YIN YOGA
The definition of ‘Yin’ has qualities that are slow, soft, inner, steady, darker, cooler, descending and concealed. It has the mind state energy of listening, allowing, integrating, imagining, and revering. From a seasonal perspective, it is Autumn/Winter energy.
Yang on the other hand is warmer, brighter, rising, faster, outer. From a mind state perspective, it is structuring, challenging, asserting, ruling. It is Spring/Summer energy.
Yin and Yang originated from Taoist thinkers, who saw the world in contrasting. shifting states through the seasons and elements: earth, wind, fire, water. Nothing is permanent, seasons and weather are constantly changing, however, the one constant is ebb and flow, the never-ending cycle.
The Yin class that I offer has been created to shift your entire system down a few gears. From the Sympathatic go go go (running from the lion) energy, to the slower, more present and content ventral energy. Students leave feeling calm, connected, and rested. It is mindful, slow stretching that takes time with each pose so that you notice, listen, connect.
Stomachs gurgle a lot in this class, which is fantastic! When your nervous system shifts into a state of regulation, all your organs can finally work effectively, all of the holding on energy releases, your mind quietens, your body softens.
The more consistently you attend Yin classes, the quicker you are teaching your body that it is safe to soften, let go, be present and ok with taking things slower. The presence, the slowness, the breathing then begins to infiltrate into your daily life. The teaching becomes a part of you so that you soften and calm without having to think too much about it.
Yin Yoga can:
Help with recovery from high stress environments or high intensity workouts
Restore and regulate your nervous system and natural bio-rhythms
Restore a smoother flow of emotional and mental energy
The addition of the quartz crystal singing bowls helps to quieten the mind, focus on the present moment and sink into a trance state. Students that attend that claim to not be good meditators, were astonished that they could dip in and out of trance/sleep. It is the combination of being in the pose and listening to the singing bowls that creates the perfect environment for restoring your nervous system.