BEST REASONS TO PRACTICE YIN YOGA AND IT'S BENEFITS

What is Yin Yoga and its benefits? Yin Yoga is a slow paced, passive practice, where postures are held for 3-5 minutes. Yin Yoga is the opposite of Yang Yoga; instead of using our muscles to actively lengthen and stretch, we relax into the postures, focusing on stillness and the “edge of comfort”. A Yin Yoga practice encourages us to connect deep with our bodies and cultivate internal awareness to observe the flow of energy as we come into a meditative state of being. Yin Yoga teaches you how to observe the fluctuations of the mind, to be with your thoughts, without attaching to them. You have the time and the space to process any feelings, emotions, or thoughts that might rise up, while being gently guided by your teacher to simply tune in and observe.

In our everyday life, we seldom allow ourselves the time to properly process and sit with our feelings and thoughts. We hurry onto the next task, rush into the next experience, and forget to carve out the time to cultivate stillness and be with ourselves. This is why we need Yin. This embodied practice encourages us to become introspective and can be an excellent way to let go of things in your life that no longer serve you, such as stress, impatience, and any other suppressed emotions that you might unconsciously be holding on to. Yin Yoga poses become tools for self-inquiry and self-discovery; if you observe closely, you might notice that certain poses might prompt certain feelings, thoughts, or emotions. And this can be an excellent tool for better understanding yourself and the habits of your mind.

There are many excellent reasons to practice Yin Yoga. Yin practice invigorates our energetic body and increases the flow of qi or prana which relaxes the mind and reduces stress. Physically, a Yin Yoga practice will achieve a deeper stretch into the connective tissues of the body such as the ligaments, tendons, and fascia, which will not only reduce stress and tension and shift energy blockages, but also over time we will see improvements in our range of movement, increase our flexibility, and support and encourage good circulation. 

If you are a yoga teacher looking to expand your practice and teaching, certain yoga schools offer Yin Yoga Immersion Courses or Yin Yoga Teacher Training in Goa which can be anywhere from one to four weeks long. Even if you don’t want to become a Yin Yoga teacher, a Yin Yoga Immersion course is an excellent experience to have and enjoy for your own personal development and practice. It can help you balance the Yin and Yang energies in your life, help you confront your mind and balance your body, and you never know what you might discover about yourself in the process.