Yin yoga gets its name from the concept of "Yin" and "Yang," which are fundamental principles in traditional Chinese philosophy, particularly in Taoism. Yin and Yang represent two opposing, yet complementary, forces that are interconnected and interdependent.
Swan and Sleeping Swan Pose in Yin Yoga
Swan and Sleeping Swan pose, is a great way to vigorously open the hips.
In Yin Yoga Swan the pose looks like Pigeon pose from more dynamic styles of yoga.
Frog Pose in Yin Yoga
Frog pose, a deep groin stretch. We look like a frog with the full frog version, with how our legs, knees, toes and feet are positioned. Our knees are so wide creating almost 90 degrees, and our feet and toes are turned outwards.
Bananasana Pose in Yin Yoga
Bananasana, also called Banana pose! It’s called this simply because we place the body into what looks like a banana shape. Some might even see a crescent moon shape.
The intent of this posture is to get into the side body’s deeper connective tissue, past the muscles. By laterally bending into our spine, we target the intercostal muscles and obliques.
Anahatasana (Melting Heart) Pose in Yin Yoga
ANAHATASANA, also called Melting Heart pose is a wonderful Yin Yoga pose for anyone that works at a desk majority of the day or even someone who is looking to undue bad posture.
Shoelace Pose in Yin Yoga
A great hip opener and decompression for the lower spine when folding forward (Clark, 2015).
Shoelace pose, I personally love this pose, especially after a run or even when I’ve been sitting too much, the outer hips and my low back feel amazing after this deep stretch. I usually do two rounds of 5 mins holds, one with right leg crossed on top of left leg, move out and into counter pose, then switch to left leg crossed on top, counter pose and then repeat again. I would caution you though
Butterfly Pose in Yin Yoga
Butterfly pose is a nice way to get into our hips, groin and lower back. Our hamstrings may also get a nice stretch if the heels are further away from the groin. If you try the variation of Butterfly where you fold forward your spine gets a nice release as well.
Why is the pose called Butterfly pose you ask? Well our souls of our feet coming together, brings our legs to bend and creates a butterfly shape.
Child's Pose in Yin Yoga
Child’s pose a wonderful way to soothe ourselves. It’s a widely used pose in all styles of Yoga, including Yin Yoga. It can be a great counter pose for back bends (heart opening) poses, or as a rest during your practice. Child’s pose can be done anytime even outside of your yoga practice. Especially if you’re looking to relax and wind down your energy. With the added benefits for your hips and spine its a great one to do right before bed, well anytime really if you want to chill, ground and relax your energy.
5 Yin Yoga Poses to Practice Daily
Yin Yoga is a practice for a deeper release in the body, right into our deeper connective tissues, past the muscles. The deeper connective tissues need time to feel and notice change, this is why the approach in Yin Yoga is to hold postures in stillness and for time. Time allows those tissues to become stronger and/or release tension that’s built up from stress, being too stagnant and/or even in some cases being too active.
The deeper tissues of our bodies, are made up of the fascia, joints, tendons and ligaments. They’re considered more rigid and plastic in nature which requires a different approach. Movement primarily focus on our muscles. Stillness with passive held postures focuses on deeper release. Modalities like massage therapy, rolfing are some other examples. Tension can be stored deeper and working our muscles with repetitive movements, doesn’t necessarily target where the tension starts. Deeper. How Bernie Clark describes this still, deeper practice, “Yin Yoga is the other half you’re missing” (2015).
Reclined (Supine) Twist Pose in Yin Yoga
Reclined Twist Yin Yoga pose is a nice way to neutralize our spine. You can do this pose either after a yoga practice or even after a long day at work, or even before bed, this pose can be a nice way to generally help wind down your energy.
There is that quote by John Pilates and B.K.S Iyengar that says “…we are only as young as our spine is flexible”!
Benefits of Yin Yoga
The Yin Yoga practice offers benefits to the physical body, our minds and the subtle energy. The practice has grown in popularity over the last five years. What’s all the hype about? Why is Yin Yoga something i should at least try once? What are the specific benefits?
Squat Pose in Yin Yoga
SQUAT POSE…a posture that should be practiced daily. I think so anyway, as this keep a healthy range of motion for our hips as we age. A longer hold of the posture gets the the hips to open simultaneously. Strengthens the ankles.
Can also be a nice relief for low back pain.
Yin Yoga Sequence for Winding your Energy Down
This Yin Yoga sequence is intended to wind down your energy and help you ease out of your day.
Relax and let go of your tension in your body, even mental tension as you focus on what you feel and your breath.
Let go of anything else that accumulated throughout your day that doesn’t serve you well, thoughts, feelings or tension.
Help release, wind down your energy and let go of anything that doesn’t help you stay calm, relaxed and content.
The sequence below targets the spine, hips and shoulders.
Sphinx + Seal Pose in Yin Yoga
S P H I N X + S E A L…these yin yoga postures are two of my favourites. Both poses are an extension for the spine. Seal is a deeper version of sphinx, but both generally target the same area of the body, the lower lumbar. I love these poses, especially for helping to nourish the spine, and more specifically release the entire spine and offer a deep compression for the lower lumbar.
Half Butterfly Pose in Yin Yoga
H A L F B U T T E R F L Y …a wonderful Yin Yoga posture where you can also incorporate a forward fold to work your spine into flexion all while getting into your hips and hamstrings. Intention here is to relax and allow gravity to do its thing, while you hold a Yin Yoga posture in stillness and for time.
Seated Swan Pose in Yin Yoga
SEATED SWAN POSE ...this posture is so juicy after a run or hike or even if you’ve been sitting too long. No matter if we are active or inactive our hips need some love, and deeper release.
This posture is a great way to get into your hips in a seated way where it’s pretty safe for your knees. It’s a bit more effort, then the typical seated swan, as you have to lean back and use your hands and arms to hold you up, in order to bring your knee closer to the body and keep hinging at your hips rather than rounding in the lower back.
Not pictured you can always lay down and do this posture laying down with your bottoms leg soup of the foot planted against a wall.
Yang vs. Yin Yoga
When comparing yang versus yin styles of yoga the practice are relative opposites.
YIN YOGA is more passive in nature, introspective and a relatively still practice.
Yang styles of yoga are more dynamic, moving in and out of one posture to another. Working and engaging the muscles.