Yin yoga

How does Yin Yoga work?

Yin Yoga is characterized by its passive poses with a light, rounded stretch that are performed in stillness and with conscious presence. Every pose is held for at least 3-5 minutes which gives us time to calm the mind. In Yin Yoga we want to access the body’s fascia and connective tissue instead of the muscles. We do this by not going too deep in the stretch and hold the pose for a longer period of time. The focus is on the hip and lower back area where there is a lot of connective tissue. In yoga philosophy it is believed that much of our physical and emotional tensions are stored here.

When should I practice Yin Yoga?

Yin Yoga is for everyone! With the help of props, different equipment such as blankets and bolster, you can adjust the poses based on your needs and ability. You can practice Yin Yoga when you, for instance, are suffering from stiffness and pain in the body or feel tired, overstimulated, experiencing mood swings, too many thoughts, have a need to restore energy and/or have too much energy.

Benefits of Yin Yoga

• Calms body and mind
• Complement to other form of yoga and workout
• Easy to perform, suitable for everyone
• Very relaxing
• Reduces stress and anxiety
• Increases conscious presence
• Improves joint mobility
• Brings inner calm
• Increases flow of energy and life energy, prana

Props and Yin Yoga

In Yin Yoga we use, except for yoga mat, also props. Props are equipment such as bolster, straps, blocks and blankets. Of course you can improvise with whatever you have available, such as books and belts.

Yin Yoga and hypermobility

We are all unique and therefore need to adjust the yoga poses to align with our bodies. In Yin Yoga, the same pose can look different for each individual depending on how flexible our joints and muscles are in addition to how our bones are structured. 

To keep in mind when practicing Yin Yoga

• Move slowly and carefully in and out of a pose.
• Stillness, let loose! Don’t be afraid of letting go of control.
• Find an easy stretch you can hold for a moment, avoid full poses and stretches that hurts.
• Be present in the area where you are stretching and visualize how you are breathing in and out of it.
• Have a flowing, casual breathing in and out through your nose. When you stop breathing, the body gets in a protective mode. Then the body is activated instead of creating the passivity and relaxation we want to find.
• Be still in the pose. Start with holding the pose for 3-5 minutes. Increase the time when you feel ready.

Yoga videos online

If you want to try Yin Yoga right away, you can take a look at our recommended videos below. You can also browse our video library here on Yogobe.