Why this Yoga Retreat Bali offers the perfect counter balance to modern busy lives.

Chinese philosophy refers to yin & yang as two complementary energies that are interconnected & interdependent, creating all aspects of life. Yin energy is inward energy, passive, feminine, & cool. The masculine energy of yang is outward energy, active & heated; yin represents surrendering into what is, while yang represents activity & action.

Our yin practices involve holding positions that stress & renew the deep, dense connective tissues. The method includes using many variations & props within the postures to relax within the target area as we hold the pose for extended periods. Within this stillness, we can then become receptive & reflective to what is happening, within & around the body, while also noticing our reactions & responses. These long-held poses can often lead to physical & mental discomfort, opening an opportunity to learn to tolerate discomfort & surrender to what is. Despite looking easy, it is a resilience practice & has its challenges.

Yang styles of yoga are dynamic, target the muscles, & often employ repetitive movements to stretch the muscles. Muscles love to get warm; they are elastic & moist, so they appreciate this form of exercise & respond well to it. Rather than emphasizing surrender, our Yang practices promote action. By creating heat within the body, these styles increase blood flow, our circulation, build strength, stamina, & flexibility while helping you learn patience & endurance.

If we constantly push our lives forward & lead a very yang life, we can burn our energy rather than conserve it. On the other hand, if we overtly draw inwards, this can lead to a sedentary lifestyle; we can move away from being present & fall into the past. An overbalance of yin or yang can create disharmonies. They need to co-exist for our lives to be in balance.

As yoga practitioners, we can often lose our sensitivity to the body’s signals, focusing on achieving results rather than feeling. Therefore, it is essential to incorporate yin & yang styles to promote unity within our yoga practice. By exploring the contrast between the strength & power of a yang practice and the grace & surrender within a yin practice, you will learn how to implement a mixture of Yin & Yang practices throughout your yoga schedule & practice both Yin & Yang aspects within one class effectively. As you honor your body’s inherent wisdom, Yin & Yang energy can co-exist in harmonious balance within both body & mind.