Why YIN?

YIN yoga reminds me I am whole!

It begins with your deliberate breath. Your shape is comfortable with a supported spine and relaxed shoulders, limbs, flanks, face and an uncluttered mind. When the movement begins, you reach in and stretch out to your comfortable edge in order to stay. You stay in the pose while gravity lulls your muscles, tendons, ligaments and joints to their surrendered mass. This is where the work of YIN penetrates and nourishes our bodies and minds.

The three main principles of Yin yoga are to 1) Find your edge. Know the point at which your body can comfortably remain in the pose. Find the balance between no sensation and too much sensation. 2) Be still. Notice and still your desire to fidget, move, or adjust in the pose. Surrender to the edge you've chosen and allow this time to notice and then still the mind, just like the body. 3) Hold the pose. Some poses can be held longer than others, but try to hold for 1-3 minutes as a beginner and progress to longer, 5-10 minute holds, if it's safe in that particular pose.

YIN is a great addition to your busy/stressful day-to-day. Even our best intentions to stay healthy and strong, without the balance of a restorative, stress-reliving practice are not as beneficial as they could be. We need the dualism of both the YIN and the YANG of life to be whole. Some of the benefits may include, improved joint health, increased mobility, better organ function, stillness of the mind, relief from stress and even emotional healing.

There are roughly 25 modern YIN poses and immeasurable variations of each pose to meet the needs of your individual body. Props are a huge compliment to your YIN yoga practice and will allow you to find your unique edge and safe surrender in the YIN poses. Common props include bolsters, blocks, straps, balls, and blankets.

• Invest in your props.

• Clear your space.

• Put you daily practice in your calendar (mornings and evenings are both great options) and don't miss your important meetings with yourself.

• Don't skimp on Savasana!!

Bliss out with YIN. Embrace the duality of life, the YIN and the Yang for wholeness!