The Yin to Your Yang
“The primary aim of yoga is to restore the mind to simplicity and peace, and free it from confusion and distress” ~ Iyengar
CALMING THE WATERS
This a time of continuous change and upheaval in our society. Just when you think things are beginning to settle, they shift again. On top of that is our individual “go go go” mentality and “more is better” way of life. It’s unsurprising, perhaps, that over the past several decades our western style yoga has reflected these values on the mat.
We’d like to offer a new way forward. A different way of being. A way back to greater balance and with that, greater peace and wellbeing for your body, mind, and soul. My name is Barb Leese; many of you have probably taken my live stream Yin class, others still I’ve had the pleasure of working with in one of my teacher trainings. Together with my colleague, Christine Grant, we’ve developed a curriculum for helping practitioners deepen their yoga practice by targeting restrictions in their fascia. Which begs the question…
WHAT IS FASCIA?
Fascia is like the fabric of your body, woven into and around everything else in the body. It’s your connector, communicator, and protector. Healthy fascia allows everything to move and glide and slide three-dimensionally, giving you energy, freedom, and space.
Imagine that… yoga creating space.
Not only greater space and ease in the body itself (and which one of us isn’t seeking that?), but space in the mind. When your fascia gets bound down and stuck, it can act like a straitjacket, causing tension, fatigue, and even pain.
A DEEP CONVERSATION
Fascia has a lot to do with how your body “speaks.” You’ll “hear” it in the flutters and tightness and emotion and openness you feel. Learning to “listen” might seem foreign, and that’s because most of us were simply never taught the language. Eventually though, if we don’t pay attention when the signals of our body are subtle, the messages will become louder, revealing something that needs your immediate attention. We often feel this “shouting in the body” as pain.
So how can you start listening to the conversation your body is constantly trying to have with you?
By learning to recognize all of the different sensations in your body. Hearing what your fascial system is telling you will open up a whole new world. Feeling the subtleties of its language will bring you to a deeper level of healing potential within you.
HOW YIN YOGA WORKS
Fascial-Yin is a form of yoga approached in a very specific way which directly targets the fascial network inside of you. (We recently did a BLOG POST about the benefits of Yin Yoga!) Through long, gentle holds at the edge of your tissue tension, quieting the breath, and tuning inwardly with the mind, the bound down fascia begins to soften, re-hydrate, and release.
Remember that there are two main forms of yoga. While “yang” yoga focuses on your muscle activation, “yin” yoga targets your network of connective tissues (otherwise known as fascia). Both Vinyasa and the Original Hot Yoga series are forms of “yang” yoga, and they certainly have their place. But so does yin.
ARE YOU A “YANGSTER”?
If you have always been a "yangster", loving the the intensity of your yoga practice, now is the time to explore the yin side. Bringing greater balance, greater ease of movement, and a broader understanding of yoga into your life might be exactly what you need. Fascial-Yin Yoga provides a healing place to start to undo, unwind, and rebalance.
ONLINE TRAINING
Christine and I founded The Lotus Edge as a way of sharing these concepts with the world, and our online trainings make it easier than ever to go deeper into your practice. Our curriculum will change the way you understand the human body and how it moves, based on the latest science. It will give you new insights into the psyche — how stress in your life affects you physically — and practical ways to put balance back into your life.
Come and enter this sanctuary with us… an opportunity to turn inward, to be gentle with yourself, and to heal.
YIN AND BEYOND:
Experience Fascial-Yin
This is a 12-hour online program geared toward any yoga practitioner. Through a series of classes, meditations, and lectures, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of Fascial-Yin Yoga and how you can utilize the concepts to heal your body. Meant for experts and beginners alike, you’re free to go at your own pace and revisit lessons as often as you’d like.
THE INWARD JOURNEY:
Teacher Certification
Are you a yoga teacher looking to broaden your knowledge and skill set? With this 40-hour Yoga Alliance Certification you’ll be able to teach Fascial-Yin with integrity, knowledge, and confidence. Our unique approach will give you all the in-depth tools you need to be an effective yin instructor, one that’s able to keep your students coming back again and again.