Yin is a style of yoga that we absolutely love at Bend it like Buddha school to help balance out an active Ashtanga or Vinyasa practice. To some of the more active and dynamic yoga styles today, Yin Yoga can be considered as a complementary yoga practice. Yin Yoga is an art more than an exact science which was introduced by Master Paulie Zink who is the sole protégé of Chinese martial arts. Paulie, himself, was taught Taoist arts comprising of flexible training, physical conditioning and energy cultivation along with some of the distinct Kung-fu styles by his master Cho Chat Ling (Yin Yoga – Founder Paulie Zink, 2019). Yin Yoga, in other words, is a unique style of Taoist yoga introduced by Master Zink that has originated from the philosophy, spiritual traditions and ancient Taoist health practices in China. The art of Yin Yoga has been drawn upon the Chinese doctrine of elements- water, wood, fire, metal and earth. Yin and Yang used as Chinese principles harmonised with the rhythm and the flow of nature (Eliot, 2018).
The martial arts expert and Taoist yoga teacher Paulie Zink started teaching Yin Yoga to the western world in the late 1970s. This unique form of Yoga was taught in Europe and across North America. Now our very own yoga studio Bend it like Buddha in Praia da Rocha beach, Portimao-Portugal offers Yin class styles. As well as the other training courses such as 200-hour teacher training along with the other such yoga instructor programs and teacher certifications.
Yin Yoga is a meditative approach having more passive posture mainly on the floor. The majority of these postures are held between 3-5 minutes on each side. In one class perhaps only 7-10 poses will be practiced. Several advantages have been observed associated with Yin Yoga such as energy regulation in the body and lowering the level of stress. Besides this, Yin Yoga will give students a calming and balancing sense in the body and mind, increase mobility, help with migraines and stress, better lubrication and protection of joints together with offering more flexibility in the joints as well as connective tissues (Chang, Liao and Wang, 2013).
Another highly discussed benefit of Yin Yoga is the release of fascia throughout the body. During Farrah Furtado’s Breath to Breath sessions space is held to release the fascia through movement, sound and breath work. Several types of research have been conducted determining the benefits of fascia release. The fascia network is more like a network that scaffolds throughout the entire body (Eliot, 2018). The network of the connective tissues weaves through our entire body encasing the muscles, joints, vessels and bones. It has been said that all of our past memory and history is locked as a memory in fascia and thus, many times our past anger, confusions, sadness, anxiety lie here. Yoga and stretching is considered as an effective way of releasing stress, anxiety and other such negative things affecting the body. The emotions want to be liberated from the body otherwise being stuck there may create body pain. Yin Yoga is an effective way of releasing fascia and relaxing the body and mind (Ajimsha et al., 2015).
The idea of fascia holding past memories is a controversial topic in clinical exploration and western medicine. Tozzi (2014) has postulated this release of memory as accompanied by some sort of sensory experience. Another research conducted by Cubick et al. (2011), has highlighted that a manual therapeutic technique called Myofascial release fiscal restrictions (MFR) showing improvement in fatigue, pain, cervical and thus the entire quality of life. In another studyconducted by Ajimsha et al. (2015), it has been stated that release ( such as in breath work or yoga stretching) is the best way to work with fascia and is beneficial for both our mind, health and well-being.
Practicing myofascial release means working with fascia to rehydrate the connective tissues, the muscles and ligaments. Moreover, Yin Yoga postures is an effective manner of releasing blockages and difficult memories. A kind of obstruction is created when the fascia is damaged. In our Yin Yoga classes, intensive breath work and stretching fascia with binaural healing music and sacred sounds such as the Tibetan bowls we will share some light on a new way on how to target the fascia, release blocks and emotions. During Yin in our sacred space at Bend it like Buddha studio, Praia da Rocha, Portimao Algarve our instructors will share these myofascia release techniques to help you feel better, heal yourself through your own miraculous body and start your healing process to renewed health.
References
- Ajimsha, M.S., Al-Mudahka, N.R. and Al-Madzhar, J.A., 2015. Effectiveness of myofascial release: systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Journal of bodywork and movement therapies, 19(1), pp.102-112.
- Chang, J.H., Liao, Y.S. and Wang, T.Y., 2013. A Progressive Staged Digital Yoga Game to Stimulate the Interest of Elders. International Journal of e-Education, e-Business, e-Management and e-Learning, 3(3), p.209.
- Cubick, E.E., Quezada, V.Y., Schumer, A.D. and Davis, C.M., 2011. Sustained release myofascial release as treatment for a patient with complications of rheumatoid arthritis and collagenous colitis: a case report. International journal of therapeutic massage & bodywork, 4(3), p.1.
- Eliot, T., 2018. A Journey Into Yin Yoga. Human Kinetics.
- Tozzi, P., 2014. Does fascia hold memories?.
- Yin Yoga – Founder Paulie Zink. (2019). Biography – Yin Yoga – Founder Paulie Zink. [online] Available at: http://www.pauliezink.com/biography/ [Accessed 6 Mar. 2019].
