"You know the Day destroys the night, night divides the day…Break On Through" -The Doors
Without darkness, can we truly appreciate the light? Each one of us is composed of light and shadow. Masculine and feminine energy. Life is all about balance. The warmth from the sunshine on our skin. The cool gleam of a full moon’s rays. Yin and Yang.
Yoga Sutra II: 46 Sthira Sukham Asanam states that the posture must be strong and soft or in other words, be a combination of effort and ease. Sometimes there is power in movement and other times strength resides in stillness. Most of us need a combination of both to feel balanced and content.
Just like the day is balanced out by the night, work is balanced out by rest. If you’re accustomed to a sweaty, vigorous Vinyasa class, learning to slow down is work. And, if you’ve practiced Yin yoga before, you know just how challenging holding Pigeon Pose (Sleeping Swan in Yin language) can be. Yang style yoga is active and dynamic. Yin yoga consists of only a few postures, usually seated or lying down, where the intention is to stay as still as possible.
To keep our sympathetic (active) and parasympathetic (passive) nervous systems healthy, it’s a great idea to practice both types of yoga.
If you’re new to Yin Yoga, here are the three primary tattvas that define it:
One: Enter the posture to an appropriate depth or edge for you.
Two: Seek a sense of stillness and work to remain as static as possible.
Three: Hold the posture for time, usually one to five minutes.
Yin works to soothe your nervous system and relax ligaments, tendons, and fascia. By targeting the deeper layers in the body, this style of yoga brings more blood flow to the joints and better circulation to the internal organs. Yang practice strengthens your muscles and bones, increases mobility and stamina and invigorates your system. All yoga helps us to process our emotions which reside in our tissues, relieve stress, and clear our minds.
This week, mix up your practice with a little Yin and a little Yang!
Another Yin/Yang Balancing Flow - Claire Petretti Marti
Yin Yang Yoga for the Lower Back - Elise Fabricant
Rockin Bhakti VinYin - Christen Bakken
Action and Rest - Erin Wimert