Yummy Yin!
By
Photo by Fotoeye75 @ Dreamstime, Yin/Yang Symbol
Sounds like a drink doesn’t it? You can almost imagine yourself saying “I’ll have a yin and tonic please”! But what I’m talking about is yin yoga, and trust me it is delicious! I’ve been practicing yoga regularly for over seven years now, and it is an integral part of my routine. I started with athletic yoga at a local gym, and when I felt I had outgrown that, I moved on to core power at a studio. Finally I graduated to Ashtanga. In between all this I also experimented with a more gentle form, but mostly my practice has been focused on active, athletic, powerful postures and sequences. It has been a great experience.
A few months ago someone rear-ended me on the freeway and the chiropractor recommended I be “wimpy” with the yoga for a while. By chance a new gentle/yin class was starting at the gym, so I decided to check it out. I am in love with yin yoga now.
Think of the Chinese Yin/Yang symbol, one of the oldest and most well-known symbols in the world. Yang is active, masculine energy whereas Yin is peaceful, still, feminine energy. The light, white Yang moves upwards towards the dark, black Yin moving downwards. Both are independent, opposite forces, but beautifully complement each other and flow in a harmonious cycle. It is a powerful symbol of balance.
We all are composed of both masculine and feminine energies – we were created from our mother and father! A lot of our suffering in life is caused because this energy is imbalanced in our lives. Western society in particular tends to favor the masculine, yang energy. Productivity, goals, and constant striving are generally applauded. Somewhere along the way, the feminine energy has become imbalanced. Just because you may be female does not mean you have balanced feminine energy.
After yin yoga class last night I happened to hear a comment from a new student in the locker room. She was telling her friend “I didn’t really feel like I was doing much, but it was a good stretch”. I thought this was a great description of the yin class. In a way it seems you are not doing much, but there is a lot of work going on at a much deeper level in your connective tissues. Yin yoga helps you reach greater depth in postures by focusing on the deeper tissues in the body. It also makes you become quieter and calmer because you hold the poses for so long. It has its own intensity. Also, you won’t see instant results. My teacher says you need “patience and persistence” in this practice.
I’ve started doing the more active forms of yoga again, but yin is definitely here to stay for me! It is the perfect compliment and beautifully balances my more active, yang practice. It has also reminded me to slow down and remember to be more balanced in my life. To be honest, I also feel more feminine. The comment I overheard last night sums it up nicely. Sometimes in life when it seems you are doing nothing at all, there is actually a lot of internal work and “stretching” of your muscles (both literal and metaphorical)!
How do you find balance in your life?
What yin complements your yang?
Are you willing to explore your own unique “yummy yin” cocktail?
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