Why Teach Yin? Why Practice Yin?
Modern life is full, a non-stop roller coaster of doing with very little time left to rest deeply and just be. The yoga world has mirrored our lifestyle with a preference for faster, hotter or more yang practices. While these practices serve to move energy (prana) and consciousness (citta) around the the body this is only half the picture. I teach yin because yoga is lightness in life. Yoga is harmony and balance. Yoga is about cultivating and nurturing our inner garden – it is the practice of plowing the soil, planting and watering the seeds, pulling out the weeds and watching the flowers blossom.
When we nurture our inner microcosm, it opens the doorway to seeing the outer world or macrocosm as us and that we are nature. Slowing down through a yin practice lets us feel deeply into the cracks and crevices of the body, the fields of fascia, the rivers of chi and the mud of our minds. Here in this quiet space we catch glimpses of our true nature – calm and equanimous. Yin is the art of slowing down. It complements our more yang practices and fertilises and grows the seed of balance for our yang lifestyle.
There are two inspiring and compelling reasons to practice yin yoga on a regular basis.
Number one is the way this practice draws us inward and gives us time to fully inhabit ourselves, to heal, and adopt an approach of kindness and attentiveness towards ourselves. Patterns, habits of being can manifest in a myriad of ways from neglect to self abuse. Yin offers an opportunity to turn inwards in towards our inner garden or landscape and explore, untangle and perhaps shift the habits that are not supportive. The mind is our friend, an ally and when we take time to master the mind through the meditative qualities of yin, this quietness of mind is a gift beyond measure we can give ourselves. When we learn to live in our temple with grace and love we are enacting a revolution as we build a foundation to view ourselves and others with compassion.
Number two is to take up a regular practice is making a commitment to yourself to accelerate healing, to embrace a nurturing approach to life, to ourselves and others, and to fall back in love with ourselves. Daily practice is the key to unlocking our potential as daily practice rejuvenates our depleted vitality thus freeing us from tensions and reactive habits day by day, moment by moment. Regular practice lets healthy habits take root and gives us time to dig out unsupportive or even destructive beliefs and ways of being.
It doesn’t have to be as long as yoga class – usually 90 or 60 minutes long – perhaps for you 20 minutes every day is an easy to achieve goal.
You can do it! You so deserve quiet time to reflect, digest and shift your habits to ones of healing, rejuvenation and being comfortable with yourself.
Embrace a daily practice today!
Lovely article, Margot. You beautifully explain the benefits of yin, and I love all those references to the inner landscape and yoga garden. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.