Yin Yoga Yinsights
April, 2013

How Long Will You Live?
(And can Yin Yoga help you live longer?)

Sit down! Stand up! Okay – which do you want me do: sit or stand? Well, neither actually – this is a test of how well you get from the floor to standing and from standing back down to the floor. Why? Are you interested in how long you (or your students) are going to live? This simple test, called the Sit-Rise Test (SRT for short) might give you some sobering news.

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Nurturing Knees

It is a burning pain; sometimes sharp, stabbing; felt when the knee is flexed and the foot brought closer to the groin such as in sitting cross-legged or in Pigeon pose. Sometimes it is bearable, and you just sit with it hoping that you aren’t doing any real damage. Sometimes, however, it is unbearable and you know that damage has already happened. Welcome to the world of the meniscus.

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The Devil is in the Detail

Time to meet your daemon: your devil. Where do you find your devil? Why, in the details of course! And this makes a lovely segue to Yin Yoga where there are lots of devilish details that arise, creating thoughts of changing what we are doing, urges to come out of the pose early, running away, avoiding the discomfort and challenges in front of us. You want to stay, but you also want to leave: you are torn in two – and that other half, the one urging you to do what you didn’t originally want to do, is your daemon.

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The Yin Yoga Forum

The forum is available for anyone to ask questions about Yin Yoga in particular or Yoga in general, but the forum is not just for those who “don’t know” – it is also available for everyone who already know, and have stories and information to share with others. Recently the forum has been changed to make it easier to find the most common topics. Check it out and feel free to add your voice.

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Yin Yoga Teacher Trainings

Yin is In! And, it is growing in popularity. Yin Yoga has been with us since the beginning of Hatha Yoga centuries ago. But since the early 19th century, yoga has become more and more yang-like in nature. Everything requires balance: yin completes yang. Yin Yoga is the balancing practice for the more active, muscular yang yogas. There are more and more teachers offering Yin Yoga today, and more workshops and opportunities to learn how to become a Yin Yoga teacher. If diving deeper into the yin-side of life is on your bucket list, there are lots of opportunities for you.

Upcoming Yin Yoga Teacher Trainings with Bernie Clark

A 50-hour, 7-Day Yin Yoga Teacher Trainings
August 26th to Sept 1, 2013;
November 11th-17th, 2013;
February 2014.

All of these will be at the Semperviva Yoga Studios, in Vancouver, Canada. The Yin Yoga Teacher Training Program offered at the Semperviva Yoga College is a unique way to deepen your yoga practice and touch tissues rarely worked in a more active yang style of yoga. For 200 hour certified teachers the credits of the course can be applied towards the 500 hour certification, and are eligible for CEUs with Yoga Alliance. (CEUs = Continuing Education Units and are required to maintain your status as a Registered Yoga Teacher).

For more details or to register, check the Semperviva web page or call them at 604-739-2009.

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Yin Yoga Teacher Directory

If you are having trouble finding a Yin Yoga teacher near your, or if you are traveling to somewhere new, try checking out the Directory of Yin Yoga teachers. We have hundreds of teachers registered from all over the world. If you are a teacher and are not in the directory, just send us your information and we’ll be happy to add you.

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Other Interesting Events

Paul Grilley, Sarah Powers, and Biff Mithoefer are each planning a full load of workshops all over the world. You can check out their schedules at their home web pages:

Paul Grilley’s Schedule of Workshops

Sarah Power’s Schedule of Workshops

Biff Mithoefer’s Schedule of Workshops

Many teachers around the world are creating Yin Yoga based workshops and retreats. Some of them are posting these activities on our Forum page. Check it out. There may be one happening near you. (If you are a teacher, feel free to add yours to the page!)