Three minutes doesn't sound like a long time.
But if you've ever held a yin yoga pose for three minutes,
You know,
It can't feel like forever.
And that's strange because yin yoga looks so easy on the surface.
So why can a practice that looks so gentle feel so challenging?
Because the real practice doesn't begin when we come into the pose.
The real practice begins when we stay.
When we stop moving.
Yin Yoga is built around three simple principles.
The first core principle is we come into the pose to an appropriate depth.
Now,
Appropriate is what's appropriate for you.
In this moment.
The same pose can feel so different from day to day,
From moment to moment.
So it really is up to you to bring in your self-awareness into what feels appropriate to you now.
The second core principle of yin yoga is we remain physically still in the pose.
And then the third principle is we stay there for some time.
So the poses themselves are not actually the point.
The real practice of yin yoga begins once you stop adjusting.
Once you come to that place of stillness.
And then you hold for time.
Here's the interesting part.
As the minutes pass.
You start noticing things.
Perhaps there's the urge to move.
You know,
Fidgeting.
Scratching somewhere.
Impatience tends to come up.
It's three minutes,
Like you're just counting down the minutes,
Right?
Discomfort also comes up.
Like,
Oh,
Like my hamstrings feel so tight,
Or ooh,
This pose is really uncomfortable now that we're like 20 seconds into it.
And then often that leads into self-judgment.
Right there.
Like,
I'm not as flexible as I wish I was.
And for me,
This is the one that's really relatable.
That's the striving.
There's the.
.
.
Ooh,
If I can only reach a little further into this pose.
You might also notice that you might be holding your breath.
Clenching your jaw or tightening your shoulders.
Or perhaps.
.
.
Ruminating thoughts,
Right?
The voice in your head saying,
You're not doing enough.
Or this should feel different.
So in that sense,
Yin yoga then becomes a mindfulness practice.
The body gives us something tangible to pay attention to.
So rather than sitting on a cushion trying to quiet the mind in a traditional sitting meditation practice,
We can use all of these physical sensations,
Emotions,
And thoughts as an anchor.
There's this thing called achievement conditioning.
Many of us have been trained to push harder,
To optimize,
To improve.
And these habits can often show up on the yoga mat too.
Yin yoga lets us observe these tendencies.
Now it's also important to note that there's a difference between intensity and awareness.
Some people think that a deeper pose means a better practice.
But Yin invites us to question that assumption.
Another thing I love about the yin practice is practicing acceptance.
It's important to note that acceptance is not resignation.
You're not resigned to,
Oh,
This is how my body is,
Right?
It's not giving up either,
Not giving up on yourself.
It's simply meeting the body where it is today.
Where it is in this present moment.
That's a very subtle but very profound life skill.
For many people,
Especially those who struggle with traditional meditation,
Yin yoga can be a beautiful gateway into mindfulness and self-awareness through the body.
It gives us a chance to practice being present with exactly what's here.
It's also why I love teaching yin yoga alongside yoga nidra,
Another practice that helps us slow down,
Listen more deeply,
And reconnect with ourselves.
I'll share more about Yoga Nidra in another video.
In the meantime,
I hope this encourages you to explore mindfulness through yin yoga,
Through the body sensations,
Through the thoughts that come up and the emotions and through whatever else might arise when you give yourself permission to be still.
Not by trying to change your experience.
But by becoming curious about it.
I'll see you on the mat.
