November 2008 | Healthy Living :: Yogapedia

Defining yoga, one style at a time

Yin Yoga

By Julia Steinberger

Origins: On some days, a sweaty Vinyasa flow is just the thing to relieve tension and restore grounding. But other times, it’s important to honor your need for balance with an introspective practice focused on the more subtle energies and tissues of the body. The emerging style of Yin Yoga addresses this quieter side of the energetic duality. The Yin approach is one piece drawn from a larger philosophical understanding of yoga called Taoist Yoga, an earth-honoring practice rooted in the Chinese Taoist understanding that all things are interconnected, and that holistic wellness rests on the delicate balance of yin and yang.

In the human body, muscles and blood are considered yang tissues, while joints and connective tissues are yin. According to Taoist yoga master Paulie Zink, “Yin Yoga is the softer, gentler aspect of Taoist yoga used for restoring the flow of blood and chi and to grow the body supple and flexible.”

Most contemporary yoga styles emphasize the yang, says master teacher Paul Grilley, a student of Master Zink. Complementing these more muscular styles of yoga with a Yin practice allows students to access the yin aspects of their bodies, and understanding both styles helps deepen a student’s knowledge of how to make his/her practice most effective.

What to Expect: Yin Yoga targets the connective tissue of the hips, pelvis and lower spine with stretching postures that are eased into and then held at length — for three, five, or even up to ten minutes at a time. Some teachers will include meditation as part of their class, but because there is no prescribed sequence for Yin Yoga classes, every instructor’s class will be different. So seek out a teacher you trust, whose individual style you enjoy practicing and learning from.

Yin Yoga on its own doesn’t include vigorous muscular work, so Grilley stresses that students must round out the practice with physical exercise to maintain a healthy body. Grilley suggests practicing Yin Yoga two or three times per week.

Signature Poses: Paschimottanasana, or Caterpillar Pose, is a passive deep forward bend in which the student sits upright with straight legs, then folds from the hips, with the chest reaching toward the thighs. The counter pose is Supta Virasana, or Saddle Pose, in which the student sits with knees folded and sit bones settled between the feet, then gradually eases into a backbend (support from a pillow can easily encourage full relaxation in this pose). Both forms address the most fundamental levels of spinal strength and flexibility.