I often begin a Yin class by asking students to feel at ease.  From the standpoint of the physical body this might mean relaxing back into Savasana and closing the eyes. Actually feeling at ease with yourself though can be a little more tricky.

Yin classes are physical in nature and can provide you with the opportunity to recover from physical injury or contribute to a sports training program.  There are, however, increasing numbers of students who attend the Yin classes seeking a place of calm just to sit or lie down and learn how to ‘anchor’ themselves in the present moment.

With the support of the props, the Yin practice is an opportunity to relax your muscles to allow each posture to target the deeper yin tissues of the body, withdrawing your attention from those outer layers as you go deeper into the more subtle layers. By practising this calmer form of Yoga and by incorporating other limbs of Yoga such as Pranayama and meditation along with your more active Yoga practice, you become better able to focus your mental resources and process information more accurately. But perhaps more importantly you also learn to pay a little more attention to each action you do to yourself, allowing you to be more present to find ease with yourself in each moment. 

Your breath in Yin is slow and deep and you are encouraged to remain conscious of your breath throughout the practice.  Through stillness, connection and breath you are able to go inward and release stuck emotions; allowing you to feel calm, relaxed and more at ease with your body and with yourself.

My Yin journey: I did my first Yin class with Norman Blair in 2008 and was inspired by him and many other teachers, so that eight years later I felt the desire to share it with others, and I undertook Yin teacher training with Jo Phee in Melbourne, Australia.  My love for Yin is enhanced by its emphasis on the mind, body, spirit connection and consequently that is the focus of my Yin style of teaching.