What Yin Yoga Has Taught Me
By Trisha Andrews, LMFT, CST, Co-Founder & Clinical Director of Dalliance Sexual Wellness Collective
Yin yoga is a therapeutic form of yoga, characterized by its slow pace and deliberate postures. It offers a space for introspection, allowing you to delve deeper into the inner experiences and moving through discomfort and into release. Unlike some other forms of yoga, Yin yoga isn’t primarily aimed at physical fitness. Although many exercises can achieve that goal, Yin Yoga focuses on a deeper connection with the mind, body, and soul.
Rooted in Taoist philosophy, the term ‘yin’ represents stillness and cooling, contrasting with ‘yang,’ which embodies movement and heat generation within the body. Yin yoga postures are predominantly passive, performed on the floor while seated or lying down. In Yin yoga, the focus is on relaxation within the postures, allowing the body to naturally soften and release without force.
While yang-style yoga like Vinyasa or Ashtanga targets superficial muscles, Yin yoga engages with deeper connective tissues such as ligaments, joints, bones, and the fascia network. It’s akin to receiving an internal massage, deeply nurturing the body.
Yin trains the mind to slow down and let go while also promoting the elongation of the connective tissue in the body. The poses are held for extended periods of time, typically ranging from 3 to 10 minutes. This prolonged duration parallels meditation, fostering mental calmness and facilitating a profound connection with the body’s wisdom and intelligence. Beyond its meditative qualities, Yin yoga offers numerous physiological benefits, making it an enriching practice for self-exploration and holistic health.
Yin yoga has taught me:
Attuning and honoring where I am today: My Yin practices gives me the space to pause and reflect on my current thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations. By holding longer poses, I can allow myself to fully embrace the present reality without trying to force or change it. Everyday my body is different, Yin allows me to practice self-compassion and acceptance, recognizing that it’s okay to be exactly where I am at any given moment. I have learned to trust myself and my intuition to guide me towards what I need most on any given day.
More being and less doing: As a mom of three, a business owner and a full-time therapist, my days are filled with a constant flow of activity, always in motion. Society has instilled in us a fear of discomfort, leading us to constantly seek solutions through action and change. However, yin yoga has presented me with a different approach to my life’s challenges and chaos. I have learned to give myself time daily to find calm in the chaos. Yin challenges me to embrace stillness, to confront discomfort head-on, leaning into it and letting it unfold by not shying away from the discomfort and letting my body unwind it gently.
Fostering self love: Yin has taught me how to foster a positive and appreciative relationship with my body. Instead of fixating on my perceived flaws or societal ideals, I am able to focus on expressing gratitude for the incredible capabilities and functions of my body. I find intention in being more present to my body’s expansiveness and constrictions as a journey toward self understanding, not an end goal.
Trusting into my inner knowing: Yin has taught me to trust myself and my intuition to guide you towards what you need most right now. Quiet your mind: Take time each day to quiet your mind through practices such as meditation, deep breathing, or mindfulness. When your mind is calm and still, you’re more likely to tune into your intuition. By paying close attention to physical sensations in my body, I learn valuable clues about what feels right or wrong for me. I am deeply attuned to any feelings of tension or relaxation, heaviness or lightness, and learn to trust in my body’s wisdom. Yin has taught me to recognize that you are the ultimate authority in my own life, and to trust that I have the wisdom and insight to make the right choices for myself.
Growth and change isn’t linear: Growth isn’t linear and two steps forward and one step back is still one step forward. Growth occurs when we strive to learn from and overcome our challenges, rather than dwelling on them and feeling trapped. Mistakes are inevitable in life, and there are times when we must revisit lessons we thought we had already learned. Though it may be frustrating to experience regret, remorse, or impatience in those moments, they serve as opportunities for growth and self-discovery.
