Looking to try a new Yoga style in 2020?
Yin Yoga is an excellent complement to a more dynamic (Vinyasa or Ashtanga) style of practice. In brief, it is a series of primarily seated postures that are held for 3-5 minutes or even longer! The extra time in poses (asanas) allows you to fully get into the posture and breathe space into the body and mind. Where necessary, it is recommended you use props to support the body, avoiding injury with the long-held poses. However, don't confuse Yin Yoga as being relaxing Restorative Yoga. Yin Yoga differs from Restorative Yoga in many ways. The idea behind Yin is you come to your edge within an asana and allow time to increase flexibility. It’s a great way to slow down your day and also allows the body to benefit from releasing deep held tension.
Enjoy an extra long savasana in Yin Yoga and really slow down the body and mind. It is also recommenced you use a weighted eye pillow. The gentle weight of the eye pillow stimulates the vegus nerve which controls the parasympathetic nervous system. Also known as the rest and digest nervous system. Try using the Spritz Wellness Aromatherapy Eye Pillow and enjoy the deep relaxation along with the soothing scents of lavender and chamomile.
Recommended Readings on Yin Yoga:
Insight Yoga is a series of practices distilled by Sarah Powers. These combined disciplines, some yogic, some Buddhist and some Taoist, are designed to identify, open and strengthen the various physical and psychological components of one’s experience – fostering a kinder, clearer and altogether healthier and more mature relationship to one’s self and others. Insight Yoga inspires this psychospiritual transformation through passive (Yin) and active (Yang) yoga postures combined with breathing practices, visualization, mindfulness meditation, self-inquiry and dialogue, and extended periods of silence.
Brightening Our Inner Skies: Yin and Yoga practically and provocatively explores yoga, self-transformation and social responsibility.
Both a meditation on the role of yoga practice in the world, including Norman's personal journey, and a Yin yoga manual with over 140 photographs of poses as well as suggested sequences, this book takes the practice of yoga and understanding of self to profound levels through stories, images and well-researched debates.
