Yin as a complementary practice only?

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VictoriaGarino
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Nov 10, 2020 4:18 am

Yin as a complementary practice only?

Post by VictoriaGarino »

Hi everyone! I´m almost new in Yin Yoga and I was wondering... recently I´ve been seeing a lot of "Yin is only a complementary practice for yang activities/yoga".
As I understand, the idea is to find the balance between yin and yang but... as a lot of people practise just Yang, or dont practise yoga at all but we have a yang based life style... it´s ok to think of Yin Yoga only as a complement? can´t it be our full long term practice?
I don´t see why it has to be "only a complement". I think it´s just the reflection of our yang society and conception about yoga, for people that refuses to embrace yoga for more than excersise.

How do you feel about this concept of Yin only as a complement?

I´d love to read your opinions. Than you!!
Regards!!

PS: sory for my english =)
Bernie
Posts: 1292
Joined: Sat Sep 23, 2006 2:25 am
Location: Vancouver

Re: Yin as a complementary practice only?

Post by Bernie »

Yin complements yang, and yang complements yin. I would agree that to be healthy and whole, we can not only do yin yoga. We can not only do yang yoga. We need strength, endurance and mobility, which means yin and yang. So, I have no problem with saying everyone needs to complement their yin practice with yang practice. But, that isn't really the problem so much in our culture. People are overly yang, so it is probably more helpful to say "People need to consider yang as a complementary practice only! Make sure you do your yin too!"

:) :) :)
VictoriaGarino
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Nov 10, 2020 4:18 am

Re: Yin as a complementary practice only?

Post by VictoriaGarino »

Hi Bernie! hahaha loved your answer. Thank you so much for responding.

I think there are lots of yang exercises beyond Yoga yang styles, like running or Pilates or dance... just a few examples. I dance afro style for 12 years, when I was younger I had no problem combining afro and ashtanga or vinyasa, but as I get older I honestly had to choose. So I´m feeling very Yin lately haha It helps me a lot to balance my energy.

I hope someday soon I can get your teacher training.
Lots of love from Argentina.
Joonas
Posts: 10
Joined: Tue May 28, 2019 4:43 am

Re: Yin as a complementary practice only?

Post by Joonas »

Perhaps I can use this thread since the topic is similar enough, balancing practice.. Bernie, the number one reason I do yin yoga is I want to improve my energetic system. I'm fairly new to this so I haven't done other yogas yet. Now I'm looking to mix in some yang yoga as well. Can you recommend some yang yoga for energetical purposes? Kundalini yoga comes first to mind but I'm not looking to invoke a kundalini awakening... yet.
Bernie
Posts: 1292
Joined: Sat Sep 23, 2006 2:25 am
Location: Vancouver

Re: Yin as a complementary practice only?

Post by Bernie »

I am not sure what you mean by "energetic system". If you are referring to prana or chi manipulation, I suggest you work individually and directly with an experienced teacher. (Not via the internet!) The tools of pranayama can be very helpful and very dangerous if misused. If you are simply looking for more active, yang practices to balance your yin practice, there are many styles of yoga that could serve you. I personally started with Hatha yoga (Sivananda tradition sort of) then added Ashtanga and vinyasa practices. I tried Bikram and Kundalini, but they were not for me. However, many people love those, so maybe you will too. I would back up though and ask, why? Why are you doing yoga? As we age, there are stages for the ages and your practice may be better if you consider those stages. (See this article for more on that.)

Good luck!
Bernie
Joonas
Posts: 10
Joined: Tue May 28, 2019 4:43 am

Re: Yin as a complementary practice only?

Post by Joonas »

By energetic system I meant the meridians and the chakras.

Is there much danger to pranayama if you monitor the situation and back off if a certain practice causes undesirable effects?

Like I said, the most important reason why I do yoga is to improve my energetic system. Of course there are other considerable benefits as well. And now am looking to balance my practice with yang yoga. So I would like to pick a yang practice that maximizes the energetical benefits, without invoking kundalini for now. But I guess there isn't a clear answer to that, which means that I just have to try many of them.
Bernie
Posts: 1292
Joined: Sat Sep 23, 2006 2:25 am
Location: Vancouver

Re: Yin as a complementary practice only?

Post by Bernie »

Here is a short excerpt on what I have written in The Complete Guide to Yin Yoga Second Edition on Pranayama:

The Benefits and Practice of Pranayama

To achieve liberation, the tantric or Hatha Yoga traditions required cleansing and opening the major pathways, the nadis, and stimulating the flow of prana through them. The breath was the main tool used to stimulate the energy flow, while the physical practice of Hatha Yoga became the main tool used to dislodge any blockages to the flow of prana.

There are 2 key reasons for doing yoga, from an energetic perspective: the first is to stimulate or turn on the energy flow, and the second is to remove blockages. This is analogous to a garden hose that has been left abandoned in a back yard for many years. Over time, mud and insect debris clog the hose. When we go to use the hose again and first turn on the water (which is analogous to stimulating the flow of prana), nothing happens. We have to do some yoga to the hose: we bend it and twist it to loosen up the blockages, turn on the water, and now the water is free to flow. This is what we do in our yoga practice: we move the body via our asana practice and turn on the energy via our breath.

Many forms of pranayamas are taught by the masters, but a number of these can be dangerous to play around with. Like any tool, pranayama can be mishandled; the guidance of an experienced master is essential if we wish to explore the more esoteric pranayamas, especially the very yang-like versions. However, the more yin-like breath work describe below can provide a large measure of the bene t the yogis sought: a calm mind.


Later in the book I describe a more Daoist approach:

The Microcosmic Orbit

Pranayama is an Indian yogic way to stimulate and move energy through the nadis. The Daoists have their own ways to move chi, including ch’i-kung and t’ai chi ch’uan. They also use a meditation called the microcosmic orbit, which is a translation of the Daoist term for a full orbiting of energy through the front and back body. In Japanese, it is called “shoshuten,” which means a “circling of light.” The microcosmic orbit is a way to gather and channel all the stray energies in the body and raise them up from the muladhara to the ajna. This activation of energy is a key preparation for many advanced Daoist practices. Through activating the microcosmic orbit, the reservoirs of the Governor Vessel and Conception meridians are refilled, which means this energy is available to all other meridians and Organs. This is perhaps the best way to cultivate health and long life while at the same time preparing the way to a deep spiritual understanding.

Circulating energy through the microcosmic orbit can be done even during a yoga practice: perhaps prior to asana practice, just before meditation, during the long holds in the yin poses, or even at the beginning of Shavasana as we lie on our backs.The following instructions are fusions of both Daoist principles and yoga philosophy, but the results may prove beneficial to you.

To employ the microcosmic orbit while in Shavasana or in a seated meditation, bring your awareness to the second chakra on the front of the body. This is the svadhisthana, which is about halfway between your navel and pubic bone. Feel, or imagine you feel, energy there. Exhale completely. As you inhale, follow a flow of energy down the midline of your body, under the pubic bone to the tailbone, and then upward, along the spine, the back of the neck, over the top of your head, and right to the ajna point between the eyebrows. Pause here at the top of the inhalation for 2 or 3 seconds. As you exhale, slowly feel the energy descend inside the face and throat. Continue to follow the midline of the body down to the sternum, to the navel, and right back to the svadhisthana. Pause here for 2 or 3 seconds before beginning a new orbit.

As you orbit the body, mentally touch each chakra on both the yin and yang sides (front and back) of the body; feel the energy at those points. Two or 3 minutes of orbiting the energy should be sufficient. When you have finished, release the effort and let the breath be whatever it wants to be. Watch closely how you feel, without reacting to anything.


I don't know if this helps you or not. Again, you are best advised to work in person with a teacher when you start playing with these energies. I did not, and made myself quite sick (which lasted over years!) If you just want to get your heart pumping and turn on the sympathetic nervous system, then the active, flowing, fast and hot practice may do that for you, for a while at least. Eventually you may reach a plateau. But, do be cautious of breath of fire and the more powerful pranayamas.

Good luck!
Bernie
Joonas
Posts: 10
Joined: Tue May 28, 2019 4:43 am

Re: Yin as a complementary practice only?

Post by Joonas »

You and this website have been very helpful. Thanks Bernie!
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