I am back from nine days of Yin Yoga teacher training and retreat at my beloved Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health. It has been a time of learning, of support, of challenge and of exploration. It opened my body, mind, and yes … my heart 💛
Let life be like Yin Yoga – Lean into it.
The foundations of Yin Yoga are rooted in the Taoist tradition. It is about finding wholeness and harmony in tune with the constant flow of yin and yang in nature and in all beings. Yin is the stable, unmoving, feminine, receptive, cool and hidden aspect of things; yang is the changing, mobile, masculine, hot and active aspect.
One cannot exist without the other.
Yoga in the west is Yang oriented, focusing on building strength, engaging muscles, movement and action.
Yin Yoga is the counterpart to this. It is a slow deep practice where poses are held for longer and the muscles relax. The deeper connective tissues of the body awaken, which allows for increased flexibility and prevents rigidity that comes with aging. The poses also stimulate the Chi and Prana energy in the body, allowing the practitioner to become calmer and more focused, and the body to be nourished.
It is a practice of paying attention, letting go, and developing the witness to whatever comes up in the physical body, mental body, emotions and breath.
By leaning in and surrendering to what is beyond resistance, the path to acceptance and peace opens up.
In this place of stillness, we meet ourselves and begin to understand how we deal with the pleasure and pain in our bodies and in life.
Each practice strengthens our entire being to allow for deep inquiry and acceptance. To find our Middle Ground.
Namaste
It sounds like a highly recommended thing to do. Wonder where the nearest place is to us here in Southern Oregon? It might be valuable for Jeannie as a tool in her (our) efforts to combat the effects of her Parkinson’s Disease?
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Yin is good for letting the energy move through connective tissues and for flexibility. A gentle yoga class with standing postures is also good for balance and coordination. Perhaps do a google search, and a search on http://www.yogaalliance.org
I’m happy to chat with you about it. 💛
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Thanks Val. Let’s see what we can find out first.
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Val, does the following place offer any clues as to how good they are?
http://sundancehealingartscenter.com/
I’m sorry to be so naive but I wouldn’t know a good or bad place if it slapped me in the face!
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Hi Paul, I had a quick look. The gentle and restorative classes look good. Keep away from anything that says Vinyasa or Flow. For the best teachers they should have at least 200 hours of training and a few years of experience. Yoga Therapy certification is also helpful. Speak to the teacher beforehand, so you feel comfortable that her approach is in line with what you are looking for. Val x
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Thank you so much, Val. Have a wonderful weekend.
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I’m so happy to hear this, Val. We missed you! ❤
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Thank you Jill! Its good to be back with my WordPress community again 💛
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This sounds like a wonderful retreat from the busyness and hustle of regular life.
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It was Sunny. I may not do a lot of hurting the days but they are pretty busy 😉
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Sounds wonderful, Val.
In the stillness, the cosmos swirls.
When silence reigns, we hear its heartbeat.
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Let your poetry sing my friend! Such lovely words 💛
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I like the idea of this… I’m going to ask my teacher about it. Sounds like something our society needs!
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My thought too Eliza. Let it be a part of the rising of feminine energy in a world that has become so masculine and yang 🙏
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Turns out she just hired a teacher at her studio who focuses on this form and will be offering Sunday nite classes. Synchronicity! Thanks for raising my awareness, Val. 🙂
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Sounds similar to the yoga I studied and learned years ago. There was no name put to it then.
Have been wondering what is this ‘yoga’ they study these days. I don’t get it. There’s no relaxation and very little meditation. Happy to read your excellent post today that clears up this mystery.
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Thank you Eddie. I’m glad I could bring some light on the subject. Over the last 10-15 years there has been an upsurge in the yang style of yoga in the US. It has become what most people think of as yoga … yet is so far away from its meditative origins. 🙏
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Oh so wonderful for you 🙂 An hour of yin yoga is such delicious breathing!
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It is PD. I love how we fill our bodies with the prana/chi and then feel it moving through us. 💛
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You make me feel better. 🙂
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Smiling … thank you 💛
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A timely post
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Indeed Derrick 😊
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A wonderful break you had… welcome back!
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It was 💛 Thank you!
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I recently became certified in Integral Yoga, also a contemplative and balanced approach, and I am new to your blog. So happy to have found you! This was so enticing — your Yin yoga description — that this may be the next yoga aspect I study, too. Thank you!
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Thank you Jude! So good to have you here 💛
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Welcome back, you have been missed, Val 😀
It sounds like a good time with yoga, as you had.
I have tried several kind of yoga through the years and the one, as I join in classes now is named Satria Yoga. Do you know this kind?
Here we do both and also some flow yoga too. It can be pretty tough.
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Thank you Irene! Its nice to be here with my WP friends again 💛 I hadn’t heard of Satria yoga, but I just looked it up and see it is an offshoot from marshal arts. It looks like a powerful practice!
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It is powerful and we do also use time for stillness and meditation, which I also care about.
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So happy to see you are back dear Val.. And I trust you are feeling refreshed and energized..
Yoga my daughter does.. to be honest I think my body would be less supple to start it now, even though my daughter tells me other wise with certain moves..
But I have been getting in tune within my own energies with my Qi Gong And I am finally finding my feet again as I pull back in the energies..
Love and Warm hugs to you Val.. Bless you for all you share..
Sue ❤ xx
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Thank you Sue. My well has been filled 🙏Qi Gong is a lovely practice Sue! Keep moving and connecting inwards. Let the energy move and bring you home 💕
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It is doing dear Val.. Thank you xxx
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I love the concept of ‘leaning into life’. Have to ponder how best to put it in practice 🙂 Thanks, Val!
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Pondering is a good first step! Thanks Helen 💛
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I didn’t know any of this – fascinating.
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It is indeed Julie 💛
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a deep, patient
stilling practice, Val!
i’m remembering the joys
& soreness of yin yoga 🙂
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Smiling.. Ah yes, the highs and lows. Such is life. Lets embrace it all. Thank you David 🙏
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Congrats on competing your yin training. I love yin yoga, I find I’m very drawn to the ,ore restorative practices these days after years and years of the tough workouts and vinyasa classes.
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Thank you Reena. It’s all about finding balance 💛
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I always wondered what yin yoga was exactly, thank you! So interesting to learn about how the West differentiates to the East, definitely going to have to try yin and explore it
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I’m glad this post inspires you to be curious 💕
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Very insightful!
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Thank you Korie 🙏
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What a lovely read , i will be doing yin training in Aug and i can’t wait , this read has made me looking forward it even more .
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I’m so glad you enjoyed it Sonya! Have a wonderful training 🙏
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So beautifully put x
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Thank you 🙏
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