SLOWING DOWN, ZONING OUT and TAKING TIME TO TAKE TIME….I’d been intrigued by Yin yoga for some time, after encountering it briefly in my teacher training and also when I was away at a surf/yoga camp in Morocco this summer. I followed my gut and booked onto a teacher training course to learn more about this wonderful branch of yoga. The course was with the fantastic Louise Windsor and the venue the lovely Harmonise Training Academy in Hove.
In essence Yin is a slow form of yoga, focusing on the connective tissues and bones in the body as opposed to a more rapid “Yang” practice such as Vinyasa or Ashtanga more specifically targeting muscle groups. All yoga has elements of meditative focus and pranayama (breathing techniques) however with yin everything is slower, there is time for guided meditations, visualizations, storytelling and poems, and you find yourself falling more readily and deeply into that inner space.
A Little about the history of Yin…
The roots of Yin yoga are deep within yoga’s intertwined and vast history. Within India’s earliest spiritual books-The Vedas, yoga is not described as a path to liberation and asana practice is not mentioned. Yoga then, was focused more towards being a mental discipline and a moral compass on which to guide the practitioner through life. The nearest word to asana in ancient records was asundi, which is a block which one would sit on during meditation. Meditation-particularly sitting for long periods of time is regarded as a yin form of exercise-sitting for hours a day requires appropriate training of the mind and body-the posture should be good, the back strong, hips open and the mind focused. It is thought that most early yoga practices were very yin like-strengthening the body and mind for meditation. Following The Veda books, The Yoga Sutra also makes little mention of asana practice-it notes that postures should be sithira and sukham-steady and comfortable-again yin style attributes.
By the time The Hatha Yoga Pradipika was written-1350 CE by Swami Swatmarama there was more detailed description of asana practice-fifteen postures in total, eight of which are seated. All of the ancient yogic texts were intended to be read with the guidance of a guru, so many aspects of yoga were not discussed or hidden-we can only interpret them as they appear, however one thing that the texts all have in common is that they are preparing the body and mind for meditation. Through this deep meditation, the ancient spiritual adepts gained insight into the energy system of the body. In India, yogis called this energy prana and its pathways nadis; in China, the Taoists called it qi and founded the science of acupuncture, which describes the flow of qi through pathways called meridians. The exercises of tai chi chuan, and qi gong were developed to harmonize this qi flow; the Indian yogis developed their system of bodily postures to do the same. Taoists would say yang practice removes qi stagnation as it cleanses and strengthens our bodies and our minds. But the practice of yang yoga, by itself, may not adequately prepare the body for a yin activity such as seated meditation. Seated meditation is a yin activity, not just because it is still but because it depends on the flexibility of the connective tissue.
Moving into to 20th Century; although some yoga teachers like BKS Iyenger noted in his teachings to “hold this pose as for 3, 7 or 15 minutes.” The actual term “yin yoga” wasn’t really used till the American Yoga teacher Sarah Powers learnt the Taoist yoga style from teacher Paul Grilley who in turn learnt from Paulie Zink. Paulie Zink taught a yoga style with both yin and yang postures the yin evolving from from Chi-kung and martial arts style breathing techniques.
^Paulie Zink and Sarah Powers
Yoga techniques from the perspective of yin and yang, are due to the different levels of elasticity of the tissues involved. Yang tissues like muscles are more fluid-filled, soft, and elastic; yin tissues like connective tissue (ligaments, tendons, and fascia) and bones are dryer, harder, and stiffer. Therefore, exercise that focuses on muscle tissue is yang, and exercise focusing on connective tissue is yin. Paul Grilley attended Zink’s classes and figured why not have a full class based around the Yin postures so students could hold poses longer, balance the yang in their lives and deepen their practice. Sarah Powers and Paul Grilley have spent the last 20 or so years teaching their yin style of yoga and passing on it’s benefits to students. So really Yin is a relatively modern term for a very ancient style of yoga.
THE RISE IN POPULARITY OF YIN YOGA I FEEL HAS BEEN BROUGHT ABOUT LARGELY DUE TO 3 FACTORS:
1. Scientific developments in the research of fascia and connective tissues:
Fascia is a web of connective tissue formed in bands, it wraps around all the internal parts of the body from head to toe and fuses it all together. It allows the muscles to move freely alongside other structures and reduces friction. It can be found immediately beneath the skin, around muscles, groups of muscles, bones, nerves, blood vessels, organs and cells. Fascia is everywhere. Biologically, it’s what holds us together. For many years science didn’t concentrate on the research of this Fascia however in the last 10 or so years it has gained more attention from scientists and physicians who have proven it’s importance in the body.
The concept of the whole body linking together as one-illness and ailments in one area linking to another has now been acknowledged, and scientists have also been studying the make up of fascia and the cells it contains. The vast array of studies online is mind boggling…
“this intense web of proteins runs down through the membranes of each cell and connects both aspects of the connective-tissue web through the cytoskeleton to the cell nucleus. This means that when you’re doing yoga stretches, you are actually pulling on your cells’ DNA and changing how it expresses itself. This leads to the mechanical environment around your cells being able to alter the way your genes function.”
Reading all about the make up of our incredible Fascia –Fibroblasts, collagen, hyaluronic acid and elastin and the effects of aging, stress, injury and lifestyle can have of then has been enlightening. All this scientific evidence (and there’s a lot!) certainly makes a brilliant case for the importance of fascia within our bodies and the need to clear and prevent blockages though practicing exercise like yin yoga or having acupuncture.
<“Fascia, which means “band” or “bundle” in Latin, surrounds, connects and supports our muscles, organs, bones, tendons, ligaments and other structures of the body. Similar to the membrane around each section of an orange”
2. The medical profession’s support in the ancient knowledge of Chinese anatomy:
^A lot more than meets the eye going on around that tush!
Western medicine has been sceptical in the past about the traditional energy maps of acupuncture, Tai Chi, and Yoga, as there was never physical evidence of nadis and meridians. But in recent years researchers all over the world, have explored the possibility that the connective tissue running throughout the body provides pathways for the energy flows described by the ancients.
Many successful experiments have been carried out some using CT scans, and some radiation to proving the existence of the energy channels described by ancient eastern anatomy. It has also been suggested by scientists that this system is involved in channeling the flow of energy and information relayed by biophotons, (electromagnetic waves of light) and DNA. Blockages in these systems lead to illness and disease. With this confirmation from science modern western yogis can practice maintaining their flow of qi or prana, along their meridians or nadis knowing that the fundamentals of their practice are rooted in fact. The once “airy fairy” language of yoga teachers asking students to visualise energy and practices like acupuncture, Reiki and shiatsu massage suddenly seem less fictitious to those that strive for health and well being.
3. The western population leading a very “yang” lifestyle and exercising predominantly “Yang tissues”.
Due to points 1 & 2 the scientific evidence is hard to ignore for any individual who cares about their well being, the physical benefits of Yin yoga are not only proven but a key element in overall health. The high intensity workouts and keep fit that once dominated the 80’s have evolved into a greater understanding of our body’s needs from trainers and teachers with the help of science and by taking a closer look at ancient wisdom and finally accepting they might have known what they were talking about all along! With this evidence over the past 20 or so years coming to light it’s no wonder Yin yoga has grown in popularity and is available at most studios. Yin poses are often incorporated into more yang style practice too, as teachers are growing more aware of the importance of them, and the awesome benefits relayed to their students.
All physical and scientific aspects aside the modern world is a minefield of stress and pressure. As a population we are working harder and longer, often outwardly giving but not taking time to receive and harness energy to nourish ourselves. The need for re-balancing Yin and Yang in our lifestyles is becoming more and more apparent in modern culture. Mental health cases are rising-anxiety, stress and depression and illness are common place and the imbalance is now sadly effecting the youth of our population too. People are beginning to awaken to their body’s needs, to look inward and devote time to focus on their neglected yin-darkness, stillness, sleep, attention to diet, being outdoors around nature, self-reflection, reducing screen time, all in the effort to address the imbalance individuals are becoming more aware of within themselves. Finally Yin is in!***UPDATE!!! 10/09/19….COME AND DISCOVER YIN! After completing my Yin training last year -an intensive week of bliss and intrigue I can tell you! I have set up a local yin class in Woodfalls-Wiltshire to share this wonderful practice with you all. For details head over to the Group Classes page! I can of course also bring the Yin to you by organizing a tailor made 1-2-1 session-read more about them here. ***