I started on my yoga journey practicing Yang styles of yoga – Hatha, Vinyasa, and Ashtanga. It was only about 4 years ago that I began to practice Yin yoga. What I realize now is that you need to do both. In Paul Grilley’s book, Yin Yoga Principles and Practices, he talks about how yin and yang forms of yoga balance each other.
When we practice yin yoga we are stressing the tissues of our meridian pathways and it is through this stress that we are able to remove any blockages that may exist. And when we practice yang yoga, we are stimulating the flow of fluids through these pathways.
I now understand what he means.
So, yin will remove blockages in our body through long held static stress to our connective tissues and yang will enable the flow of blood and chi through our body thereby nourishing our organs.
Here is another way to differentiate the two styles of yoga – when you participate in yang styles of yoga you engage your muscles and do repetitive movements. In yin yoga you relax your muscles and hold poses for a period of time so you can work deeper into the connective tissues.
Through my practice of both yin and yang yoga I’ve come to realize it’s not just the physical benefits that make me feel good, but when I practice both yin and yang it helps balance my thoughts and emotions too.
The best way to describe the feeling one may experience is to use Paul’s words since he describes it so well.
‘yin yoga soothes and calms us, yang yoga invigorates and refreshes us.’
After participating in both styles of yoga that is exactly how I feel. For a long time I only participated in a yang practice and then I began to develop pains in my groin and problems with my hip joint which impacted my practice. A yoga teacher in Bali thought it might be my fascia and suggested I try yin yoga. I began practicing yin yoga, and a month later my pain subsided and poses I could not get into (toe stand) I was able to do again. This was when I began my research about the practice, and then went for formal training.
Whenever I begin to feel a little stressed, tired or have problems sleeping, it became an indication that I may be a little out of balance. For me it meant I needed to add more ‘yin’ or ‘yang’ to my life, and I could usually determine which one I needed based on my daily activities. Everything is a balance, and I believe the key to living a healthy life is to find the balance that works for you.
If you want to incorporate a balanced yoga practice into your life, it is important to do both yin and yang styles of yoga. You can choose to do separate yin and yang classes or some studios offer a mix of yin and yang together in one class. I think they are all good and both will serve you well. What you participate in will depend on what you want to accomplish.
Based on time commitments some may find a yin and yang class better suited for them. If that is the case make sure you are taking a class from an instructor who is certified in both the yin and yang styles of yoga. As you move from one style of yoga to another you want to make sure it is done in a safe way.
I personally enjoy keeping my yin and yang practices separate (although I will take an occasional yin and yang class). When I am in a yang class I need time to build up the energy and rhythmic movement to work my body and muscles. This time allows me to feel the increased flow of fluids throughout my body. Whereas in a yin class, it’s not just about working the tissues that I find so beneficial, but it’s also having ‘quiet time’ to focus on my breath and the sensations in my body. When I do this I can feel the tensions in my body and mind melt away. I don’t like to rush this so having 60 or 75 minutes dedicated to my yin practice is a treat.
As my teachers, Bernie Clark and Paul Grilley would say, everybody is different so what works for one person may not work for another so it is important you explore what works best for you.
If you have been on your own yoga journey, but have not yet tried yin yoga I encourage you to give it a try. I don’t believe there are words to describe the experience you will have during and after a class. And if you have not tried yoga at all, then I hope you will embark on your own journey by exploring the various styles of yang yoga (hatha, vinyasa or ashtanga etc) and find the one that suits your needs, but don’t forget to also incorporate yin yoga into your practice.
Namaste