Perhaps you have tried out the local yoga studio down the street. Chances are it was a “faster flow” class—it created inner heat and maybe you broke a sweat. If you have never taken a yoga class before, you might have noticed the many types out there to choose from. Ranging in all types from fundamentals all the way to an “Ashtanga” style.
No need to be intimidated—because there is a class for everyone's body and needs. Have you thought about a slower “restorative-style” yoga class? This is slower-paced class with mindful meditation, gentle music, and the time to be introspective. It gives you space to feel your body—as it is, and all it can be. Yin yoga can offer this type of movement for you. The gentle pace and meditation can be a great start or end to your day.
You can do a warm-up to start your Yin practice, but many times you will find what you experience is known as working on “cold muscles”. To make it simple, cold muscles are short and warm muscles are long. Holding these poses allows you to lengthen ligaments along with gaining a greater range of motion in the joint. Going deep into a stretch—making it sensational might be a normal feeling in your everyday yoga flow, but in Yin—slow and steady wins the race!
Allowing the time in a pose and listening to your body when it says it's ready to go deeper is great for reaching the fascia and connective tissues, not to mention the pressure points for stimulating certain areas of your body. Yin yoga poses also tend to correlate with the acupressure points and the chakra system. Stimulating these points can not only help relieve stress and calm the mind but help your body's natural flow of energy by releasing blockages. Working with your body's meridians and chakras can hold many benefits, which in turn can help with your body's natural healing.
Taking the time to hold these poses and create stillness in your life will not only help your nervous system calm down and reset but give you time to look inside and take an introspective moment for yourself—Helping you sort out thoughts and feelings and process events. Yoga in itself can be emotionally revealing, lifting, and healing with the awareness and time you create for yourself.
Along with this self-care, please remember that with any activity it is very important to stay hydrated. Especially after a good Yin yoga class, due to the nature of movement and how comparative it is to a deep tissue massage, and the toxins that are released and become ready to leave your body.
Create your healing space! Take time for yourself and remember to love yourself.
Visit our classes page, where you can browse many different yoga class styles and levels. Our yoga classes are designed for all—from beginner to advanced!
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