What is Yin Yoga

There are many types of Yoga, targeting modern people:

Life is busy and the body is under long-term stress, causing various aches and diseases.
Blindly pursuing outwards, ignoring the true inner feelings, accumulating all kinds of pain day after day, and even losing yourself

Yin Yoga is a great option.

Yin Yoga can help you get rid of

anxiety
Emotionally unstable
High work pressure
All kinds of aches and pains
Physically and mentally exhausted

Yin Yoga can help you achieve

Relax
Improve self-healing ability
activate balanced energy
Gain inner peace ais a great option.nd freedom

Want to know the complete Yin Yoga

Quickly take you through What is Yin Yoga? And experience the 12-position Yin Yoga immediately to get the most natural and effective body, mind and soul care products!

What is Yin Yoga

Yin Yoga was developed by American Paul. Founded by Paul Grilley, it is based on Taoist Yoga and Taoist philosophy, and integrates the meridian theory of traditional Chinese medicine and the human anatomy of modern medicine.

Later, I met Sarah who studied psychology. Together with Sarah Powers, they promoted Yin Yoga and systematized Yin Yoga into an independent school.

Yin yoga emphasizes relaxing the entire body in a passive manner, staying in each posture for about 3 to 5 minutes. Through the relaxed state of muscles, it stretches muscle fibers and connective tissues (such as tendons and ligaments), softens connective tissues, and activates organs. And by relaxing the body muscles, releasing the accumulated stress in the body, achieving self-curative effect, and further entering the realm of unity of body and mind.

Features of Yin Yoga

Yin yoga is a series of special yoga postures developed based on Chinese meridian theory.
Yin yoga adopts a passive method with the muscles completely relaxed, and each movement is still for about 3 to 5 minutes.

Benefits of Yin Yoga

1. Physical aspect

1. Dredge the meridians and nourish the internal organs, making the body healthier

Yin yoga stretches and stays in postures to stimulate the circulation of meridians and qi, while massaging the internal organs.

“Remarks” The internal organs are divided into five internal organs and six internal organs:

The five internal organs (liver, heart, spleen, lungs, kidneys) are solid, substantial organs.

The six fu organs (gallbladder, small intestine, stomach, large intestine, bladder, and triple burner) are hollow organs, like containers. For containers For example, the stomach can hold food and the bladder holds urine. They are hollow organs.

Five internal organs + six fu organs + pericardial meridian = twelve meridians. The branches of the meridians are called collaterals, and the combination of meridians and collaterals is called meridians.

2. Exercise joints to make the lower body stronger

Yin Yoga focuses more on exercising the lower body. The joints here mainly refer to the hip joints, knee joints, ankle joints, etc. Of course, other joints such as shoulder joints, wrist joints, etc. also have the same effect.

Exercising joints can prevent atrophy, prevent degeneration, reduce stiffness, and increase water and blood levels. After all, these places have less blood circulation and less water. Stay in each posture of Yin Yoga for 3 to 5 minutes, and let the help of gravity and your own body weight open and moisturize the joints.

According to the meridian principle of traditional Chinese medicine, unhealthy qi is called “turbid qi”. The turbid qi will be hidden in the joints. As it accumulates over time, it may cause joint pain, such as rheumatism. The postures of Yin Yoga can compress joints, clear turbid air, and stimulate the circulation of Qi meridians, which has the same effect as acupuncture.

3. The connective tissue in the joints is deeply exercised and nourished to prevent aging.

Connective tissue such as tendons (tendons connect muscles to bones), ligaments (ligaments connect bones to bones)

Staying in Yin Yoga for a long time can exercise the stiff connective tissue in our joints that has little water and blood return. Asanas help open the joints, allowing the synovial fluid inside to be fully secreted, creating space for body movements.

4. Exercise fascia to make you younger and more flexible

Fascia is the most common type of tissue in the body, it is everywhere and fills the entire body. It provides the scaffolding structure for the circulatory, nervous, and lymphatic systems, so fascia is also considered the skeleton of soft tissue.

Fascia looks a bit like the white membrane on the outside of chicken. What flows in the fascia is water, while what flows in the meridians is Qi. Exercising the fascia can keep the body soft and elastic and prevent organ sagging.

Some experiments have suggested that “stretching must be maintained for 90 to 120 seconds to change the matrix of connective tissue.” This effect can only be achieved by staying in Yin Yoga for a long time.

5. Improve the body’s self-healing ability

Yin Yoga uses special breathing methods and meditation, similar to Qigong, to awaken the self-healing power in our bodies and promote the vitality of various organs and overall health.

2. Energy aspect

Nowadays, people’s life is fast-paced and stressful, which leads to stiffness and irritable temper. Most of the sports are mainly active sports such as running. And the energy is mostly biased towards the positive side, when the negative and positive energy are not balanced.

Emotional diseases and even mental illnesses may appear one after another. Symptoms such as fatigue, joint pain, muscle tightness, insomnia, anxiety, loneliness, obsessive compulsiveness, and mental illness are all caused by excess positive energy. Yin yoga helps us activate balanced energy .

3. Mental aspect

Yin Yoga often combines mindfulness and is a preparation for long-term meditation practice, which can often last up to an hour. Start by staying in each Yin Yoga pose for 3 to 5 minutes to get used to it, so that you can stay in a static state and maintain your inner concentration.

When staying in Yin yoga poses for a long time, the body will have some reactions due to stretching, such as: soreness, numbness, pain, etc., and even some mood swings. Mindfulness is brought into Yin Yoga, allowing us to truly experience the subtle changes revealed by our body and mind in these few minutes, quietly observing our body and emotions in stillness, and feeling the present moment.

Regularly practice mindfulness Yin Yoga to relax your mind through awareness of emotions in busy life, and gradually achieve the state of unity of body and mind. Help us gain the power of self-transformation, face life with a normal mind, and gain inner peace and freedom.

“Remarks” Mindfulness does not refer to positive thinking, but:

conscious awareness
Focus on the present
No judgment

For example: when washing dishes, remain fully aware and focus on whether the soap is lathering, how it smells, the temperature of the water, and the surface of the dishes when you touch it, without any judgment. This is called mindfulness.

The specific method of mindfulness is to use “breathing”. When you inhale, you know or see that you are inhaling. When you exhale, you know or see that you are exhaling. Be aware of your physical condition. This is the starting point of mindfulness practice.

4. Spirituality

Yin Yoga combines mindfulness with slow-motion meditation to cultivate kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity, and the ability to meditate inwardly, purifying inner clarity, enhancing spirituality, allowing the “true self” to exist peacefully, and freeing the mind.

Yin Yoga vs Yang Yoga

YIN YOGA YANG YOGA

main Focus on deep exercises, mainly connective Emphasis on strength

purpose tissues (such as tendons and ligaments) that exercises, mainly muscle

rarely exercised in daily life building

During general exercise and Yang yoga, the muscles will tighten and the connective tissue cannot be fully stretched. Therefore, the muscles and connective tissue cannot develop at the same time and in the same way.

For example:

Raise your right hand, relax your right fingers, and then use your left hand to pull any of your right fingers. You will find that in the relaxed state, the fingers can be lengthened. Now try to exert force with your right hand. When your right hand is tense, use your left hand to pull your right finger. You will find that it does not move.

There is a saying that “all connective tissues must have appropriate pressure to be healthy”, and yoga itself emphasizes that different tissues in the body must coordinate yin and yang. Therefore, we should not just exercise muscles, the two need to be balanced to make the body healthier.

Yin Yoga vs Silence Yoga

YIN YOGA RESTORATIVE YOGA

main purpose Exercise connective tissue (eg Adjust the imbalanced

tendons, ligaments) autonomic nervous

system, promote

parasympathetic

nerves, and let the

body relax purely

Assistive device Assistive devices can Assistive devices

application assist or increase comfort, are very important

but are not absolutely necessary and indispensable

residence time 3~5 minutes 8~20 minutes

Stay at the appropriate tension

of 80% of your personal limit.

You can feel the stimulation

of soreness and pain Let go of all your strength,

stay process support your body with

without exerting muscle assistive devices, and stay

relaxation. Gravity and time in the most relaxed state

will lead you to a deeper without any soreness

position. or pain.

What Yin Yoga and Silent Yoga have in common:

Exercises mainly based on sitting and lying postures
The stay time is relatively longer than ordinary yoga
Can achieve physical and mental relaxation, calmness and healing and soothing effects

Who is Yin Yoga suitable for?

People who want to awaken the body’s self-healing power
People who want to slow down aging and stay young forever
People who want to relieve stress and relax
People who want to achieve true inner happiness
For those who enjoy yang yoga or high-intensity exercise:Yin Yoga can help deepen your various practices and achieve a balance of yin and yang
People who don’t practice yoga: Life is often stressful, Yin Yoga can help you relax and soothe your body

When is the right time to practice Yin Yoga?

early morning
before going to bed
Life is at a very turbulent time
after long journey
menstrual period
Before exercising yang yoga

Yin Yoga Precautions

◆Before practice

Pregnant women and students with serious health problems should seek professional medical advice first.
Prepare in advance: yoga mat , yoga bricks and towel.
Clothing: Please wear elastic, breathable and comfortable clothing. Women should avoid wearing underwired underwear and it is best to wear sports bras.
In terms of diet: It is best to practice on an empty stomach. It is recommended to finish eating at least one hour before. If you are really hungry, you can take some liquid food to avoid abdominal discomfort, indigestion, vomiting and other phenomena.
Environmental aspects: Quiet space, and avoid practicing in air outlets where air conditioning blows directly.

◆Practice in progress

If the posture is uncomfortable, you can choose alternative movements.
Stay in the pose, still, steady, and relaxed.
Find the appropriate depth and reach 80% of your personal limit. Leave the remaining 20% to gravity and let your body sink naturally.
If you feel too strong and uncomfortable during the process, you can slowly leave the movement first. It doesn’t matter. When you are ready, slowly enter the movement.
Use a timer to avoid staying too short or too long.
After leaving the movement, stay for 3 breaths to create a space to allow the Qi in the joints to flow and promote blood circulation.

12 Yin Yoga Exercises

1. Dragonfly style

Get into action

Sit with your feet spread approximately 120 degrees
hands front side of body
Inhale, prepare, exhale, and slowly bend forward
Lie on the mat with your belly button touching the floor

assistive device assistance

You can place one or two bricks under your forehead to give your head support
Knee discomfort → Place a small towel or brick under the knee

Alternative Movements include intervertebral disc bulge → Keep the body upright, do not bend forward, put your hands behind your hips, close to your buttocks, and feel good on your inner thighs

Note: Relax your feet

leave action

Place your hands on your knees, bend your feet slightly, and slowly bring your feet back in front of you
Sit in a relaxed position with your hands on your thighs and knees, eyes lightly closed
Stay for 3 natural breaths to create a space that allows Qi to circulate in the joints and promote blood circulation.

2. Open-knee twisting child’s pose

Get into action

Kneeling on all fours, ready to move
Knee pads are wide and toes touch
left hand support
Exhale, pass your right hand under your left armpit, and let your right shoulder touch the ground
Hip to heel
Behind your left hand, grasp the inner side of your right thigh

Note : Relax Your Back

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Untie the left hand, push the ground with the right hand, and lift the body
Knees together
Sit on your heels with your buttocks and extend your hands forward (baby tummy)
Stay for 3 natural breaths to create a space that allows Qi to circulate in the joints and promote blood circulation.

3. Quarter Dog

Porture remind patients with frozen shoulder to avoid this action

Get into action

Kneel on all fours and prepare to enter the action. Keep your hips still and keep your hips directly above your knees.
Stretch your hands forward, elbows on the ground, and tailbone facing the sky
Straighten your left arm and place your right palm on your left elbow
Place your forehead against your right forearm

Stay for 3 to 5 minutes, remember to switch hands to practice

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Slowly lift the upper body with hands
Sit on your heels with your buttocks and extend your hands forward (baby tummy)
Stay for 3 natural breaths to create a space that allows Qi to circulate in the joints and promote blood circulation.

4. Bend your legs forward

Function

Stretch your back and hamstrings
Can relieve tension in shoulders, back and hips and calm the nervous system

step

Stretch your legs forward and bring them together
Inhale, lengthen the spine
Exhale, bend forward

Things to note

If you need more support, place a pillow or yoga block under your forehead
People with knee discomfort: place bricks or towels under the knees
For patients with intervertebral disc herniation: To activate the erector spinae muscles on both sides of the spine, place your palms on the floor on both sides of the thighs, bend your body half forward, and lengthen your back and lift your chest.
If your hamstrings or lower back are too tight: Place bricks under your sit bones and sit your buttocks on the bricks

5. Half dragonfly pose

Function

Stretches inner thighs and buttocks
can relieve tension in shoulders, back and hips and calm the nervous system

step

Bend one leg towards the abdomen, straighten one leg and open it outward (both feet are greater than 90 degrees and less than 120 degrees)
Inhale, lengthen the spine
Exhale, move your hands forward, and bend your body forward

Things to note

If you are unable to lie down completely: place a pillow or yoga block under your forehead with your head supported
For patients with intervertebral disc herniation: Put your hands on the back of the body, close to the buttocks, lengthen the back and lift the chest, and stretch the inner thighs. Do not bend forward while sitting.
Those with knee discomfort: place a small towel or brick under the knee

6. Butterfly pose

Function

Stretch inner thighs
Relaxes tension in hips and back

step

Put your feet together, open your knees outwards, and form a diamond shape with your legs
Inhale, lengthen the spine
Exhale, move your hands forward, and bend your body forward
Relax arms, head and shoulders

Things to note

If your knees are uncomfortable or your groin is too tight: place bricks under your knees
For those with waist discomfort and inability to bend forward: put your hands behind your hips, straighten and lengthen your back, and do not bend forward.
Those with ectopic intervertebral disc, sciatica, or strained sacroiliac joints: Sit up straight and do not bend forward.
For those who bend forward and arch their backs: Place bricks in front of you, fold your fists on the bricks, and place your forehead on your fists so that your head is supported and does not hang in the air.

7. Pigeon Pose

Function

Go deep into your hips to release any built-up tension
Relaxes tightness in hips and back

step

Four-legged kneeling position preparation
Place your right calf horizontally under your chest, hook your feet to protect your knees
Extend left foot backward
Inhale, lengthen the spine
Exhale, move your hands forward, and bend your body forward

Things to note

The right hip should be close to the ground. If it is hanging in the air, place bricks under the right hip.
The right knee points to the right rather than forward
Extend your left leg straight back, with your pelvis facing the floor
When entering , hook your right foot to protect your knees and relax after entering.

8.Seal Pose

Function

Open the chest and shoulders (they become tight when we feel anxious, holding the chest in)

step

Lie down with your feet wider than hip-width apart
Bring the palms of both hands to the sides of the cheeks, push the floor with your hands, lift the upper body, and keep the pelvis close to the ground
Adjust your hands so that your elbows are bent, supporting the floor, and your elbows are directly under your shoulders.
The forearms are parallel and the fingers are fully extended
First come to the Sphinx (you can stay here and replace the Sphinx)
Open your palms outward so that your little finger touches the edge of the yoga mat
Push the ground with your palms, straighten your arms, and enter Seal Pose

Things to note

If your lower back is too tight: you can move your hands forward a little bit
Those who want to deepen: You can bring your hands closer to yourself
Those with wrist discomfort: face the tiger’s mouth forward
People with backache: Place a thick rolled towel under your waist
For those who want to reduce pressure on the lower back: place a rolled towel under the pubic bone

9.Happy Baby Pose

Function

A hip-opening pose that releases the lower back and hamstrings
Stretches hips and inner thighs

step

Lying down with feet bent
Place your upper arms inside your knees and grasp the soles of your feet with your hands, with the soles of your feet facing the sky
The lower legs are perpendicular to the floor, and the upper and lower legs are at 90 degrees
Keep your entire lower back and head and shoulders on the floor

Things to note

The tailbone points forward, and the tailbone does not tilt toward the sky.
Knees sinking to the ground
Keep your head off the floor and put a towel under your head

10. Lying twist

Function

Relax the muscles around the spine to calm the nervous system

step

Lying down, open your hands to the left and right sides,
Bend the soles of your feet and touch the ground, step on your left foot firmly, cross your right foot over your left foot, and let your right foot hook your left calf.
Put your left hand on your right knee
Inhale, prepare
Exhale, slowly turn your knees to the left, and turn your face to the right
You can open your right hand to the right with the palm facing up, or you can extend your head

Things to note

For those whose knees cannot touch the ground: use a towel to pad the outside of the knee for support
For those who feel the twist is too deep: alternative action: bend your feet, bring your feet together, and fall to the left/right side
Knees and shoulders should be close to the ground. If you can’t touch the ground, balance both sides downward. Don’t touch the ground on one side and be far away from the ground on the other. Don’t lean to either side!

11. Legs on the wall / inverted arrow pose

Function

Gently invert the body to reverse blood flow to the brain and calm the nervous system.
When the legs are raised high, the carotid sinus is activated, which increases the parasympathetic nerves and decreases the heart rate.

step

Put one hip against the wall and step down sideways
Legs raised against wall

12. Savasana

Function

The ultimate calming pose to enter a resting state for complete relaxation

step

Lie down, close your eyes, and breathe naturally
Let the whole body relax

Q&A

Q1 Is Yin Yoga only suitable for women?

Suitable for both boys and girls to practice.

Q2 What should I do during the Yin Yoga stay?

You can focus on the locations of the meridians emphasized in Yin yoga movements.
Feel the most sore, numb, and painful areas of your body during the pose, and consciously send Qi to those areas. Inhale, expand your body, like blowing up a balloon, exhale, and at the same time take away the soreness, numbness , and pain, and relax your body by exhaling and inhaling.
Be aware of any emotions that arise within you. If so, don’t reject, reject or suppress it, just quietly immerse yourself in your breathing and maintain mindfulness.
In addition to focusing on your breathing, mind and body, or physical sensations, you can also practice breathing or meditation during your stay.

Q3 Will stretching for too long cause muscle soreness?

If you stay in Yin Yoga postures for a long time, it is not excessive stretching. Just reach 80% of your personal limit. Then relax your muscles. Is it normal to feel some slight soreness?

Q4 Can girls practice yin yoga during menstrual period?

Most of the postures of yin yoga are acceptable, and yin yoga can relieve symptoms such as backache, menstrual pain, and back pain while relaxing the hips.

Q5 Will yin yoga extend joints cause problems such as cartilage damage, ligament injury or ligament rupture?

All tissues in the body need to receive appropriate external force and pressure to be healthy, more activated and stronger.

For example

In the absence of gravity, astronauts’ bodies experience will rapid calcium loss, osteoporosis and muscle atrophy.
People who wear plaster will find that the muscles atrophy very obviously after the plaster is removed.

Therefore, it can be seen that if the parts are not used, they will slowly lose their original functions! The purpose of Yin Yoga is to “appropriately” stretch and stimulate the connective tissue near the joints, so that our joints can be more flexible , move freely, and be healthier.

in conclusion

If you are under emotional stress for a long time and left untreated, it will not only cause physical discomfort, poor work and study efficiency, poor quality of life, and even cause disease. With just a few minutes of practice every day, you can solve external physical problems and gain inner peace and freedom. The sooner you introduce mindful Yin yoga into your life, the better. Keep yourself in a good state at all times. Nothing is more important than taking good care of yourself.

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