Are you of the opinion that yoga is not your type of practice as it focuses on vigorous exercises? Do you think that yoga does not have a softer side that focuses on peaceful meditation and comfortable postures? Then this article on yin yoga will be an eye-opener for you.
Yin yoga is a yoga practice that is designed to make you sit for longer periods of time in a single pose in which you feel comfortable and relax your muscles and put limited pressure on the connective tissues of your body. Unlike the fast-paced yoga practices like Ashtanga, vinyasa, etc., yin yoga is a slow-paced yoga posture that aims at making your body flexible and your mind calm and composed. It is a yoga that is inspired by the principles of traditional Chinese medicine and takes a meditative approach altogether. It makes you feel more aware of your inner self so that you can concentrate on the occurrences that are going on inside your body.
The vigorous yoga practices are often referred to as the yang style of yoga and includes exercises that focus on the stretching of muscles to the maximum. Many times people prefer practicing the yin yang yoga that is a perfect blend of both types of yogas and incorporates the principles of yin and yang yoga.
We all live in a competitive environment where dynamic practices are often considered to be better as they give us better results in less time. Similar is the case with yoga practices, while yang yoga is preferred in the Western world, the Eastern world looks up to yin yoga to slow down their world and make their mind and body still and stable.
What people do not realize is that they need to stop for a moment and look at the things that they missed while rushing through their lives. They need to make their mind calm so as to connect with the consciousness of their soul and build a harmonious relationship between their mind, body and soul.
The yin yoga is based on the concept of “chi” (energy) as per the traditional chinese medicine. This concept defines that there are certain energy points in our body that need to be regulated so as to draw immense amounts of energy into the body.This energy quotient that is also known as “chi” is believed to have tremendous healing powers that improve the physiological and psychological health of a person. Those who practice yin yoga feel the powers of mindfulness and find peace and solace in their lives.
Yin yoga does not require any prerequisite like a heated room or a strong physique as it does not include any vigorous physical activity. The yin yoga postures are very simple and can be done at any place at any point of time.
The basic thing is that you need to practice a particular yin yoga sequence for a longer period of time. At the initial level, you can hold it for a minute and with regular practice you can go for as long as 5 minutes for a single asana.
The yin yoga postures are often seated positions that make you feel relaxed and at ease. For instance, you can choose from butterfly pose, frog pose, forward fold pose and so on. What you need to do is to make yourself still in that pose. You need not move unnecessarily and focus all your energy on maintaining your posture.
Always remember that you need not make this experience a painful one. Do as much as your body permits you and enjoy the feeling of “comfortable discomfort.” Also, make sure that your breathing is even and continuous and not a haphazard round inhales and exhales because breathing plays a major role in determining the flow of energy in your body.
Yin yoga makes you calm and teaches you the art of finding stillness and relaxation in a world that stops for no one. It seems to be a very easy process but you may often find it more challenging than a dynamic form of yoga where you are required to practice vigorous exercises.So why should you choose yin yoga over yan yoga. Well, here are some of the benefits of yin yoga that may help you take the decision:
It eases out the pain of your body by applying gentle pressure on various connective tissues and increases the flexibility of the body.
It reduces stress and anxiety and makes you feel calm, composed and peaceful.
Regular practice of yin yoga enhances the flow of pranic energy into the body and balances the functioning of the vital organs.
It involves deep breathing that increases the oxygen levels in the body and thus, improves the circulation of blood throughout the body.
It helps you meditate upon your inner self and leads to rejuvenation of your body and relaxation of your mind.
Thus, we may conclude that yin yoga is a highly beneficial discipline that makes you more aware of your body, mind and soul. It develops mindfulness into your being and opens the doors of deep meditational practices for you.
