The Yin Yoga Practice & Space Within The Stillness
The Yin yoga practice involves holding postures for extended periods to work with the fascia matrix of the body & stimulate the meridian system. The approach also provides a reflective space where we can build our internal awareness & learn to notice what occurs within the stillness as we hold each pose.
At first, all our “stuff” can initially fill the empty spaces. We can replay a stressful conversation, a hurt feeling we still hold onto, or any situation that may have caused anxiety or concern. It is easy to feel we ‘should’ be doing something ‘more’ or allow the monkey mind to think about all the things that need to be done, our worries & daydreams.
With patience, we can use our breath to anchor ourselves into the stillness, where we can begin to notice the quality of our silence. Observe what unfolds in the space without attaching to what is happening; just starting to notice. It allows us to become the observer.
This stillness offered by a Yin yoga practice invites a time to become both receptive & reflective to what is happening in each moment. Within & around the body while also noticing our reactions & responses. The empty space becomes rich with feedback; our body may offer feedback to know whether changing our position is required. We can notice our sense of effort, our understanding of force, the sense of heaviness, lightness, subtle temperature changes, the sensations of achiness, the moments between each inhale & exhale, the breath at our top lip, the belly response of an exhale, & the sweet releases of the body. We may feel we haven’t reached our edge yet & drop a little deeper, or we may need to pull back a little.
