I’m happy to say that I’ve been able to practice yoga a few times a week consistently since discovering Yin Yoga. This type of yoga is very meditative and less active, which is good for me since I have some muscle weakness issues going on. Yin is concerned with relaxing the connective tissues, allowing for more flexibility, which is very helpful as we get older.

Yin consists of mostly floor poses, some with assistance of a wall, and the poses are held for 3 to 5 minutes. By committing to stillness in each posture, Yin prepares the body & mind for meditation. The breath and awareness of bodily sensations assists in relaxation and not over doing it. I sleep better after Yin Yoga so it must help with reducing stress. Here’s a little tip from Yoga Journal’s online magazine:

“Meditation is an incredibly powerful willpower booster—the practice of returning attention again and again to the breath kicks the prefrontal cortex (the decision-making center of the brain) into high gear and quiets the stress and craving centers of your brain. Every time you bring your attention away from a wandering thought and back to the breath, you strengthen self-awareness and boost self-control.”

If anyone feels they are not strong enough or flexible enough to do yoga, Yin is a good place to start. I have good days and bad days with my strength, so on a bad day I can still do Yin. I feel a little sore the day after, but some mild stretching and Traumeel (homeopathic anti-inflammatory) usually help me work that out.

Related articles

• Slow down the yoga way..try Yin Yoga! (timesunion.com)
• Yin Yoga: Deep Stretching Of The Body’s Connective Tissues (casapalmera.com)