing down the pace with a little bit of balance…
Benefits of Yin Yoga
- It calms and balances the mind
- It lowers stress and anxiety (WIN!!)
- It increases mobility in the body – especially the joints and hips
- It regulates energy in the body, balancing the metabolism
- It gives you greater stamina, in whatever form you need it
- You gain flexibility by letting the muscle tension go – not by contracting them!
- It offer better lubrication and protection for your joints
- It release’s fascia throughout the body; like using a foam roller or getting a massage
- It helps with migraines
- It allows you to experience deeper relaxation, preparing for meditation
- It’s a holistic approach to combating anxiety, stress and depression
- You gain better posture for enduring long periods of seated meditation
- It will improve your YANG (Vinyasa, Ashtanga, Power etc.) yoga practice
- It connects your mind, body and soul
- It gives you time out to ease your mind and focus your thoughts
For a little more light on different kinds of Yoga styles, give my earlier post a read on A Beginers Guide to Yoga. It’s a great insight onto the MANY kinds of yoga that are around, and if you need help connecting with a teacher in your area – JUST ASK – and I’ll do the searching for you.
Love & light,
Monique Elouise xx
