What is Yin Yoga? (Feb. 12, 2022)

I do not get to teach Yin Yoga very often, but I love it. Here's why:

Have you ever tried Yin Yoga? Yin Yoga is a different practice than more active (or, Yang) yoga. Instead of focusing on muscles, the practice attends to the connective tissue in your body, including fascia, ligaments, and joints. The practice is based on Chinese philosophies of Qi (energy) and functions similarly to acupuncture, helping to remove energy blockages. In a Yin practice, poses are held anywhere from 2 to 5 minutes to allow your body the time to release fully into the pose. While a Yang yoga class activates the sympathetic nervous system (i.e. "fight or flight"), Yin yoga targets the parasympathetic nervous system (i.e. "rest and digest"). Benefits of Yin include increased flexibility, better circulation, and stress reduction.