What is Yin Yoga?

  • Yin yoga is a slow-paced style of yoga with poses, or asanas, that are held for longer periods of time—five minutes or more per pose is typical. This practice is designed to help you sit longer, and more comfortably, in meditation by stretching connective tissue around the joints (mainly the knees, pelvis, sacrum, and spine). A passive practice, Yin Yoga involves variations of seated and supine poses typically held for 3 to 5 minutes, accessing deeper layers of fascia.


  • What Is Different About Yin Yoga?
    There are two principles that differentiate yin practice from more yang approaches to yoga: holding poses for at least several minutes and stretching the connective tissue around a joint. To do the latter, the overlying muscles must be relaxed. If the muscles are tense, the connective tissue won’t receive the proper stress. You can demonstrate this by gently pulling on your right middle finger, first with your right hand tensed and then with the hand relaxed. When the hand is relaxed, you will feel a stretch in the joint where the finger joins the palm; the connective tissue that knits the bones together is stretching. When the hand is tensed, there will be little or no movement across this joint, but you will feel the muscles straining against the pull. View Project

  • Benefits
    Calming and balancing to the mind and body.
    Regulates energy in the body.
    Increases mobility in the body, especially the joints and hips.
    Lowering of stress levels (no one needs that)
    Greater stamina.
    Better lubrication and protection of joints.
    Stress and anxiety reduction
    Increased circulation
    Improved flexibility
    Fascial release
    Greater joint mobility
  • Principles
    Yin yoga is based on the Taoist concepts of yin and yang, opposite and complementary principles in nature. yin could be described as stable, immobile, feminine, passive, cold, and downward moving. Yang is understood to be changing, mobile, masculine, active, hot, and upward moving. The sun is considered yang, the moon yin. View Project