Yin Yoga
Yin Yoga is a slow-paced form of yoga that incorporates principles of traditional Chinese medicine, with asanas (postures) held for longer periods compared to other types of yoga. Advanced practitioners can hold a single asana for five minutes or more. The sequences of poses are designed to stimulate the energy channels of the body—known as meridians in Chinese medicine and as nadis in Hatha Yoga.
The postures of Yin Yoga apply moderate pressure on the body’s connective tissues—tendons, fascia, and ligaments—with the goal of increasing circulation in the joints and improving flexibility. It has a more meditative approach to yoga, with goals centered around awareness of internal silence and bringing forth a universal, interconnected quality.
Yin Yoga was inspired by martial arts expert and Taoist yoga teacher Paulie Zink in the late 1970s and was officially named by Sarah Powers. It is taught worldwide with encouragement from teachers such as Paul Grilley, Sarah Powers, and Bernie Clark. As taught by Grilley, Powers, and Clark, Yin Yoga is not intended to be a complete practice on its own but rather a complement to more active forms of yoga and exercise. It is particularly beneficial in an overly “yang” modern society. Zink’s approach incorporates the full spectrum of Taoist yoga, focusing on animal movements and balancing the yin and yang energies.
Yin and Yang
Yin Yoga is deeply rooted in Taoist principles of Yin and Yang, which are opposite but complementary forces found in nature. Yin can be described as stable, still, feminine, passive, cold, and downward-moving. In contrast, Yang is changeable, mobile, masculine, active, warm, and upward-moving. The sun is considered Yang, while the moon represents Yin. In the body, the relatively stiff connective tissues—such as tendons, ligaments, and fascia—are seen as Yin, while the more mobile and flexible muscles and blood are considered Yang. In yoga, the more passive poses are seen as Yin, while the more active and dynamic poses are considered Yang.
Yin Yoga uses specific sequences of postures to stimulate certain meridians, or subtle channels, as understood in traditional Chinese medicine. These are the equivalents of the nadis in Hatha Yoga.
Rooted in Taoist Yoga, Paulie Zink states that the deeper purpose of Yin Yoga is to “open the heart and invoke the primordial self.” Through this practice, the aim is not just physical flexibility but also emotional and spiritual openness, bringing harmony to the body and mind by balancing the opposing energies of Yin and Yang.
Distinction from Conventional Yoga
Although many poses in Yin Yoga are quite similar to those in conventional or Yang Yoga, they have different names, partly to warn those familiar with conventional yoga not to perform them in the same way. Generally, Yin Yoga poses are performed with minimal muscular strain. For example, in the Seal Pose, where the practitioner lies face down and lifts the torso, the upward movement is gradual and fully supported by the hands, with the legs remaining relaxed. In contrast, in Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose), the practitioner actively arches the spine upwards into a curve using the arms and back muscles, with the feet pressing strongly into the floor. Since Yin Yoga doesn’t generate much heat in the body, the room temperature is kept slightly warmer than usual.
