Autumn Equinox is upon us and during Autumn Equinox there is a shift from sun to moon, light to dark, action to contemplation, growth to dormancy, building up to letting go and movement to stillness.This is a perfect time to explore balance in your yoga practice and yoga is the perfect way to bring balance to your body and mind. It's a time to honour the shift in our energy levels, it's time to slow things down.
What is Yin Yoga?
Yin Yoga refers to a more slow passive practice holding poses for longer and mostly floor based yoga poses. Yin Yoga targets connective tissues. Yin Yoga is about relaxing, letting go, going deeper within.
Benefits of a regular Yin Yoga practice:
Calms and balances the mind and body
Reduces stress and anxiety
Increases circulation
Improves flexibility
Releases fascia and improves joint mobility
Balances the internal organs and improves the flow of chi or prana
What is Yang Yoga? refers to a more active practice working on the muscles and blood flow, building strength, stamina and flexibility. A Yang practice emphasizes heat and strength in the body. Flowing with the breath.
Benefits of a regular Yang Yoga practice
- Develops strength and flexibility
- Releases chronic tension
- Calms restless thoughts
- Supports mental clarity
- Improves circulations
- Releases toxins
- Recharges and Energizes
- Encourages Self-Acceptance
What is Yin Yang Yoga? this blends two styles of yoga into one practice – bringing together the benefits of passively holding yoga poses with more dynamic sequences and standing postures.
To understand how to balance those two forces, this would describe it in a more practical approach:
Yin Yoga targets the connect tissues — Yang Yoga targets the muscles
Yin Yoga is about how you feel in the pose — Yang Yoga is about proper alignment
Yin Yoga is slow and passive — Yang Yoga is repetitive and rhythmic
Yin Yoga emphasizes holding postures for longer periods — Yang Yoga emphasizes on movement
Muscles are relaxed in Yin Yoga — Muscles are contracted in Yang Yoga
Joints can safely move to their full range of motion in Yin Yoga — Joints should not be moved to their full range of motion in Yang Yoga
"Balance requires consciously honouring both the yin and yang energies of life. Yang is about change, movement, passion, climbing great heights, and accomplishing great deeds. Yin is about acceptance, allowing, stillness, enjoying the present moment and doing small everyday tasks as if they were great deeds.” – Bernie Clark
My Yoga classes this Autumn will focus on Yin and Yang elements if you would like to join the class is every Wednesday on Zoom at 6pm (60 minutes).
Please contact me to book your place by emailing me on bextriggs@gmail.com
Namaste
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