Yin Yoga Is
Posted by terrepruitt on February 17, 2020
Not too long ago I received a copy of the magazine “Yoga Journal” and was excited to see an article in it about Yin Yoga. It presented Yin Yoga in the light that I was taught. It separated Yin Yoga from Restorative Yoga. It mentioned some science even as to why Yin Yoga is important, so not just talk about energy and meridians, but something that could be measured and shown to those that really need to see some science behind yoga. I will share that post later. Right now I just wanted to do something quick to help give people a quick idea of what Yin Yoga is. When I tell people that I teach Yin Yoga their first question is, “What is Yin Yoga?” This is just a quick bulleted list to help answer that question.
• Yin Yoga is a passive practice.
• Yin Yoga has LONG holds.
• Yin Yoga is about connective tissue and meridians.
• Yin Yoga is about being in a pose and not using muscle to get into a pose.
• Yin Yoga is not “Restorative Yoga.”
• Yin Yoga has poses that may seem familiar, but the hold is longer and therefore the intent is different.
• Yin Yoga is primarily an on-the-floor (seated, lying prone, or supine) practice.
• Yin is a cooling practice.
• Yin Yoga is the counter practice to a yang practice.
• Yin Yoga is a still practice.
In some of my previous posts regarding Yin Yoga, I have addressed some of these points in more detail, but in addition to a post with the information from the Yoga Journal article, I might just do a post expounding on each bullet point. We will see.
What do you think? Have you ever taken a Yin Yoga class?
Terre Pruitt's Blog 
rachelmankowitz said
I used to love my yin yoga DVD! I felt so much better after doing a forty minute practice, as if I was removing blockages or erasing friction. But then I started to pile up injuries, because I have a connective tissue disorder that contraindicates that kind of flexibility. I still miss it though.
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terrepruitt said
Yeah, often times when people have disorders or injuries it is best to practice with a teacher and not rely on DVDs that are meant for people without conditions that can be aggravated by some poses or exercises. It sounds as if you were getting the exact benefit that Yin Yoga is designed to give – removing blockages – the qi was moving. That is really the reason behind the long holds. I saw in one of your recent posts you state you have Ehlers Danlos. Perhaps after a while your present yoga practice will allow you to discover your edge (of flexibility) and give you the knowledge you need to begin a Yin Practice again. As Yin isn’t necessarily about going deep into a pose, it is about HOLDING if for a long time at the point your body needs it. Thanks for reading and commenting, Rachel. Give Ellie and Cricket some scratches from me!
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rachelmankowitz said
I will! Thank you!
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homeschoolguru said
How interesting! No, I hadn’t heard of this. Is there a video or tutorial I could follow?
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terrepruitt said
I am happy to be able to have you learn of something new! Yay. I am scheduled to teach Yin Yoga classes on Mondays via Zoom. http://www.helpyouwell.com/online-classes.html But, I do not have a video or tutorial. I was thinking about doing a recording of one pose to put it online, but not sure about that yet. There are videos online now-a-days for everything, I bet you could find one that would work for you. Thanks for reading and commenting.
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homeschoolguru said
Sounds great!
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