Yin yoga works with sometimes intense sensations over longer periods of time (2-5, even 10 minutes), and relies on the difference between pain and intensity. We'll discuss 3 different ways to work with intensity and turn anything into meditation.
Yin yoga is a style of yoga that focuses on "yin" tissues of the body: the fascia, connective tissues and bones which are yin relative to the yang muscles, yin with respect to having less blood, less water than the muscles on which regular hatha yoga practices focus. If you've come to a place in your practice where you feel stuck, it's likely the fascia surrounding the muscles that's the culprit and yin yoga is the way to work with fascia. These tissues are, however, less pliable. The forces we exert on the yin tissue require relaxation of the muscles, a relatively "cold" practice (without warm up or heat that activates the muscles) and longer time in pose. These poses can be quite intense, but that is all within your control: go slowly and explore closer to the minimum edge of these poses until you are comfortable with the sensations and how to work with them. Four ways of working with intensity in yoga and life
Why would we want to work with these tissues? Aren't these the exact places you tell us not to stress during regular classes? Yes. In regular yoga classes we are focused on muscular engagement, strength and flexibility. We specifically warm up and engage muscles, which compress and put their own strain on joints. In a regular yoga class, we don't want to add stress and can't access the fascia. In Yin yoga class, we release patterns of holding and habitual engagement in the muscles so we can intelligently work with the connective tissues. The joints have more space so shearing forces aren't directed into them. This is less forceful, more patient work. The reason to work with these tissues is that the fascia and other connective tissues are exactly where we hold our patterns - our "stash" of habit, filter, assumption and experience. If you're stuck working with a certain area of your body or class of poses and haven't been able to "stretch" your way into the experience you want, Yin yoga is most likely exactly the secret key you've been looking for. You've probably heard that bones are strengthened through stress; this is one reason some form of resistance training is recommended for graceful aging. Without stress, the processes that rebuild bones are circumvented. In zero gravity, astronauts actually loose bone density. But this happens with physical inactivity of any kind: a casted limb, bed rest or simply a sedentary period of time. Yin yoga intelligently applies stress to the bones and the connective tissue in ways that strengthen rather than strain and which can lead to increase mobility and vitality. Additionally, because postures are engaged for minutes rather than seconds and target fascial lines, they interact with what Eastern Medicine refers to as meridians in the body. This week's practice focuses on forward bends and therefore interacts with the liver meridian, though kidney, gall bladder, urinary bladder, spleen and stomach also run through the legs. This is a gentle stimulation and leads to greater balance. The most important thing about Yin Yoga is to discern the difference between pain and intensity. In no instance do I recommend you remain or move toward poses that create sharp or electric sensations: these are "pain" and signal danger to tissue (soft, connective or nerve) in the body. However other sensations often avoided are actually signals of need in the body. Erich Schiffman popularized the distinction between minimum and maximum edges in his book, Moving Into Stillness. Your minimum edge in a pose is the first inkling of sensation created by a direction of movement. In Yang Yoga practices, this isn't a very useful place to stay, though it's vital to understand. In Yin practices, this can be a fruitful place to explore sensations and make decisions about how much intensity to generate by moving toward a pose. If you're looking for the next horizon in your practice, Yin may open up a whole new world. You can come to class, request a consult or book a private lesson by Skype or in person in the 505 to get you started. Already have a Yin practice? Tell us about it! What has it opened up for you?
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This series is great if you want to build strength for balance. You don't need to come all the way to the ground, so it's also helpful if your knees are hurting or injured or if you don't want to bear weight on your hands, wrists or arms.
Great for people with limited mobility who want to build flexible strength with this balanced series. Great if you're in the office and not dressed for getting down on the floor. Try it and leave a comment sharing your experience and questions! No one should ever be left out of Sun Salutations! You can have the same benefit as "traditional" Sun Salutations from a chair as long as you're bringing awareness - attention and intention - to every part of the body. Matthew Sanford has proven that yoga can be used as a process for awakening in all persons and all bodies. If the leg part of this diagram isn't applicable to you, leave it out. But always in yoga practice bring prana and awareness to every part of your amazing body.
This series is a great desk yoga practice for anyone needing an office pick-me-up. With this series you gain the benefit of the balanced back and forward bending and access some of the core and arm strengthening from the floor poses. Try it and leave a comment sharing your experience! Thank you to Healthline and David Novak for today's guest post highlighting some promising research from a 2008 Jons Hopkins study on the efficacy of yoga for Rheumatoid Arthritis. Prior to my total hip replacement in 2011, I had extensive osteoarthritis in a joint affected by birth defect and subsequent injury, Yoga was indispensable in managing the condition and in post-surgical recovery. Read about that experience in the most commented upon YogaGuide blog entry ever. Has yoga helped you manage joint pain and stiffness? Leave a comment below and share your experience! Arthritis symptoms such as fatigue, pain and stiffness are often eased by yoga. In fact, some people swear it is the only thing that helps. Rheumatoid (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA) are the two main types of arthritis. Both cause inflammation and together they are the most common cause of disability in the U.S., affecting millions of adults. Rheumatoid is an autoimmune disease in which the body attacks itself like fibromyalgia and polymyalgia. Osteoarthritis is often associated with a cartilage deficit or injury around the joints. The predominant symptom of both kinds of arthritis is inflammation. Once joints are inflamed, they cause considerable pain but there are natural ways you can curb or prevent joint pain and inflammation. Exercise could be just what you need to feel better. If you have actively inflamed joints you do need to rest them, but once your doctor permits you to get active again yoga is your best choice for bringing motion and circulation to your joints. Yoga can safely provide pain relief and build muscle strength. When joints are stiff and painful exercise might be the last thing on your mind. Yet when you have rheumatoid arthritis, exercising regularly is one of the best things you can do to take care of yourself and your joints. Yoga is the best choice for exercising with RA and provides many levels of activity to choose from. The Practice of Yoga Yoga is prescribed to many RA sufferers because the discipline provides poses, breathing and relaxation techniques which significantly reduce joint swelling and tenderness. Yoga facilitates the improvement of your mental, physical and emotional health. Yoga also optimizes organ function and helps you maintain a healthy weight. Other benefits associated with the practice of yoga include more balanced digestion and metabolism, improved flexibility and balance, better focus and concentration, mind relaxation, greater respiration and energy levels, and increased muscle mass. Yoga also promotes the connection between the mind, body and spirit, as is perhaps the most effective and natural method for significantly reducing symptoms linked to rheumatoid arthritis. Yoga Benefits for RA Based on Science Recently, John Hopkins conducted a research study dividing a group of sedentary adults with RA into two groups: one group participated in an eight-week program of yoga and the other group did nothing. Besides the traditional yoga poses, the first group was also instructed to perform deep breathing, relaxation and meditation techniques, all disciplines of yoga. The study concluded that those who practiced yoga had fewer swollen and tender joints and less inflammation than they did before starting class. The group of people who did not practice yoga experienced no significant changes in their joints. And while the mechanism for yoga’s efficacy with RA patients remains unknown, researchers are eager to understand why yoga has this positive effect. Time and research are required to investigate the various components of yoga. Yoga Helps You Live Longer People who practice yoga, as well as traditional fitness, have been shown to live longer - with or without rheumatoid arthritis. Regular exercise can actually reduce overall pain from rheumatoid arthritis. Yoga and fitness can also keep your bones strong and many RA sufferers have thinning bones. Exercise helps bones keep their strength, and in some cases, builds more bone density. Yoga also maintains muscle strength and actually builds muscle. More muscle around the joints prevents injury and decreases the inflammation. Maintaining a consistent fitness program, including yoga, improves functional ability and lets you do more for yourself. People with arthritis who practice yoga feel better about themselves and are better able to cope with their condition, both mentally and physically.
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