Feel curious about Yin Yoga and want to know what Yin Yoga is all about, read on. 

What is Yin Yoga?
Yin yoga is a slow style of yoga that is targeting the deep fascia or connective tissues.
Mainly floor postures, you’re invited to relax the yang tissues (muscles) so you can surrender to gravity to passively open up the body.
Energetically, the intention is to create space between fascia layers so the energy/ prana/ Qi flows with more ease.
Mentally, the intention is to observe the mind without being carried away by thought.

How many poses in a Yin class?
Traditionally when Paul Grilley published his first book Yin Yoga: Outline of a Quiet Practice, there were only 12 poses in it. The 12 poses are mostly lower body poses because the hips and legs are believed to be the most congested parts of the body, and they are relatively more Yin-like compared to the upper body.

Gaining more popularity over the last decade, now more and more Yin poses are created to target other parts of the body. There are over 30 Yin poses that are commonly taught by Yin teachers.

In a one-hour yin class, probably there will be 5 – 6 poses .

What are the 5 elements of Yin Yoga poses?
Wood Earth Water Fire Metal
Wood is related to Liver and Gallbladder meridians
Earth is related to Spleen and Stomach meridians
Water is related to Kidney and Bladder meridians
Fire is related to Heart, Small Intestine, Pericardium and Triple Warmer meridians
Metal is related to Lung and Large Intestine meridians

How long should I hold in each Yin yoga pose?
Usually anywhere between 1- 5 minutes. One study implies that the most lengthening of the tissues happen in the first 4 minutes.
For beginners or very stiff yogis, 1 – 2 minutes is plenty.

Is yin yoga practice better in the morning or evening?
It depends on what your intention is when practicing Yin Yoga.
According to renowned yoga teacher Bernie Clark, Yin yoga is best to be practiced in the morning when the muscles are cold if your intention is for the deep yin tissues to receive the most benefits. Clark has done an experiment with rubber bands representing yin tissues and yang tissues, showing why you receive more physical benefits when the muscles are cold when practicing Yin.

Whereas if your intention is for relaxing the body and mind, yin yoga is great to be practiced in the evening too.
I personally enjoy dropping into a Yin practice in the morning or at lunch time as a reminder to pause. 

Is it OK to do Yin Yoga every day?
It is ok to do Yin Yoga every day to increase the flexibility of the body, hydrating the tissues, and relaxing the mind.
I practice 2 or 3 Yin poses each morning and I feel great after my practice – my body feels lighter and my mind feels clearer.

Is yin yoga hard for beginners?
Yin Yoga is a slow style of yoga where we stay in each pose for a few minutes.
The intention is to relax the muscles to target the deeper connective tissues.

For beginners it can be hard because of the long holds, especially when 

  • your body is tight;
  • your mind is busy and you are not comfortable with stillness.

But if you practice with an experienced teacher who knows how to help you support your unique body with yoga props, and knows how to guide you into relaxing the mind, it can be a beautiful pleasant experience.

Is yin yoga harder than vinyasa?
It depends. Different personalities like different styles of yoga.
If you love movements and rhythm, and find staying in stillness hard, you’ll find Yin yoga harder.
If you enjoy quietness and space, you’ll find Yin yoga easier.

Will I get skinny doing yin yoga?
Yin Yoga helps you find more balance in your mind and body, but not necessarily help you get skinny. Getting fit and healthy is a combination of food and lifestyle. 

Why am I so sore after a yin yoga practice?
We hold each pose for a few minutes instead of a few breaths to get deeper into the dense connective tissues, which you wouldn’t normally access in other practices. That’s why you may feel sore the next day after a yin practice.

Why am I so tired after a yin yoga practice?
Most of us live quite a busy active yang lifestyle, and we don’t know how to stop.
When we finally come to a yin yoga practice, we are learning to stop and relax. 

  • The mind is often operating at a fast speed, and it is used to rest and relax, so there can be mental resistance when you’re practicing. 
  • The body may experience strong sensations and we are battling with the sensation instead of relaxing into our edge – the sweet spot. 
  • We can be on an emotional roller coaster, and not know how to be with our emotions compassionately

In general, when we practice yin more regularly we will feel more relaxed and the tiredness will eventually fall away. 

Does yin yoga release trauma?
Our unprocessed trauma, undigested emotions and stress are stored in the fascia/ tissues.
In a yin yoga practice, when holding each pose for a while in stillness, we are creating space in  the physical body, and creating space for emotions and feelings to move through. 

With the support of an experienced Yin yoga teacher with a trauma release background, she /he can hold space for you with gentleness, and help you learn to be with memories, emotions and thoughts with love, kindness and compassion. 

Want to learn more about Yin yoga or immerse yourself in a Yin Yoga session? Check out my Deep Release workshops and Yin Yoga training courses.

About the author
Fiona has been teaching yoga for over 15 years.  As a dedicated yoga teacher and educator, her mission is to help yogis stay connected to their yin energy, so they can be mindful in each and every moment. Read more about Fiona here



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