YIN YOGA

Going Beyond Flexibility and Extending the

Yielding Approach of Yin Yoga to Master Your
Mind. Yin Yoga Poses with photos and description.

Sasy Cacace
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Table Of Contents
Introduction
Chapter 1: Yin Yoga, The Process Of Yielding And Letting Go.
The Creation Of Yin Yoga.
Yin Principles.
The Chinese Five Elements.
Chapter 2: The Science And Benefits Of Yin Yoga.
The Sympathetic/Parasympathetic System.
Chapter 3: The Power Of Breathing.
Ujjayi, Ocean Breath.
Chapter 4: Yoga And Joint Health.
Contracture.
Fixation.
Chapter 5: What Is Limiting Your Range Of Motion?
The Vipassana Approach.
Chapter 6: 19 Powerful Yin Yoga Poses, Variations, And Their Benefits.
1. The Butterfly Pose.
2. The Caterpillar Pose.
3. The Dangling Pose.
4. The Dragon Pose.
5. The Dragonfly/Straddle Pose.
6. The Frog Pose.
7. The Snail Pose.
8. The Saddle Pose.
9. The Sphinx Pose.
10. The Fire Log/Square Pose.
11. The Happy Baby/Stirrup Pose.
12. The Sleeping Swan Pose.
 13. The Shoelace Pose.
14. The Recline Twisting Pose.
15. The Melting Heart/Puppy Pose.
16. The Bananasana.
17. The Shavasana/Corpse Pose.
18. Stressing The Arms.
19. Pec Stretch/Shoulders Roll.
Conclusion.
 Introduction
Thank you for reading “Yin Yoga: Going Beyond Flexibility and Extending
the Yielding Approach of Yin Yoga to Master Your Mind. Yin Yoga Poses
with photos and descriptions”, which is my sequel to The Key to Happiness.
If you read my previous book, then you learned about how everyone can
improve their life with the yogi lifestyle. By beginning your spiritual journey
with meditation and Yin yoga you can reduce stress, increase wisdom, and
even slow down the process of aging.
Of course, this isn’t some miracle cure, I do not claim to eradicate all aging
or stress. But, you can greatly lessen these negative aspects of life, as has
been proved through many scientific studies. We will go over the science and
studies in this book, and more so that you can plainly see the amazing
benefits the yogi path has to offer.
You can trust in knowing that the tools and methods taught in this book are
reliable and helpful. I am an Experienced Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga
Teacher (E-RYT 500) and a Yoga Alliance Continuing Education Provider
(YACEP). I use these certifications not only to master the yogi path, but also
to teach and help others discover the yogi path, understand its benefits, and
learn how to faithfully follow the lifestyle themselves that is not designed to
tone or stretch your body but it is designed to free us from obstacles and
liberate us from any fear.
Before adopting the yogi path I have been a detective on the police force for
twenty years. While I can certainly help many people while working in this
field, it is not an easy position. It would be difficult for anyone to witness the
crime and pain in the world daily for their job, especially a soft-hearted man
like myself. I am someone who has always dreamed of a world free from
pain.
While having a world free from pain is a dream and not reality, I still believe
that it is possible to lessen the pain in the world. We all have the opportunity
to transform our pain, and the pain around us, thereby increasing joy, peace,
and growth. We can use these experiences as a way to improve ourselves and
our lives, constantly growing and becoming better people. This is doing
Yoga.
After fifteen years of walking the yogi path on my spiritual quest, this is what
I have discovered, and I would like to share this knowledge and the tools
needed to accomplish the goal of a better life with you.
While you may be familiar with standard yoga classes, Yin yoga is much
more powerful and meditative. This process focuses on promoting deep
physical, spiritual, and mental awareness. Rather than just working the
surface of your joints and muscles, you can work your deeper tissues. Your
connective tissues and fascia are included in the poses, as well! People often
lose vital flexibility as they age, with stiffness in the fascia causing pain
resulting in the muscles becoming overwork. Yin yoga helps to increase
flexibility and overall health as you age, reducing the risk of injury.
With fast-paced yang yoga, people can often miss out on many of the benefits
it has to offer, such as the deep connection it requires with a person’s own
soul, body, emotions, and sensations. On the other hand, Yin yoga excels at
slowing down and allowing a person to truly connect deeply, offering
benefits on all levels. It is necessary to understand that it is not the movement
that frees you, but the quality of the relationship you have with it.
With Yin yoga, you are no longer distracted by movements as people are
with flowy Yang yoga practice. By removing the distractions while
maintaining a still pose you have the ability to focus inward and meditate.
As you will discover later in this book, the pairing of Yin meditation and
yoga has many benefits to the soul and mental health, benefiting you in
everyday life.
Most people are not adjusted to living a life with stillness and meditation.
Instead of keeping the body and mind still, most people are always looking at
their phones or running around doing task after task, in a constant flow of
doing, doing and doing that they forget what it is simply be. But, there are
many important benefits to sitting still and meditating. Simple be instead of
doing.
It will take time to adjust to the process of Yin yoga and meditation, but with
work, you will find that your time of meditating and practicing poses is
rejuvenating and cleanses your body and mind for the day to come.
To truly gain all of these benefits, you should read my other book, The Key to
Happiness, in which we discuss methods of meditation, life-altering tools to
increase peace and to let go of pain, the keys to gaining joy and happiness
and more.
In this book, you will learn all about Yin yoga, its benefits, nineteen poses
with their variations, for a total of 51 asanas with photos and an extra section
for shoulders and neck health using Yin yoga principles, and more.
Let’s take this journey for better health and a better life. All you have to do is
begin.
 Chapter 1
Yin Yoga, the Process of Yielding and Letting Go.
Allow every aspect of your life be your growing edge. Your efforts
won’t be wasted and what you gain won’t be overturned. If that is
your way of life, you are doing Yoga.
Sasy Cacace
Yin yoga is both an ancient method and a new practice. This is because the
practice of both Yin meditation and traditional (Yang) yoga were combined
to increase the benefits of both Yin and yoga. By combining the two, the
effects become even more profound.
Who was it that combined these two methods? While the teachings of many
people were used, the person who combined all of the knowledge into a
single method is Paul Grilley. Some of his influences in the combination of
all this knowledge were Paulie Zink who was the heaviest influencer and laid
the groundwork, Dr. Gary Parker who taught the importance of anatomy, and
Dr. Hiroshi Motoyama reminded Grilley of the greater purpose of yoga in
Daoism.
Now, let’s look into the creation of the original yoga and Yin yoga. After all,
if you want to reap all of the benefits that this practice has to offer, you need
to understand the theory behind it.

The Creation of Yin Yoga.

Documentation on the history of yoga has been found that dates back
hundreds and thousands of years. This includes ancient texts such as the
Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Yoga Sutra, Gheranda Samhita, and more. Yet, you
simply can’t only read these works in order to gain all of the understanding
from them. You require the help of a master or guru to fully understand and
utilize the knowledge these ancient texts share. The texts themselves only
share a part of the knowledge, a condensed version which requires the proper
teaching through the guidance of a teacher. Why is this? The premise was
that only a master could know when their student was ready to gain the
knowledge. Therefore, much of the knowledge was kept in secret at the
master's discretion, until they felt their student was advanced enough for the
understanding. The ancient texts themselves do not fully explain how yoga
was physically practiced. However, it is plain to see that the deeper purpose
of yoga was more than just physical. Yoga was meant to help prepare a
person for the deeper implementation of meditation.
The earliest spiritual books of India, the Vedas, had many meanings for yoga.
One of these was the word “discipline”. On the other hand, “asana” which is
a series of poses commonly practice used in yoga today, is not named.
Instead, the closest word to asana is described as a block on which people sit
to meditate.
When the Yoga Sutra was written, the practice of yoga had advanced further
since the Vedas. By this time, asana was a part of the practice, but only a
small part of it. In fact, the Sutra only mentions asana twice. At this time
yoga was defined as a psychological-spiritual method meant to attain the
pinnacle of enlightenment and liberation.
It is important to mention that when the Yoga Sutra mentions asana it defines
what the movements should be like. It uses the words “sthira” and “sukham”,
meaning that the movements should be both steady and calm (Sutra 2.46).
This is important information, as these are key qualities of Yin yoga, rather
than the Yang yoga often used throughout the West.
Yoga was created as a tool to facilitate meditation, deeper understanding, and
liberation. While there are many types of yoga with their own principles, the
ultimate original goal of all yoga is to achieve this end. Some of the yoga
methods place a higher emphasis on the movements of the body, whereas
others left almost no mention of poses and movements.
Some methods of yoga were so extreme, and unhealthy, that they believed
that the body only got in the way of enlightenment and liberation. Therefore,
they sought a way to attain out-of-body experiences as rapidly and quickly as
possible. This resulted in unhealthy practices that only damaged the body.
Thankfully, there were also yoga methods that outright rejected the idea of
the previous extreme. For instance, the Hatha yoga method placed emphasis
on maintaining a strong and healthy body. Their principle stated that since
people can only attain knowledge and liberation while in their body, the body
should be cared for, kept healthy, and strengthened. By doing this, the yogis
of the Hatha principle were able to maintain meditation for hours on end, as
their bodies were so well trained that they could stay still much longer than a
person of average health. With Hatha, the goal was still to sit in a still and
meditative pose, but asana began to have more importance in the overall
practice than with previous forms of yoga.
No history of yoga would be complete without mentioning the Hatha Yoga
Pradipika, which was written by Swami Swatmarama in the fourteenth
century C.E. It is one of the oldest surviving documents detailing the
principles and methods of Hatha yoga.
This document discussed the importance of asana much more than anything
of its kind had in the past. However, still, much less emphasis is placed on
asana than many people place on it in today’s day in age. Instead, the
document largely focuses on mudras (hand gestures) and pranayama
(breathing techniques). When the document does mention asana, it only
details fifteen positions. Most of these positions are done while still and
seated, much like Yin yoga. Although, there are a few yang yoga poses.
While there are fifteen poses in the document, there is one that is written
about as being the ultimate pose. It was written that if a person masters this
one Hatha yoga pose, then all other poses were meaningless. This pose is
known as the Siddhasana, translated as the Perfect pose or the Accomplished
pose and it is a seated pose. To perform Siddhasana sit on the floor with your
legs straight out in front of you, bend your left knee, and bring your left heel
into your groin near the perineum, the area between the genitals and anus.
Then bend your right knee and slide your right heel toward the front of your
left ankle. By lifting your right foot, position your right ankle just above your
left ankle, and bring your right heel into the genital area. The little-toe side
and the outer edge of the top foot are pushed down into the space between the
calf and thigh muscles of the bottom leg and the spine is held erect.
As time continued, the asana from the Hatha Yoga Pradipika was expanded
on and further explained. For instance, a few hundred years after the original
writing of the document, Gheranda Samhita documented his own thirty-two
types of asana. Some of these asana fit closely with Yin yoga practice,
whereas others fit more into the Yang yoga principles. At this point in time,
much of yoga asana began to ease more toward Yang rather than Yin.
A few decades after this, eighty-four asana were documented in the Shiva
Samhita. And, when England began to colonize India and alter the school
systems, asana were further ingrained in the everyday culture of India. No
longer was yoga only for the select yogis who dedicated their lives to its
practice. Now, yoga was a part of physical activities in school right alongside
martial arts, gymnastics, and other forms of exercise. This naturally leads to
further changes in the practice of yoga, having it blend with other forms of
exercise and becoming known largely for its physical benefits rather than
purely psychological-spiritual.
While there had previously only been a few asana, by the end of the
nineteenth century there were thousands. Yang yoga was predominantly
practiced, with the traits that would later define Yin yoga being largely
abandoned.
The sudden evolution of asana yoga practices, made the methodology largely
move from Yin style practice to Yang style. Of course, Yin yoga never
disappeared, but it was left very much less appreciated and taught than it
once was.
While yoga was once seen as a means to gain insight, wisdom,
enlightenment, and liberation through meditation, it is now largely seen as
only a way to gain health and strength. Of course, the physical benefits of
yoga are wonderful and numerous, but that doesn’t mean that the
psychological-spiritual benefits should be left behind.
While Yin yoga practices have obviously existed for thousands of years, as
you now know, Yin yoga as a defined and coined term with specific
principles has a more recent history. Let’s look into this history now...
Cho Chat Ling, master of Chi kung and Chinese martial arts trained Paulie
Zink as his lone protégé. They spent their time devoted to physical
conditioning, flexibility training, and energy cultivation all as part of Taoist
Chi Kung; a form of Kung-fu known as Tai Shing Pek Kwar (monkey style)
that requires harsh physical exercise, tremendous mental concentration, and
enigmatic spiritual practices. Paulie Zink trained under his master for ten
years free of charge.
Along with his training under Cho Chat Ling, Master Zink also studied other
matters under his own initiative. This includes the observation of animals,
Taoist alchemy theory, and a system of yoga using Taoist principles.
Master Zink began to combine together the different methods he was learning
into one cohesive principle. He even included the Hatha style yoga he had
learned as a child along with meditations, philosophy, and perceptions all
gleaned through his years of research, practice, and study. He referred to his
combination of principles as “Taoist yoga.”
Master Zink began to share his knowledge in the West as he became a three-
time winning international martial arts grand-champion. He was well-known
not only for his martial arts championship winnings, but also for his thirty-
five years of experience that made him famed for his artistry, fluidity, and
flexibility.
Yin yoga, as it is now known, takes knowledge from Master Zink’s Taoist
yoga that places a priority on philosophy, health, and spirituality. At its core,
it teaches the importance of living in rhythmic harmony with nature. The
Taoism emphasizes living in harmony with the Tao (a word for ‘way’ or
‘route’) and Lao Tzu, the father of the “Tao te Ching”, named it ‘wú wéi’,
meaning an action that flows effortlessly. The ‘wú wéi’ concept is the
alignment with the rhythms of the elements both within and outside our
bodies. It is the concept of ‘without effort’, ‘without forcing’, ‘without
resistance’, a state of unconflicted personal harmony, a kind of ebb and flow,
an effortless surrender to the natural rhythm and pulse of the nature.
The principles of Chinese medicine and acupuncture are used in Yin yoga,
together with the teachings of the five elements of earth, water, fire, metal,
and wood. The word “Yin” in Yin yoga also comes from Chinese spirituality
and the premise of Yin and Yang. “Yin” encompasses dark, whereas “Yang”
encompasses light. Only together are Yin and Yang a whole. They are both
dark and light, male and female, hot and cold. Yin and yang make up the
entire universe, and neither can exist without the other.
The ancient spirituality and medicine are brought in as different yoga poses
embody various creatures to activate the revolutionized five elements. By
doing this, a person can better harmonize with the energies within their own
bodies, allowing their inner primal spirit to thrive. By empowering and
transforming yourself through the use of these elemental energies you can
balance both your mental and physical health.
Yin yoga poses are meant to clear energy blockages, promote growth through
stillness, and enhance circulation. Although, the flow of energy is more than
just what poses you do. Just as important as the poses you practice is your
pose transition. This is of equal importance as the poses themselves as you
want to promote energy movement that is fluid and circular to incorporate a
continuous, relaxed, and graceful all-day energy.
Yin yoga got its name after Paul Grilley studied under Master Paulie Zink to
learn Taoist yoga. After studying under Master Zink for a year, Grilley began
to share his knowledge with others. In this process, he developed his own
principles combining Zink’s Taoist yoga, Dr. Motoyama’s knowledge of
chakras and acupuncture, and his own knowledge to combine what he named
“Yin yoga.”
After the above description, the story of the birth and development of Yin
yoga should be clearer.
Yin and Yang yoga do not need to be ranked. You do not need to claim one is
better than the other. Remember, Yin can not exist without Yang, and vice
versa. They both have their place and should be appreciated. There are many
forms of Yang yoga currently available, such as Power Yoga, Ashtanga, Hot
Yoga, Flow Yoga, and more. You can still practice any of Yang yoga
methodology you would like, and along with it, you can also practice Yin
yoga. By doing this, you can gain all of the benefits of Yin yoga and more.

Yin Principles.
There are four main principles of Yin yoga. By now, you should have a slight
understanding of some of the principles from learning about the history of
Yin yoga. The four principles are as follows:
1. Find an Edge
When you enter your pose you should move gently and slowly with grace
into the suggested position, without a defined picture of how far you should
push the movement. With Yin yoga there is no one ideal or end result you are
looking for, you simply need to keep a quiet mind and listen to your body to
do what feels right. This means that sometimes you need to stop and simply
notice what your body is feeling and how it is reacting. Before you move
more deeply into a position in an attempt to strengthen the sensations, listen
and wait for feedback from your body. This step is important for everyone,
but especially those who are highly physical. The reason for this is because
athletes and dancers are used to pushing past the limits off their body to
achieve their end-goals. While this may be beneficial in sports, dancing, and
exercise, it is not the goal in Yin yoga.
When practicing Yin yoga you want to balance between giving your body
space and allowing it to feel an appropriate amount of sensation and intensity.
Don’t try to push your body out of its comfort zone or as far as it can go.
Relax into the position and your body, exploring what your amazing body is
capable of.
In time, you will find that your body becomes naturally more flexible and
capable of going more deeply into the pose without pushing it too far. Simply
take the time your body needs to discover the pose and you will find that it
appreciates the gentle and graceful positions.
When finding the appropriate amount of sensation for a Yin yoga pose, look
for your Goldilocks place. This means that you want neither too much or too
little sensation, it should be just right so that you feel the sensation without
pain.
2. Be Still.
We are used to living a life on the go, always moving and doing something.
Whether you are exercising or relaxing, you are often listening to music,
doing your phones, or talking to someone. We are always moving. However,
Yin yoga prioritizes being still and quiet. This means that no matter how hard
it is at first, you need to try to resolve yourself with not moving. Don’t fidget.
Don’t try to change your pose, even if you want to change it, “fix” it, or
increase the intensity. Simply focus on being still with the pose, and try to
relax. Even if you cannot make yourself relax at first if you imagine yourself
relaxing you will find that with practice you learn how to ease into the pose.
With dedication, before long you will find yourself relaxing like a pro.
By moving too much you can cause too much strain on your joints and
connective tissue, possibly leading to injury. But, if you stay still at the edge
of your range of motion, then you will find that your muscles and connective
tissue increase in flexibility and range over time.
Even if you are unable to mentally relax into a pose, if you try to envision
your muscles relaxing into the pose, you will find it becomes easier. This
process will help your muscles relax, even if your mind requires more time.
The stillness you maintain should be effortless. This stillness should follow
the already described principle named by Lao Tzu as ‘wú wéi’, meaning an
action that flows effortlessly. Lao Tzu explained the importance of simply
letting go of yourself and experiencing the world without complex thought.
You need to apply this principle to your Yin yoga practice, allowing not only
your body to remain still, but your mind, as well.
Applying this principle in your Yin yoga practice is training for your mind,
allowing you to reach this same stillness in your daily life. You will be able
to learn not to react to the happenings of life. This is a great benefit because,
as Lao Tzu emphasized, “To the mind that is still the whole universe
surrenders”.
To be still doesn’t mean you cannot move at all; as there are two exceptions
for this:
You can move to find your edge, allowing you to go further into
a pose as time passes. That’s why when I am teaching and I
describe the first Yin Yoga law I invite the students to find and
play with their edge.
You have to move when you need to back off if you feel sharp
pain or numbness. Pay attention to these sensations, they can be
dangerous, because if you feel them it means you are pinching
some nerves. If you do not listen to these signals, then over time
you could develop some chronic injuries and pain.

3. Hold for a While.

In Yin yoga the long static holding approach is more important than intensity.
Yin yoga is a practice of yielding and letting go into the sensations of the
pose, observing those sensations arise, lingering for a while, and
disappearing. This is what exactly happens to all the transience phenomena in
your life.
So training to yield and let go on the mat can turn out to be a way to learn to
yield and letting go in your life.
It is important to learn to overcome and let go of the idea that tells us to move
and come out of a pose at the very first challenge we meet; we need to
understand that what we resist persists while what we embrace looses its grip
on us, it doesn’t scare us anymore, it doesn’t bother us anymore. This is as
true in Yin practice as in your life, so this practice can become training for us.
We train on our mat to be ready for our life.
In Yang yoga, people often move between yoga poses in quick succession.
However, with Yin yoga beginners hold poses between one and three
minutes, with those more advanced can hold poses for five or more minutes.
During this time, you don’t want to watch a clock, as it will prevent you from
focusing on relaxation and meditation. Instead, use a timer which will allow
you to focus on relaxation while still knowing how long to maintain the
asana.
You will find that longer or more difficult holds allow the mind to learn to
relax and meditate skillfully, even under difficult circumstances. This allows
a person to learn to meditate, even when circumstances are not ideal. Even if
you are struggling with your emotions, environment, or anything else, you
will be able to meditate through it.
While you can hold a pose for only one minute if you are new to Yin yoga
and out of shape. However, you only receive the benefits when practicing the
poses longer and we are diving into this later in the book. Therefore, try to at
least hold the pose for two minutes, and you can gradually increase it up to
five minutes overtime.
4. Release Gently.
When you practice Yin yoga you do long holds of asana that have your joints
in unguarded positions. There are many benefits to these positions. But, if
you move out of these poses quickly or violently it can cause damage to your
joints.
Instead, as you come out of your asana move slowly and use your arms to
support. This means you use your arms to support your torso, to push
yourself up to a sitting position, and gently move your legs.
Remember, Yin yoga exercises your deep muscular and connective tissues.
Usually, your body prevents these tissues from stretching too much, as if they
stretch too rapidly it can cause damage. But, since Yin yoga practices slow
and gentle poses it gives these tissues a chance to stretch and increase in
strength and flexibility. You need to respect your bodies and the amazing
work they are doing, and thank the body by moving gently and carefully out
of these poses so that the tissues can harmlessly go back to their original
position.
When you come out of your asana you may at first feel unsteady, shaky, or
uncomfortable. Don’t let this worry you, as these awkward sensations will
fade.
Now that the Yin yoga principles are described, you can better understand
why the Yin yoga practice can be a challenge: it is because the approach is so
far away from the way we live our life, always on the go, always with a to do
list to follow. That’s why we feel more comfortable with Yang practice,
because that style is closer to the way we live, always fast, competitive, and
on-the-go. But, what we really need is often what we dislike; it is often the
opposite of what we do on a daily-bases; it is often what can push us into a
challenge that can be for us a way to grow up, a way to go beyond the surface
of the feelings and body sensations.
The Yin Yoga approach is indulging and giving yourself the permissions to
simply be; yielding all the sensations and thoughts you experience into the
pose without fighting them, but observing them, witnessing the way your
mind reacts to them and again yielding to that process without following it.
Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Yin yoga implements Chinese medicine, as Master Paulie Zink studied its
benefits extensively in his years as a protégé. But, most people have not spent
the same amount of time, if any, studying this ancient medical practice.
Thankfully, I have compiled the information you need to understand and
utilize this longstanding practice.
The fundamental understanding of Chinese medicine is that humans are made
up of a holistic body, mind, and soul. This means that as humans, we are
deeply connected to a powerful healing force within ourselves. Not only that,
but we are also linked to our environment, society, and the Universe. By
understanding this, we can see that illness and disease is a result of an
imbalance within ourself or in our relationship with the universe.
We have all heard the phrase “a picture speaks a thousand words”, well, this
is not a new line of thought. People have long known the importance of
visual depictions in communication and understanding. The above-mentioned
Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu, once wrote “Writings do not express words
clearly, words do not express thoughts clearly; thus the sages created images
to express thoughts clearly”.
In order to better communicate insights and knowledge, the ancient sages
created images. This includes the image of Yin and Yang that we are all
familiar with, along with the image for Dao (also known as Tao).
While many unfamiliar with Chinese medicine have never heard of Dao, it is
an essential part of the practice to understand, it is used to embrace the
eternal primordial source also called the Void, as well as the potential from
which all things arise. Dao has two sides, similar to Yin and Yang. One side
of Dao represents an empty and passive state, whereas the other side is active,
creative, and pushes reality forward. The purpose of Dao is to learn how to
welcome and embrace that ancient and eternal Void from which all things
come.
Yin-Yang builds upon the understanding of Dao. The purpose of Yin and
Yang are to explain the nature of duality that exists inherently in everything.
There are four principles of Yin-Yang used to explain its nature, including:
1. All of nature contains two inherent opposing sides.
2. Yin and Yang only exist as a pair, one can not exist without the
other.
3. Yin and Yang support and nourish each other.
4. There is an inherent transformational ability between Yin and
Yang.

Yin and Yang both express different aspects of nature. Yin expresses water,
cold, dark, stillness, and yielding. On the other hand, Yang is the properties
of fire, heat, light, movement, and force. You can see how these aspects of
Yin and Yang classify yoga practices. The Yin yoga presented in this book is
one that focuses on stillness and healing. Whereas Yang yoga, which is
popular in the west, is one that prioritizes movement and force.
We can only understand Yin when we compare it to Yang, and vice versa.
These are not absolute terms that can stand up independently, they rely on,
support, and nourish each other.
Not only are there Yin and Yang versions of yoga, but Yin-Yang can also
explain the way we approach living. Do you live with a quiet mind or a mind
rushing from thought to thought? Are you more likely to yield or use force?
Everyone approaches their life with their own Yin-Yang balance, and if either
is out of balance you develop unhealthy coping mechanisms. But, if you learn
about Yin-Yang you can learn to create a more balanced lifestyle.
Along with Yin-Yang and Dao, it is imperative to understand the meridian
channels. These are an aspect that play a part in every Yin yoga pose, and
greatly affects your daily life.
The meridians are channels that carry energy throughout the entire body,
forming an intricate network. However, just as plumbing can get clogged up
and malfunction, so too can your meridian network. When this network
becomes blocked, then your Chi, Shen, and Ching - the vital energy, the spirit
and the nutritive essence, the "Three Treasures" in Chinese medicinal theory,
also known as Qi, Shen, and Jing - are unable to flow properly. When this
happens, then imbalances occur and your organs are no longer able to
function fully. But, if you clear your meridian network then the energy is able
to flow freely, allowing you to experience your best physical, mental, and
spiritual health.
This energy network throughout your body is not only described in
Chinese medicine, as there is a similar yogi belief. In India, yogis long
have taught about ancient energy networks known as nadis.
While the exact number of nadis within the human body is unknown,
some documents suggest that there were three-hundred thousand
whereas others claim there are seventy-two thousand. The exact number
of nadis doesn’t matter, all that does matter is that there are too many to
count. This is important to understand, as it helps us to understand that
these energy systems run throughout the entire body, affecting every
aspect of your lives.
Just as the yogis in ancient India understood the importance of the nadis,
those practicing ancient Chinese medicine saw the importance of the
meridians. Chinese physicians named seventy-one different meridians,
although only twelve of these were most important for physical well-
being.
Each of the body’s ten major organs has its own meridian, which can be
either Yin or Yang (lung meridian, heart meridian, small intestine
meridian, large intestine meridian, spleen meridian, kidney meridian,
liver meridian, gallbladder meridian, urinary bladder meridian, stomach
meridian). Along with the pericardium (the membrane surrounding the
heart) and the San Jiao meridian, this makes up a group of twelve main
meridian channels, known collectively as Jing Mai.
This chapter of the book doesn’t have the vanity to cover the whole topic
related to Traditional Chinese Medicine and the meridian system, but I would
like to spend some more words about San Jiao meridian. This meridian, also
called ‘Triple-burner’, is not an independent organ, but rather a functional
energy system involved in regulating the activities of other organs. It is made
up of three parts, known as 'burners', each associated to chest, abdomen, and
pelvis. The top burner is above our diaphragm and it controls the intake of
air, food, and fluids; the middle burner affects our digestive system and it
controls our stomach, spleen, and pancreas; lastly, the lower burner affects
our urinary and reproductive systems and it controls liver, kidney, bladder,
and intestines and it is responsible for absorbing nutrients, and eliminating
wastes.
When a person’s San Jiao is functioning well, then all of these organs
work in harmony together and fluids within the body are optimally
transported.
How do the meridian channels become blocked? According to Chinese
medicine and Yin principles, this occurs when you have unbalance in your
life. These imbalances can arise from many areas, whether physical, mental,
emotional, or spiritual. Many of us have these blocks without realizing due to
unhealthy habits in diets and exercise, injuries, daily stress, or trauma.
If we can open your meridian channels, then we allow our life force to flow
freely inside our bodies, creating positive energy and balance.
There are fourteen major meridians, with two single and twelve paired
channels. The paired meridians go hand-in-hand, they run parallel to one
another, with each pair making up both Yin and Yang. The Yin channels flow
upward in the body, whereas the Yang channels flow downward. There is
also a specific order in which these channels are paired, which is important to
understand if you want to clear your channels. It is to know this, as you need
to complete Yin yoga poses that activate your meridians in a certain order to
promote clear channels, otherwise, you won’t fix the problem.
The meridian order includes:
Paired Meridians.
 Lung (Yin) and Large Intestine (Yang)
Stomach (Yang) and Spleen (Yin)
Heart (Yin) and Small Intestine (Yang)
Bladder (Yang) and Kidney (Yin)
Pericardium (Yin) and Triple Heater (Yang)
Gallbladder (Yang) and Liver (Yin)

Single Meridians .
Conception Vessel (Yin). It starts from the tailbone and runs
upwards through the front of the body, from the pubic area to the
mouth. It plays a role in monitoring and directing all of the Yin
channels.
Governing Vessel (Yang). It starts from the uterus, runs down to
the central region of the pelvis around the genitals and moves
upward from inside the coccyx and sacrum, enters the brain and
ends at the gum. It governs all the Yang channel.

The energy within your bodies is constantly moving and flowing. However,
there are specific times of the day in which each meridian has its own peak
flow. This is known as the meridian clock.
When you experience blockages in your meridian system, you will
experience physical systems that signal where the blockage is located. In
order to fix these blockages, you need to enhance the energy flow in the
given meridian channel. For instance, you as your lungs are responsible for
your intake of air, you will know you have a blockage in your lung meridian
if you experience coughing, congestion, changes in your sense of smell, or
infections such as the common cold and flu. In this case, you will want to
increase the flow of energy to your lung meridian.
In the same way, since your stomach works to digest food, digestion-related
symptoms such as prolonged or rapid digestion, cramping, constipation,
diarrhea, and gas are all symptoms of a blocked stomach meridian and in this
case you need to increase the flow of energy to your stomach meridian.
Yin yoga focuses on increasing the flow of energy to your meridian channels
and stimulating the body’s connective tissue or fascia. The connective tissue
makes up most of the human body, with it being used throughout your organs
and tissues to hold everything together. Yin yoga exercises these connective
tissues to not only strengthen and increase flexibility but also to active your
meridian channels and increase energy flow.
By holding Yin yoga poses for a long time, you can focus on lengthening and
increasing the flexibility of your connective tissues. This process naturally
increases the balance to the meridians, strengthens the body, lessens the risk
of injury, and even makes you less prone to meridian channel blockages in
the future.
The meridian channels have five main functions, which include:
Keeps the organs running;
Energizes the body;
Warms the body;
Transforms substances;
Protects the body from outside influences;

Yin yoga acts as acupressure to the meridians and connective tissues. The
slow and long pose holds apply pressure to the organs, meridian channels,
and connective tissues over an extended period of time to increase both
energy flow and blood flow to flush away the toxins and blockages.
When you hold Yin poses, you compress the body’s tissues where the
meridian channels are located. This pressure causes blood to push into the
area with more force than usual, allowing it to push out older blood and
toxins, filling the organs with fresh clean blood in its place. The same
principle happens with energy in the meridian system.
The meridians affected the most by Yin yoga practice are the ones that begin
or end in the lower body:
The Liver meridian.
It begins at the inside of the nail of the big toe, runs along the top of the foot,
passes the front of the inside ankle and moves up through the inner leg. It
runs upwards, passes the knee, and reaches the groin and pubic region, where
it circulates the external genitals. It connects with the conception vessel in the
lower abdomen where it enters both the liver and gallbladder. Then it
branches with one line connecting to the lung meridian while another one
runs up through the throat and connects with the eye and ends at the crown of
the head where it links with the governing vessel. Another branch reaches
down and circle the mouth.
Lower back pain and abdominal pain, may be a sign of disharmony of the
liver. Irritation, frequent or irrational anger, together with some mind disorder
may also be a sign of liver dysfunction.
The Gallbladder meridian.
It begins at the outer corner of the eye, moves down towards the ear and then
up to the forehead. It descends behind the ear to the corner of the skull to
return to the forehead and then moves down to the bottom of the skull to
reach the neck and shoulder. It zigzags along the ribs down to the waist and
pelvic. Then it continues down the outside of the leg, to the ankle, ending on
the outside of the 4th toe.
Ears pain, throat pain and pain along the side of the body may be indications
of gallbladder meridian problem. Some other physical imbalances related to
gallbladder meridian disfunction are insomnia, glaucoma, stiff neck,
dizziness.
The Kidney meridian.
It begins at the outside of the little toe, runs under the sole of the foot and
makes a circle around the medial malleolus. Then it runs along the inner side
of the leg, reaching the kidney through the tailbone. One branch moves to the
urinary bladder and ends, through the abdomen and chest, at the collar bone.
Another branch moves through liver, diaphragm, lung and throat, ending at
the base of the tongue.
Gynecological and genital disorders such as irregular menstruation and
impotence, problems in the kidneys, lungs, and throat, can be related to a
disharmony of the Kidney meridian. Emotional imbalances, such as
depression, fear, hysteria, paranoia, loneliness and insecurity may also be a
sign of Kidney meridian disfunction.
The Urinary Bladder Meridian.
It starts from at the inner portion of the eyelid and moves up to crown and
then down to the back of the head. Here it forms two branches: one enters the
brain and then runs down the spine to the buttocks, where it moves to the
urinary bladder and the kidney; the other one runs from the crow down to the
neck, shoulder, buttocks and leg, circles the outer ankle, moves along the
outer edge of the foot and ends in the little toe.
Headaches, back problem, urinary problems, pain in the eye, and some
emotional imbalances such as resisting change, negative attitude, and lack of
energy, are expression of bladder meridian imbalance.
The Spleen Meridian.
It starts at the tip of the great toe, runs along the inside of the foot and
continues up the inner leg. It enters the abdomen above the pubic bones and
connects to the spleen and the stomach. Then it branches, one line runs up to
the throat till the root of the tongue, while the other line connects to the heart
meridian.
Indications of spleen disharmony encompass digestive and stomach problems
together with some emotional imbalances such as poor concentration,
forgetful-ness, cloudy thought process, addiction, attachment, obsession.
The Stomach meridian.
It starts between the lower eyelid and the eye socket and runs down the face.
Here it branches in three: one line loops up to the forehead, another branch
moves down to the diaphragm, running to the stomach and spleen and the
third line crosses the chest and belly and it ends at the groin. The branch
running through the stomach, after reconnecting to the third line, moves
down through the front of the leg and foot, where it splits again with one line
reaching the inner side of the big toe and the other reaching the outside tip of
the second toe.
Physical and emotional imbalances related to the stomach meridian
disharmony are digestive and stomach problems, abdominal pain, soreness in
any of the areas the meridian passes through together with anxiety, worry,
skepticism, poor confidence, or mistrust.

The Chinese Five Elements.

Along with the meridian system, the five natural elements are deeply woven
into the fabric of the Chinese Medicine. These are metal, water, wood, fire,
and earth
We see these elements not only throughout nature, but they are also reflected
within your bodies. Everyone has these five elements, though they can be
arranged slightly differently depending on the person. Not only that, but these
elements are also each associated with your organ/meridian systems,
emotions, and even the seasons. They are used in the Chinese Medicine to
diagnose disease and the resulting treatment plan will either emphasize a
weak element or sedate an excessive element to restore harmony and balance
in the body.
Metal
Known for its balance and justice, the metal element corresponds to autumn,
the lungs, and the large intestine. As metal is heavy and condensed it is
known for its stillness and slowness.
During the autumn plants begin to draw their nutrients inward so that they
can survive the coming months. During this process, the leaves fade away
with a brilliant color. In the same way, metal is tied with coming and going
and the end of cycles.
Metal is also tied to rhythmic breathing from the lungs and the excretory
function tied to the large intestine. Your lungs transform the air you breathe
into oxygen to fuel the entire body. In traditional Chinese medicine, they are
also related to the emotion of grief and are connected with the nose, skin,
body hair, sweat glands, and immune system. Meanwhile, the large intestine
eliminates waste and toxins from your bodies, allowing us to function at your
best.
As metal is tied to autumn, it isn’t surprising that this is the time of year when
people experience the flu, colds, allergies, depression, skin conditions, bowel
upsets, and anxiety.
The metal element, autumn, the lungs, and the large intestines are all about
transformation. This understanding is important for Yin yoga, as life is
always changing, and you must learn to let go and go with the flow. Just as
precious minerals and metal can be refined and transformed into something
amazing, so too can you.
If you dedicate the time to your full well-being with Yin yoga you can
become something more amazing and precious than ever before.
Water
The water element is tied to the ice-cold and darkness of winter when life is
resting and waiting so that it can be better nourished in the future. The
kidneys and the bladder are both associated with the water element, with the
kidneys being an especially important organ as they represent both Yin and
Yang. These two bean-shaped organs hold your essence, known as Jing as I
already described, which was given to you by your parents at the moment of
conception. They also hold your vitality and bless us with the desire to grow
gracefully. The kidneys are associated with the emotion of fear and virtue of
wisdom.
The water element contains both courage and will. Just as water can be soft
enough to swim through or applied with enough pressure to cut diamonds,
with the water element we are able to push past adversity to truly flourish in
all circumstances of life.
Just as water can be transformed into any shape, you too can recreate
yourselves by shifting and yielding with the fluidity of water. This can be
seen as you read this very book, as you are attempting to recreate yourself by
gaining new knowledge, understanding, and enlightenment for better well-
being.
When you push yourselves and overwork yourselves causing burnout and
exhaustion it affects your water element and the kidneys, draining these
organs of your essence and vitality. Since the water element is what keeps
your joints healthy, this can result in joint injuries, stiffness, and pain. Other
symptoms of this burnout of your water element can include forgetfulness,
fear, depression, sleep difficulties, addiction, sexual disturbances, and a loss
of the zest for life.
Wood
The wood element is fittingly tied to the season of spring when all the plants
are growing and flourishing. But, it is also connected with the liver,
gallbladder, imagination, vision, and dreams.
Just like the seasons come and go out in nature, they do within your bodies,
as well. I am sure you can look back on your life and notice times when you
were full of vibrancy and energy and other times when you moved slower
and needed more rest. This is the body’s natural seasonal cycle, which you
see plainly mirrored throughout nature.
The liver not only helps us to filter toxins from the body, it also promotes a
balanced flow of energy, helps us turn our visions and ideas into actions, and
it is tied to the virtue of forgiveness and the emotion of anger. But, when you
allow your energies to become blocked you experience negative side effects
as a result. A blockage in the liver can lead to symptoms of PMS, headaches,
depression, and an inability to handle change.
You can better express your qualities of the wood element by focusing on
forgiveness and adaption to change. Just as trees send their roots deep into
the ground so that they can withstand future winds and chills, you too can
prepare yourselves with Yin yoga to withstand the difficulties of your own
futures.
Fire
Fire is hot and vibrant, and it is paired with the season of summer, the heart,
and the small intestine. It is fitting that something as passionate as fire is
paired with the heart, which is much more than an organ to pump blood.
Science is still to this day discovering much about the human heart, but it is
beginning to understand that highly complex with its own brain-like
processing center. This organ commonly experiences energy blocks, resulting
in heart disease being the number one killer.
The season of summer is one of vibrancy and abundance when all of nature is
maturing and at the height of its life. Appropriately, the emotion tied to this
element is joy.
You must learn to embrace your joy and live with a vibrancy of life that
rivals that of summer and fire. Yes, Yin yoga practices yielding and
gentleness, but Yin can not exist without Yang. We can’t mistakenly try to
live a completely Yin life, just as life made up of too much Yang isn’t
healthy neither is one with too much Yin. While you can practice Yin yoga
and Yin actions throughout your lives, we must not forget to balance it with
the Yang, which includes joy.
Earth
The earth element represents late summer or the transitional phase between
seasons. It also relates to the spleen/pancreas and the stomach. These organs
work hard to digest your food and distribute the nutrients throughout the
body for fuel. They give us the ability to manage our day to day lives
accomplishing our goals. Psychologically, these organs help us to digest all
of our emotions and experiences so that we can utilize them to create.
Just as the time between the seasons is a time of transformation, so too are
these organs transformational. They take raw materials, turn them into
nutrients, and then use these nutrients to make your cells the best that they
can be.
Earth is a mother to us all, and just like a mother she nurtures and nourishes
us, as the transformational season of earth allows you to draw in and recenter
within yourselves, allowing your life energy to nourish you in the same way
that food fuels your cells. This is also the reason as the emotion-related with
it is sympathy, as it promotes you to have the same sympathy as a mother
would for her children.
With your earth balance you can notice your life force depletes, affecting you
on every level. You may experience eating disorders, digestive disturbances,
obsessive thoughts, and caring too much about others and not enough about
yourself. These are all a result of losing your center.
Losing your center can affect every aspect of life. Thankfully, Yin yoga and
meditation both put an emphasis on enlightenment and finding yourself. By
bringing your mind back to your body you will be able to heal and nourish
yourself once again.
 Chapter 2
The Science and Benefits of Yin Yoga.
A flower does not think of competing to the flower next to it. It just
blooms.
Zen Shin
It’s normal to seek logic and scientific understanding when you are taking up
a practice to better your health. While yoga can help physically, mentally,
and spiritually, where is the proof? In this chapter, we will focus on a
scientific basis related to the Yin yoga practice.
Yin yoga doesn’t focus on building muscular strength. Instead, it works on
stretching the connective tissues to make them stronger and more flexible.
But, many people know very little about their connective tissues and how
they work.
First, while we have many types of connective tissue, we have three main
types, including:
Loose Connective Tissue

This form of tissue holds the organs in their proper place while also
connecting with the underlying epithelial tissue that covers the body,
lines all cavities, and composes the glands.
Dense Connective Tissue

Ligaments and tendons are made of dense connective tissue that

connects the bones together at the joints and attaches muscles.
Specialized Connective Tissue

This includes a number of specialized tissues and components, such

as bone, cartilage, adipose, blood, and lymph.
Your connective tissues work to bind together and connect your other tissues.
While epithelial tissues have densely packed cells, the connective tissue is
different. Instead, it is made up of fibrous proteins and glycoproteins that are
attached to the membrane. The three main components of connective tissue
include cells, the ground substance and the fibers.
Let’s have a look at the last two components.
The ground substance is a gel-like substance in the extracellular space
primarily composed of water, hyaluronic acid and some other components
that works as a fluid material that keeps the fibers and cells suspended within
their own set tissue type.
Both connective tissue fibers and ground substance are created by cells
known as fibroblasts, that secret three main types of fibers:
Collagenous Fibers:

These are made up of coils of collagen molecules forming fibril

bundles. They strengthen connective tissue.
Elastic Fibers:

These are stretchable fibers made with the protein elastin. They make
your connective tissues flexible and elastic.
Reticular Fibers:

These join connective tissue to other tissues.

Connective tissue gives us the flexibility, strength, and support needed to
hold our internal organs, lymph vessels, blood vessels, and nerves.
It is also important to mention the dense connective tissue, which makes up
your ligaments and tendons that help to attach your muscles and bones
together and form a part of your joints. Unlike loose connective tissue, that is
made with a weave-like composition with constituent fibers that are loosely
organized, leaving large spaces in between, the dense connective tissue is
made with closely-packed collagenous fibers. However, like loose connective
tissue, the dense variety is used to protect some of your organs as well,
namely the liver and kidneys.
As you can see, we have these connective tissues all throughout your body.
They are not only beneath your skin, but they also surrounding your organs,
bones, joints, and move. They are constantly holding us up and holding us
together. The specific connective tissues that work together to do this job are
known as fascia.
Your fascia and fibroblasts (the cells that produce connective tissue) are just
as alive and active as we are. But, as we age, become inactive, and become
sick with disease these tissues and cells also age, resorting in fewer
fibroblasts to do their job. When this happens, your fascia becomes matted,
clotted, and tangled together. Your fibroblasts can no longer replicate the
same amount of young connective tissue they once did, leading to the fibers
that make up your fascia becoming old and worn out.
In fact, the wrinkles that form, joints that stiffen, and limbs that weaken from
old age are all a side effect of not enough fibroblasts leading to worn out
connective tissues.
Thankfully, while we can’t stop aging, we can greatly reduce aging by
increasing your fibroblast production and creating younger and healthier
connective tissues.
Yin yoga seeks to give back to the fascia by exercising them and allowing
them to get the strength and balance they need to increase flexibility and
decrease injury.
You may go to the gym every day of the week, but you still won’t be giving
your fascia the care or exercises it needs. This most exercise makes use of
movement to strengthen your muscles. But, while the muscles may benefit
from rhythmic movement, your fascia only gets to stretch and exercise by
having traction applied – a stress that is applied to the tissue and is left.
Thankfully, when you practice Yin yoga your fascia is naturally receiving
this traction and lengthens as it stretches. As you stay still in the pose the
traction applies beneficial stress to the tissue, causing it to strengthen and
increase in flexibility over time.
You can not get this same benefit from other exercises, even other forms of
yoga. This is because the fascia slowly lengthens, meaning it will only occur
when you are practicing a long-held pose for a few minutes, as you do with
Yin yoga.
Not only do the stretches of Yin yoga helps to exercise your fascia, but it is
also good for your fibroblasts! This is because studies have found that the
Yin yoga poses, which stretch and hold the connective tissues, increase the
production of fibroblasts. The increase of fibroblasts then causes an increase
in collagen, elastin and other components of your connective tissue, leading
to both younger fascia and skin along with whole-body healing.
The same way that long-held pose increases fibroblast production, it also
increases the production of hyaluronic acid and synovial fluid. This is
important, as hyaluronic acid is found in the skin and is used to increase
hydration, and synovial fluid is found in the cavities of your joints to reduce
friction, injury, and pain. When you stretch, compress, and squeeze the fascia
tissue as occurs in Yin yoga it causes the metabolism to stimulate the supply
of fluid in your tissues. First, when you squeeze the tissues it pushes out the
old fluid (including hyaluronic acid) in your tissues, and then when you
release the pose it causes fresh clean fluid to rush back into the cells,
hydrating them better than they were before. This process also causes disease
and inflammation-causing free radicals to be pushed out of your tissues.

The Sympathetic/Parasympathetic System.

As we have mentioned, there are examples of Yin and Yang throughout all of
nature, including in your own bodies. One of the best examples of how Yin-
Yang work within the human body is the sympathetic and parasympathetic
autonomic nervous systems. These are two branches of your nervous systems
that control automatic operations of bodily components, such as breathing,
blinking, and more.
Yin/Parasympathetic Nervous System Includes:
Pupils constrict
Bronchial tubes constrict
Stimulates salivation
Stimulate digestion
Slows heart rate
Stimulates bile release
Constricts bladder

Yang/Sympathetic Nervous System Includes:

Pupils dilate
Bronchial tubes dilate
Inhibits salivation
Inhibits digestion
 Accelerates heart rate
Stimulates glucose release
Relaxes bladder

As you can see, the parasympathetic goes along with Yin to slow everything
down, whereas the Yang of the sympathetic system speeds everything up.
With the two working in harmony, your body can maintain an ideal balance.
The sympathetic nervous system, or SNS, is in control of the body’s natural
fight-flight-freeze response This response is activated whenever a person is
stressed, anxious, or in fear.
The sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and the parasympathetic nervous
system (PNS) both release hormones to control this fight-flight-freeze
response. For instance, the SNS releases the hormones norepinephrine,
epinephrine, and catecholamines to increase the body’s heart rate. On the
other hand, the PNS, which is essentially a rest and digest system, releases
the hormone acetylcholine, which is used to reduce the heart’s rate.
When the SNS activates the fight-flight-freeze response it provides the
human body with all we need to actively respond to any threat that might face
us, whether that means we fight, run away, or freeze in place. Then, once we
have achieved the safety made possible by the SNS, the PNS allows us to
once again gain peace by producing calming hormones that allow the body to
rest, renew, and repair itself.
In my first book, The Key to Happiness , I discuss in-depth how the
sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems are both impacted by
meditation. You can learn all about the scientifically-proven benefits of
meditation there.
Continue reading the next chapter, as well, to learn all about how deep
breathing and breathing exercises as a part of Yin yoga can affect and
improve the functioning of your sympathetic and parasympathetic systems.
Working alongside your sympathetic and parasympathetic systems is the
hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, known more simply as the HPA axis.
This axis is responsible for the central stress response, as it connects the
central nervous system and the endocrine system.
The HPA axis works in a straightforward way of managing the neurological
and endocrine systems to activate the fight-flight-freeze response we have
been discussing, also known as the stress response.
When the fight-flight-freeze response is activated there is a release of
corticotropin-releasing hormone, known as CRH. When the CRH hormone
binds to receptors in the pituitary gland, it releases the ACTH
(adrenocorticotropic) hormone. This hormone then binds to the adrenal
cortex, stimulating the release of cortisol from the adrenals. After a stressful
event, in which the fight-flight-freeze response is activated, cortisol is
continuously released throughout the body for several hours.
The HPA axis also prompts the release of noradrenaline and epinephrine, as
needed. These hormones are activated through the fight-flight-freeze
response, but they play a role in many of the body’s natural systems beyond
what we directly need in times of danger. For instance, the blood supply is
reduced to the digestive tract, stopping the digestion process. Simultaneously,
blood flow is increased to your muscles so that they can move more quickly
and effectively. We begin to breathe harder and the heart begins to pump
harder to help increase oxygen supply.
Through the hormones affecting the body in this way, we are able to safely
get away from any life-threatening danger. This means that because digesting
food isn’t vital on the to-do list when your life is at risk, these hormones put
that action on hold so that it can put all of its effort in the places that are most
likely to get it to safety. This is important, without this system we could
never react to dangerous situations at a moment’s notice.
Yet, no system is completely perfect. Yes, the fight-flight-freeze response is
essential for survival, but it also activates when we aren’t in life-threatening
danger. Have you ever been cut off in traffic? Spilled coffee on yourself early
in the morning? Maybe you’ve been startled by a barking dog? I’m sure
you’ve at the very least been stressed before an important test for school or
work. All of these and more can falsely set off your stress response, causing
hormones to release in your body along with the activation of the sympathetic
nervous system. The result? Simply due to a little unmanaged stress your
body stops digesting and burning calories, you experience difficulty thinking
as the blood flow redirects itself to your muscles, your heart begins to race,
and more!
When you frequently experience stress or anxiety, your body is sent through
a constant roller coaster of the fight-flight-freeze response. This takes a big
toll on the health, as it causes cortisol and epinephrine of being chronically
high, and can even cause health problems. For instance, a person may begin
to suffer from heart disease or obesity, directly as a result of an overactive
stress response.
Therefore, it is imperative that we break this cycle of stress to prevent the
fight-flight-freeze response from taking over when it shouldn’t. After all,
while it is an important aspect of human health in certain situations (such as
in life-or-death situations) it is not healthy in excess.
Yoga is able to directly activate your parasympathetic system, helping to
keep us healthy. As you now know, we want to activate the PNS, but how do
we do that with yoga?
Yin yoga focuses on sitting and being still as we consciously breathe and
allow the connective tissues to lengthen. This process of simply being still
and breathing naturally activates the parasympathetic system, as the very
purpose of the system is to promote rest.
This is scientifically proven. But, if you don’t believe me, try it out yourself.
Wherever you are at the moment try sitting completely still. As you do this
focus on breathing deeply and slowly. While you breathe try to focus on
feeling the breath deeper and deeper in your body as you breathe in before
you exhale. Pause slightly between your inhale and exhale.
Feel any different? Most likely you felt any tension in your forehead melt
away and your brain is feeling slightly more relaxed. This is because after
sitting still for the span of only some breaths you have already activated your
parasympathetic system.
While any form of yoga can activate the PNS, the effect is much more
pronounced in Yin yoga when you are not moving your muscles and are just
sitting in stillness.
All About GABA, Serotonin and Dopamine.
GABA, also known as gamma-aminobutyric acid, is a form of amino acid
that is naturally produced in the human brain. There are many important uses
for this amino acid, as it functions as a neurotransmitter, therefore allowing
the brain’s neurons to communicate with one another.
If you were to categorize neurotransmitters as Yin and Yang, then GABA
would be under the Yin category. This is because GABA’s main goal is to
reduce the amount of activity and stimulus communicated between the brain
cells and the central nervous system. Some of the effects of this are reduced
mental and physical stress, increased peace, reduced pain, balanced mood,
and better sleep. It even impacts your muscle tone. While other transmitters
work as Yang making the brain wake up and get going, the Yin GABA
makes it calm down and rest.
GABA also plays a role in other systems of the body, such as the endocrine,
immune, and digestive systems. For instance, for the digestive system,
GABA affects both hunger and the metabolism of calories.
There is still much to be learned about GABA and new research is always
being released. Recently, it was discovered that GABA affects
gastrointestinal motility, inflammation, and hormone regulation.
Not only is GABA found in the brain, but it is also found naturally within
your food. For instance, it can be found in tea and fermented foods. Other
foods, such as grains and beans, help increase GABA production within the
body. This helps to show that many aspects of your lifestyle can affect the
GABA balance within your bodies. You don’t have to simply accept that you
have a certain amount of this neurotransmitter and let it be. Instead, you can
work on actively increasing your GABA production.
There are many symptoms of low GABA, but a few of note include:
Anxiety
Chronic stress
Depression
Insomnia
Muscle pain
Headaches
Difficulty concentrating
Memory problems
Substance abuse

When it comes to sleep, GABA is incredibly important. It is this

neurotransmitter that allows the body to not only relax but also to fall asleep
and stay asleep throughout the night. When a person has low GABA it has
been proven that they frequently struggle with both insomnia and frequent
waking throughout the night. In one scientific study, it was found that people
with insomnia also presented with GABA levels thirty percent lower than the
control group. The study also found that GABA levels corresponded to sleep
quality. This means that the lower a person’s GABA the worse their insomnia
will get.
The reason many prescription sleep aids help is because they target the
GABA system in the brain to artificially activate it. But, as these medications
are attempting to alter GABA activity rather than simply increasing GABA
production, they come with a long list of side effects. These sleep aids can
become addictive, cause headaches, and can even cause hallucinations!
While GABA has many roles, one of its largest is to calm the brain from
stress and anxiety. But, in your fast-paced Yang society in which people are
always on the go, people are also frequently anxious. It is not uncommon for
people to live with stress and anxiety every day of their lives.
But, if you increase your GABA production naturally you can lessen this
anxiety and stress, allowing yourself to feel at ease, calm, and peaceful. This
is good news, as even though there are GABA supplements on the market,
there is not yet evidence to support that the supplements can pass the blood-
brain barrier to help with your mental well-being. On the other hand, there
are plenty of studies proving that by naturally increasing your body’s own
GABA production we can experience the benefits.
In a study published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary
Medicine, it was found that yoga can significantly and greatly increase
GABA production. The study tested participants for twelve weeks, and it
found that not only did GABA greatly increase, but anxiety decreased and
mood improved in the participants, as well. The researchers believe that this
improvement was due to the combination of yoga, deep breathing, and
meditation.
Another study, this one conducted at Boston University School of Medicine,
sought to answer whether or not GABA would increase after a single yoga
session. They had participants complete a sixty-minute yoga session, and the
results are exciting! After only an hour of doing yoga, the participants
experienced a twenty-seven percent increase in GABA levels. This means
that if you are having trouble dealing with life, you can always increase the
amount of Yin yoga you are doing to help manage stress. You may usually
only practice yoga for thirty minutes a day. But, if you are having a hard
week you can make time for an extra thirty minutes to increase your GABA
further.
Along with GABA, yoga can promote other feel-good hormones, such as
serotonin and dopamine. These hormones have long been shown to be vital
for not only for relaxation, but also contentedness, happiness, and enjoyment.
Deficiency in serotonin is one of the most prominent causes of major long-
term depression. Like GABA, serotonin is a neurotransmitter, and in the
same way, it can be increased naturally through lifestyle factors. Studies have
shown that regular practice of yoga and meditation increase serotonin,
leading to increased happiness. In one study, it found that those who practice
meditation experience a higher day-to-day baseline of serotonin than the
control group, and this serotonin level only increased further after practicing
a session of meditation. Other studies have found similar results of yoga
increasing serotonin. This means that when Yin yoga and meditation are
combined, a person can expect great things.
Of course, if you have depression, please do not go off of any medication
without talking to your doctor, as this can be dangerous. Some people may
still need to take medication even if they practice Yin yoga and meditation.
However, the good news is that even if you do need medication, by including
Yin yoga and meditation into your daily life you can reduce the likelihood of
your depression worsening or breakthrough symptoms that are not controlled
by medication.
Lastly, the neurotransmitter dopamine focuses on the pleasure-reward system
of your brains. When we have balanced dopamine we can feel satisfied,
fulfilled, joyful, blissful, and even euphoric. On the other hand, if a person
has too little dopamine (common in depression) they can be unmotivated,
unfocused, lethargic, and yes, depressed.
Thankfully, a study published in Cognitive Brain Research found that by practicing yoga and
meditation a person can increase the dopamine production in the brain naturally.

This dopamine will also help give you a reward for doing yoga. Since
dopamine focuses on the reward part of the brain, when you do something it
rewards you by making you feel good, happy, and satisfied. This is why
dopamine is also called the “I-accomplish something” hormone. It is a
chemical reward for not running away from a challenge, you can face a
challenge head-on on the mat as well as in your daily life.
All in all, if you practice yoga you can increase your GABA, serotonin, and
dopamine, all of which are found to help make people happier, healthier, and
more satisfied.
 Chapter 3
The Power of Breathing.
When the breath wanders the mind also is unsteady. But when the
breath is calmed the mind too will be still, and the yogi achieves long
life. Therefore, one should learn to control the breath.
Hatha Yoga Pradipika
Most people are not using their lungs to their full effect. In fact, most people
are only using only thirty-three percent of their lungs, a mere third of their
full capacity. This is plain to see if you watch a newborn baby breathe, as you
can see them breathing with their full might making their backs, chests, and
stomachs move in the process.
While most of us don’t use your lungs to their full effect, they have a big job!
After all, it is your lungs that are responsible for delivering oxygen to the
bloodstream, where it is then delivered to each and every cell in the body.
Close your eyes and inhale and you can feel your diaphragm as your lungs
take in their oxygen.
However, if you are continuously not using your lungs to their effect, like
most people, you will develop air buildup in them. This air reduces the room
the diaphragm has to contract. The end result is that you are now breathing in
too swallowing, as the lungs can no longer take in the amount of oxygen they
truly need to and leading to less oxygen being delivered to your cells. A
person may even develop muscle fatigue and pain as a result.
On the other hand, deep breathing pushes out excess hair from the lungs,
increases functionality, and even boosts the lung’s capacity. When a person
has practiced and learned how to breathe deeply well, they can learn to make
full use of their diaphragm, allowing them to breathe so deeply that they clear
out toxins from the lungs and increase oxygen to the blood supply. This
oxygen increase is ideal for exercise, sports, or anyone who hopes to use their
body at its highest ability. In this chapter, we will discuss the many benefits
that you have to gain if you fully utilize your power of breathing.
Your lungs are full of blood vessels, but did you know that these vessels
collect the most in the very bottom of your lungs? But, when you have air
pockets in your lungs or breathe shallowly you can’t make use of the densest
vessels. When you take a slow deep breathe it allows your lungs to fully
expand, pushing out any air pockets and fully inflating the lungs. When this
happens, the hemoglobin, which is the red cells within your blood, attracts
the oxygen molecules. A single red blood cell can attract up to four
molecules of oxygen. Yet, if you breathe quick short breaths, rather than long
deep breaths, you are not giving the red blood cells the time they need to
attract their full carrying capacity of oxygen, the hemoglobin cells don’t
attract their full compliment of oxygen. When you do this, your heart is
having to work much harder in order to supply your cells with enough
oxygen, therefore putting more long-term strain on your heart. With heart
disease being the number one killer of both men and women, we all should
seek to improve our heart health and put less of a burden on it.
Thankfully, the longer you keep the air in your lungs, and therefore the
slower you breathe, the more time the red blood cells have to collect oxygen.
This means not only your heart doesn’t have to work as hard, but your whole
respiratory system experiences the same benefit.
Remember the HPA axis that you learned about in the previous chapter?
When we breathe slowly and deeply this axis turns off, also signaling the Yin
of the parasympathetic system so that the fight-flight-freeze response to shuts
down. When you are able to stop this stress response, it has many benefits.
Not only because long-term stress is damaging to the body, but also because
during the stress response your blood flow is pushed largely to your muscles.
But, when you stop this response the blood flows back to your organs and
brain so that they can function at their best, allowing you to better digest
food, burn calories, think more clearly, store memories more effectively, and
more.
The serotonin, which we mentioned in the previous chapter, is also impeded
by cortisol (the stress hormone). When this happens, people are unable to
sleep at night. If you ever spend time laying in bed and your brain just won’t
stop thinking, then you know what this feels like. But, if you can decrease
cortisol not only the stress will melt away, but your happiness will also
increase as serotonin increases.
As you can see, the simple act of slowing down your breaths can make your
respiratory system run more effectively, your heart runs more efficiently,
your digestion will run more smoothly, you will burn more calories, think
more clearly, sleep better, and more. It is as simple as breathing with more
awareness and intention.
Before we get into my favorite breathing technique, let’s first look at a list of
deep breathing benefits. These will encourage you as you try out the
following breathing method.
1. Increase Energy.
Oxygen is the resource your cells most require. After all, we can survive
weeks without food and days without water, but only a handful of minutes
without oxygen. By increasing your oxygen supply through breathing deeply
you can also increase the fuel your cells have, thereby increasing your
energy.
2. Strengthen the Lymphatic System.
The lymphatic system is a network of tissues and organs as thymus, spleen
and lymph nodes, that help rid the body of toxins, waste and other unwanted
materials. It relies on muscle movement, gravity, and breathing to maintain
function and cleanse the body. In this way, deep breathing can help protect
the body from toxins, bacteria, viruses, and other threats.
In 1979 a prominent lymphologist, Dr. Jack Shields, conducted a study on
deep diaphragmatic breathing and the lymphatic system. This study revealed
that deep abdominal breathing causes the lungs to push into the portion of the
thoracic duct that has already been purified by the lymph nodes. This causes
the duct to press fluid back where it belongs to the bloodstream. It may seem
insignificant, but by doing this it takes the pressure off of millions of valves
throughout the entire lymphatic system, resulting in a greater elimination of
toxins.
3. Release Muscle Tension.
When you are stressed, angry, or in pain, your breaths become more shallow
and your muscles contract. This is a classic picture of the sympathetic system
at work. But, when we activate the parasympathetic system through deep
breathing your muscles are able to release their tension, and in the process
release any pain they were holding onto. You will find this especially
beneficial for the muscles around the neck and shoulders, which are some
that take the brunt of the constriction when stressed.
4. Improved Cardiovascular Health.
Not only does deep breathing take extra work off of the heart, but it also
helps to massage this vital organ. When your breathing is full and deep, the
diaphragm moves through its entire range, massaging the liver, stomach, and
other organs and tissues when it moves downward, and massaging the heart
when it moves upward.
To better understand the benefit the heart gets from a deep and slow
breathing, it is necessary to have a sneak peak at the vagus nerve and the
cardiac-vagal baroreflex sensitivity (BRS).
The vagus nerve is the longest nerve in your body that connects your brain to
other organs throughout the body, as intestines, stomach, lungs and heart that
is the organ we are focusing more on. Increasing your vagal tone activates the
parasympathetic nervous system, and having higher vagal tone means that
your body can easily and faster relax after a stress.
BRS is a measure of the heart's capacity to efficiently alter and regulate blood
pressure in accordance with the requirements of a given situation. So a high
degree of BRS is thus a good marker of cardiac health.
Now a study published on US National Library of Medicine - National
Institutes of Health showed that a reduced breathing rate, hovering around 6
breaths over the course of a minute, can increase vagal activation leading to
reduction in sympathetic activation, increases cardiac-vagal baroreflex
sensitivity, and increases parasympathetic activation. All those positive
effects are tied to stress and anxiety reduction, mental and physical wellbeing
as an improved cardiovascular health. If you want to take care of your heart,
you need to start breathing more deeply.
5. Prolonged Aging.
Everyone will be happy to hear that deep breathing can literally prolong
aging. How it this possible? It is simply your body doing what it is
designed to do. While your cells naturally decay over time and there is
nothing you can do to stop the process, you can slow it down.
A Harvard Medical School study found that people who meditate and
practice deep breathing daily for four years have younger cells.
Specifically, your cells have protective caps on them known as telomeres.
Telomeres are a caps of DNA at the ends of chromosomes that protect
your cells from aging. Long telomere lengths are related to greater
longevity, while shorter lengths are linked to a weakened immune system
and to aging diseases such as cancer, arthritis, Alzheimer’s and heart
disease.
Now as a person ages, the telomeres become shorter and, as I mentioned
above, short telomere length, as well as low telomeres activity, has been
associated with psychological, chronic and life stress in a number of
studies.
The study found that the people who practiced meditation and deep
breathing had longer telomeres than the control group. Long telomeres
length, now you know that, is related to longevity.
Now that you are looking forward to utilizing the power of your breath, let’s
look at my favorite deep breathing exercise!

Ujjayi, Ocean Breath.

A powerful tool to help engage your full breathing capabilities is Ujjayi
Pranayama, or Ujjayi for short. It translates as “ocean breath”. You can make
use of this breathing technique as you practice your Yin yoga, or any other
time of the day as well, as it makes it impossible to breathe quickly.
When you use the Ujjayi method your breathing naturally slows its pace
down, and have you now know, that will allow the breath to fill your lungs
completely, slowing your heart rate, and increasing the oxygen supply to the
bloodstream.
With the Ujjayi method, you use your diaphragm to its full effect. As you
breathe in the diaphragm, that large dome-shaped muscle directly under the
lungs, contracts. By contracting a vacuum is created, letting air rush into the
lungs. And then, when you breathe out the diaphragm relaxes, pushing on the
lungs and allowing the air to release.
When you breathe in air you are letting in both oxygen and carbon dioxide.
The blood vessels attract the molecules of oxygen and once they are done you
exhale to release the carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere. Ideally, you
want to collect as much oxygen as you can before releasing your breath. With
Ujjayi you not only collect a large amount of oxygen, but you also get what is
known as a full exchange. This means that your lungs carry all of the oxygen
into the blood vessels and lets out all of the carbon dioxide, without excess
oxygen left over.
Unsurprisingly, this breathing method can help to slow down the heart rate
and stabilize blood pressure. This is good news for anyone, but especially
those with heart disease and high blood pressure.
The muscles love a good massage, and not only because it feels good, but
also because it has health benefits. Whenever your muscles get a massage it
causes all the old blood to flow out, allowing fresh clean blood to flow in.
The same is true of your organs. They love a massage, but is that possible?
Well, as you learned earlier, you can massage your organs with Yin yoga.
But, this is not the only way. You can also massage your organs by simply
practicing deep abdominal breathing. This is because your diaphragm is such
a large muscle that it pushes on your stomach, liver, spleen, pancreas, and
other organs as you breathe. The deeper you breathe the better you massage
and care for your organs.
When you are in a deep meditative state your breaths naturally begin to slow
and deepen. This means that you are simultaneously benefiting from the
enhanced parasympathetic system, a stop to the fight-flight-freeze response,
increased energy levels, reduced inflammation, and pain, detoxification of
carbon dioxide through the lymphatic system, improved digestion, increased
blood flow, improved brain processing and memory retention, and more.
Before long you will be experiencing a long list of physical, mental, and
emotional benefits just by taking up Ujjayi.
While there are many breathing techniques to be used during meditation,
Ujjayi isn’t one of them. This method is specifically for using during sessions
of yoga or Pranayama.
When Ujjayi is done properly, then your breathing should be both energized
and relaxed. It is the perfect combination of Yin and Yang.
There are a few easy steps to start practicing Ujjayi:
First, seal your lips and then begin to breathe in and out through
your nose.
Now, take in a breath through your nose that is slightly deeper
than usual.
Lastly, exhale through your nose slowly as you constrict the
muscles in the back of your throat.
There should be a distinct sound made when Ujjayi is done correctly. This
sound is caused by gently constricting the muscles at the opening of your
throat in order to create a certain level of resistance as the air passes through.
By gently pulling the air in and then gently pushing it out you create a
soothing and well-modulated sound that can be compared to the sound of
ocean waves on the beach.
If you have trouble getting your breathing just right, then it may be as simple
as the effort you apply to your breaths. Remember, this is meant to be a
relaxing form of breathing with long and slow breaths. A small amount of
effort is needed to produce a calming and soothing sound, but if you use too
much effort it will only result in a grating sound that resembles gasping.
When practicing your inhalations, try to focus on breaths that are unforced or
hurried while creating a soothing sound. It is best to do this practice while
sitting in a cross-legged position, and then you can begin to use it during your
Yin yoga practice as you get the hang of it.
Once you get the hang of Ujjayi you can begin to practice it in some other
easy pose. Then, after you can do it well in the easier poses you can work on
doing it in a more difficult pose.
 Chapter 4
Yoga and Joint Health.
Be still! Be quiet! Find acquaintance with silence. Go inside, delve
into your heart. Take a day off from the clamor.
Rumi
The joints are a location, a joining, they are the place in which two bones
connect. These joints can be immovable, such as where the bones of your
skull connect or like where the six bones that make up your pelvis meet
together. However, more frequently we categorize joints as slightly or fully
movable. This includes joints such as many joints within the spine, the three
in the wrist, or even the larger single joints like your hips, knees, elbows, and
shoulders. We will mainly be discussing movable joints in this chapter,
although we will discuss bone health in general near the end of the chapter.
First, we need to look at the anatomy of a joint. Just because a joint is two
bones connecting doesn’t mean there isn’t anything else making up your
joints. Your joints are not merely two bones poking and prodding each other.
Instead, they have components to help connect them, so that your body can
work as a fully mobile unit.
Along with the bones, your joints are also made up of tendons connecting the
muscle to bone, ligaments to connect the bones together, cartilage to help
cushion the bones and prevent them from grinding up on each other, and
synovial fluid. The purpose of this fluid is to act as lubrication so that your
joints don’t create friction, get stuck, or cause damage to any of the
components.
When a joint is healthy all of its components work in harmony with a full
range of movement. This results in a perfect slide between the adjoining
bones in which the pressure is evenly distributed to prevent injury. Usually,
there won’t be pain, as there isn’t excess cartilage fragments and it has the
proper amount of synovial fluid.
On the other hand, if a joint is unhealthy is really frequently result in pain.
What causes a joint to be unhealthy? If any single component of the joint is
not properly working it is a problem. This means if there is too little synovial
fluid, if there are excessive cartilage fragments, if a ligament or tendon
develops a tear, or if the bones themselves are damaged.
One of the most common causes of joint damage is osteoarthritis. This is a
degenerative disease of the joint where the cartilage in the joints begins to
wear and break down, causing the bones to grind together with friction. The
result is pain, inflammation, and a loss of motion.

Contracture.
Even people without osteoarthritis experience damage and pain in their joints.
One common example of this is when people experience contracture, which
is when the joint loses mobility, it is a shrink wrapping of the joints. There
are many potential causes of this condition, such as illness, cartilage or
ligament damage, muscle atrophy, and nerve damage. One of the most
common causes of contracture is a problem in the ligaments of your joints.
As we go about life we can develop tiny microscopic tears in your ligaments.
These tears are so small that they aren’t even visible on the strongest of
magnetic imaging scans. All the while, these microscopic tears still cause
small wounds that must be healed by adding in new ligament tissue where it
is missing, in much the same way that you might add in a missing piece on a
puzzle.
It has long been known that your ligaments function by healing in this way.
But, it for a long time it was a mystery why your ligaments don’t end up too
long if they form tears, fill with more ligament tissue, and repeat. After all, if
you stretched a piece of saltwater taffy and every time it tore added in more
taffy you would have an ever-growing taffy piece. The taffy would simply
get longer and longer as it would never stop stretching, tearing, and patching.
In search of an answer to this ever puzzling question, Professor Laurence
Dahners of the University of North Carolina found the answer. What he
found resulted in a groundbreaking discovery. In turns out that the body has a
function which works as shrink-wrap, which coats your joints and works on
removing any extra ligament material so that they don’t become too long.
There is one part that maintains and creates the material for your ligaments
and another part that actively removes excessive material. We see this pattern
all over the body, there is a similar aspect that works in your bones in which
osteoblasts work to create bone tissue while osteoclasts dissolve bone tissue.
It is a give and take, once again Yin and Yang.
You can actively witness the examples of this shrink-wrapping ligaments in
your own life. Think back on a time when you were injured, maybe you
sprained your arm or broke your foot. You were likely put in either a cast or a
sling for a number of weeks or months. When it comes to time to take the
sling or cast off you find that your arm or leg don’t move as easily as it once
did. Now, your joint is moving more slowly and it feels stiff; it might even
“freeze” in place stuck for a moment. This is because as you were not
stretching and using your ligaments the body naturally took away what it saw
as excess material that you weren’t using. When it was time to once again
resume normal use of your limb you felt the lacking ligament. Thankfully,
this is never a problem. Sure, your limb may be stiff for a day or two, but, as
you go about usual use of your limb the ligament will stretch and any
microscopic tears that form in the process will be filled in until your ligament
is back to its usual length.
Of course, some people experience contracture without first developing an
injury and having their joints immobilized for a period of weeks. This can
happen when you naturally limit your own mobility. For instance, if a person
who has practiced yoga daily for years and someone who has never attempted
yoga both attempted the same yoga pose or asana, then obviously the person
who had never practiced yoga will be much stiffer and less flexible. That
person simply will not have the same range as the experienced yoga student.
The good news is that you can easily and naturally treat contracture all by
practicing Yin style yoga. While the popular Yang yoga can cause injury if a
person pushes themselves too far, when Yin yoga is done with the
appropriate edge (as we discussed in chapter 1) it will not only prevent
injury, it is also more fit for stretching and lengthening the ligaments. While
the muscles get their best workout from rapid movements, such as cardio,
ligaments get their best workout from still stretching, by applying a traction,
which as you know is one of the basic definitions of Yin yoga. In fact, if a
person stretches too quickly, as can happen in Yang yoga, it can cause the
ligaments to tear too much, resulting in injury, inflammation, and pain.
However, as we mentioned in the first chapter, always exit your Yin yoga
poses carefully. Because you stretch your ligaments too much, if you quickly
move it will disrupt them while they are in a vulnerable state, causing injury.
This is why we always stress the importance of slow movements not only
entering the pose but exiting the pose, as well.
 Fixation.
We all hear a snap, crackle, and pop come from your bodies occasionally
when we move. While most people know that these can be caused by friction
and the release of gas, many people are unaware of the third cause: fixation.
Each of your moving joints can also be referred to as synovial joints,
meaning they are a joint that contains synovial fluid, as we previously
discussed. Sometimes, there will be a bubble of nitrogen that forms in this
synovial fluid. When these bubbles release you hear a pop, this is the release
of gas that causes popping. Whenever this happens, it will be a while until
you can pop the joint again, as there are no more bubbles in it.
Friction happens when two surfaces of the joint rub against each other, and it
can happen repeatedly in a row without a break in-between. Just as you may
press your finger and thumb together to snap, therefore making a sound with
friction, a similar reaction can happen within your joint. This happens when
tendons, ligaments, or cartilage temporarily becomes stuck, causing it to
press together until it can no longer hold and then firmly releasing with
friction, causing the same snapping sound within the joint. A good example
of this is when a person crackers their own knuckles or a doctor cracks
someone’s neck.
The final cause, and greatly unknown by many people, is fixation. But, what
is fixation? Put simply, it is when two surfaces temporarily become fixed
together, it is the temporary joining together of two surfaces. When the two
surfaces become unstuck and release, the resulting sound or popping is the
creaks and pops we all hear in your own joints from time to time. Often
times, the pops you experience when you go into a yoga pose is a result of
this fixation. Usually, the resulting pop causes a feel-good pressure release.
There are three conditions that must be met in order for fixation to take place:
First, both surfaces must be smooth. This means that your bones
are the perfect material to become fixed to each other, as they are
smooth. It wouldn’t work if they were textured like sand paper.
Second, there must be a fluid acting as a lubricant between the
two surfaces, just as it happens in our joints.
Thirdly, the two surfaces must be under enough pressure to push
them together.
Many of us experience fixation in a variety of ways in your everyday lives,
and not just within your bodies. For instance, if you are washing dishes you
might find that two pieces of silicone become fixed together. This happens
because the silicone is a smooth surface, there is water to act as a lubricant,
and as you are handling the material you apply the pressure. The two pieces
of silicone then become temporarily fixed and must be separated. The same
principle carries out in your joints.
There are very good reasons for caring to break this fixation. Firstly, it feels
good as it releases the pressure between the two bones. But, more
importantly, it is not healthy for the bones to maintain fixation for long-term
periods. If bones become fixed within the joint and we do not remove the
fixation, then the two bones can become fused together. The result would be
an immovable joint, that would require surgery to gain use of again.
Thankfully, we can prevent this from ever happening by releasing the
fixations naturally and easily. When you practice Yin yoga you are moving
the joints just further than you usually would, which applies just a bit of
pressure to the joint, allowing the fixation to dissipate and the pressure to
release.
 Chapter 5
What is Limiting Your Range of Motion?
The key to growth is the introduction of higher dimensions of
consciousness into our awareness.
Lao Tzu
When we are doing yoga poses it is important to know what specifically is
limiting your range of motion if we want to avoid injury. There are two main
causes of limited flexibility when practicing poses, which are tension and
compression.
Tension is when your tissues, such as muscles and ligaments, are stimulated.
Think of tension as being the resistance you feel just past where you can
comfortably move. For instance, if you try to bend over and touch your toes
might find that you start feeling a comfortable resistance while only reaching
your shins. It’s possible you could push past this and make yourself touch
your toes, but it doesn’t mean you need to, as you could end up injuring
yourself if you don’t listen to your body’s signals. In time and with regular
practice you will find that you can get closer and closer to touching your toes
while still respecting the tension.
Compression is when the body’s tissues are pushed or pressed together.
When this happens, it can be because the bone is pressing against bone,
pinching whichever tissue is unlucky enough to get between the two. When
we feel compression, it is important to listen and respect it, as it will not
change over time. While flexibility will change your limits with tension, the
same is not true with compression. Your bones will stay in the same places,
meaning that you aren’t meant to move past that point. A person may
experience compression in either Yin or Yang style yoga, and either way
should respect the messages it is sending them.
Whenever you feel a limit to your range of motion, give yourself a moment to
stop and examine what you are feeling. Are you feeling tension or
compression? While you can slightly indulge tension, you should avoid the
hard pain of compression. However, you can play around with a pose if any
compression sensations are mild. For instance, if you want to push yourself a
little with the Caterpillar Pose you can widen your legs a little, resulting in a
slight compression of the sacroiliac crest and your legs. But, always avoid
hard or painful compression, as it will only cause damage.

The Vipassana Approach.

In the next chapter, we will go through nineteen asana (poses) of Yin yoga,
with their variations - a total of 51 asanas with photos - and how you can
benefit from them. But first, I want to share with you how to get the most out
of your yoga practice with what I call the Vipassana approach to the pose.
When some people practice yoga, they simply do the stretches with little to
no thought. They simply shift from one pose to the next as they follow
instructions. But, this was never the way yoga was meant to be intended.
Instead, it should be practiced with Vipassana, meaning with the intention to
gain insight into its true reality. This is where yoga has its roots going back
thousands of years, and there is much to be gained by using Vipassana in
your yoga practice still today.
By being still and focusing on the pose with intention, you can gain insight
into what your body is feeling, what it needs, and react in turn.
As the poet T.S. Elliot said, “we become the still point of the turning world”,
a point where the dance is but neither arrest nor movement from nor towards,
a point where past and future are gathered.
In my first book, the Key to Happiness, I discuss how we can also gain this
when we practice meditation. But, you can apply Vipassana to not only to
meditation, but also yoga and breathing exercises. When you combine all
three of these practices with Vipassana you will truly gain all the benefits you
are seeking.
By the time we are thirty-five, then ninety-five percent of your actions,
thoughts, and feelings are all based on a subconscious pattern of your past
actions, according to the famed educator and lecturer Joe Dispenza. As a
result, only five percent of everything we think, say, and do are affected by
intentional choices. What this means is that your past actions end up
becoming patterns of your tomorrow, even if they are actions that don’t
promote a healthy body, mind, or spirituality. By acting on your patterns we
are only repeating past mistakes.
Thankfully, we can override this forcefully by making conscious and
intentional choices and effort, because the brain can be altered thanks to
neuroplasticity that is the mind's ability to change the brain.
The practice of Yin yoga is perfect for teaching us, body and mind, to
override this ninety-five percent. After all, with Yin yoga you are focused on
slowing down, yielding, and letting go.
While the human mind is usually engaged in Yang, where it is always going
and always acting, when we adopt practices of Yin we learn to slow down
and wait. This allows us to focus less on stress and survival and more on your
subconscious mind. Once we finally access this subconscious mind then we
have every opportunity in the world, the world become your oyster.
With your mind finally working at its full ability and with the capability of
altering your subconscious, you can now purposefully rewrite the
programming and coding of your brain to newer and healthier habits. You
will literally be writing the script of your own life as your own author.
If you want to learn more details about the tools we have to rewire our mind,
the discovering of neuroscience about the power of meditation and how mind
works, read The Key to Happiness, the book I wrote that can bring to you
some life-altering implements to gain joy and peace in your life.
 Chapter 6
19 Powerful Yin Yoga Poses, Variations, and their
Benefits.
Yoga takes you into the present moment, the only place where life
exists.
Patanjali
Yin yoga is new to most people, as even those who have practiced yoga in
the past have frequently been taught a Yang style. Because of this, you might
find yourself having some difficulty when you first begin. This difficulty is
not because of how flexible you might not yet be, because you simply have to
work with your body without pushing it too far, as we discussed in the
previous chapter.
The difficulty comes in when you try to take on yin characteristics. Due to
our fast-paced lives, we are always on the go. Most likely, if you are not
sleeping you are always doing something whether it is work, exercise, or just
looking at your phone. We live a very yang-prominent lifestyle. But, if you
want to live a healthy and happy life you need to learn how to practice Yin.
With Yin yoga, you will need to learn to not only slow down and stop
moving but also to let go and listen to your body. Give yourself permission to
simply be without doing. Don’t fight with the poses, work with them as you
witness how your body reacts, yielding to what your body does.
When you are holding your asana and you are still in the pose it is likely that
drama and trauma from your life will fill your mind. Don’t let this stop you.
Instead, continue to hold the pose. If there is anything you have been running
away from it, in that stillness it has the chance to catch up with you. Here is
where you don’t have to run away from that but instead developing that
warrior courage that it takes to actually be with all that emotions, feelings and
sensations that are showing up. It is called the unfinished business of the
heart. With that warrior courage you will likely find that all of the unresolved
feelings that were stuck in your body and joints melt out of your body, you
will take the issue out of the tissue. This is another achievement you obtain
by practicing Yin yoga with my Vipassana approach.
When you do something challenging or a little bit difficult and you do not run
away from it but you actually breath through it and you move in that growing
edge gracefully, the nature rewards you, as seen above in this book, by
secreting what it is called the ‘I-accomplish something’ hormone, the
dopamine, and you will begin to feel blissful. It takes a tremendous courage
to really look at your issues instead of running away, but it is well worth it.
On the other hand, don’t push yourself too far into a pose because you are
dealing with your thoughts and emotions.
Honor and respect your body in each pose, and never allow your ego to write
a check your body cannot cash.
A few last reminders before you get started:
1. Find an Edge.
When finding the appropriate amount of sensation for a Yin yoga pose, look
for your Goldilocks place. This means that you want neither too much or too
little sensation, it should be just right so that you feel the sensation without
pain. Remember that if you feel it you are doing it.
2. Be Still.
Lao Tzu, as I mentioned before, explained the importance of simply letting
go of yourself and experiencing the world without complex thought. We need
to apply this principle to your Yin yoga practice, allowing not only your
bodies to still, but your minds, as well.
3. Hold for a While.
Yin yoga is a practice of yielding and letting go into the sensations of the
pose, observing those sensations arise, lingering for a while, and
disappearing. This is what exactly happens to all the transience phenomena in
your life. So training to yield and let go on the mat can turn out to be a way to
learn to yield and letting go in your life.
4. Release Gently.
As you come out of your asana move slowly and use your arms to support.
This means you use your arms to support your torso, to push yourself up to a
sitting position, and gently move your legs.
When you come out of your asana you may at first feel unsteady, shaky, or
uncomfortable. Don’t let this worry you, as these awkward sensations will
fade.
5. Tension or Compression.
When you do your poses quiet your mind and pay attention to whether the
sensations you are feeling are tension or compression. No matter which of
these two you are feeling, don’t allow yourself to push yourself so much that
it hurts. But, know that you can push tension a little more than compression.
6. Consult a Doctor.
You should always consult a doctor before making changes that will affect
your health. Be sure to ask your doctor if you can manage yoga.

1. The Butterfly Pose.

Figure A
Butterfly Pose.

The Butterfly Pose in figure A (Baddha Konasana in Hatha yoga), is a simple

yoga Pose done in a seated position. The Butterfly Pose is believed to have
developed its origins from the average seated position of Indian Cobblers
who sit on the floor to repair shoes by holding them between their feet, hence
the posture.
While this pose can be used by anyone, it is frequently used by those seeking
to help release abdominal pain by strengthening and opening both the hips
and groin. By regularly practicing this pose a person can reduce feelings of
pain and heaviness, lessen urinary discomfort, and ease childbirth pain. When
practicing this pose be sure that you focus on your breathing.
Benefits:
Stretch the lower back without demanding loose hamstrings, if
the feet are in closer to the groin
Reduce menstrual pain and cramps
Increase blood flow to the abdominal organs, bladder, ovaries,
and prostate gland
Boost digestive health and circulation
Increase heart health and improve blood circulation
Ease childbirth pains
Stretch the inner thighs and groins

Side effects:
This is a simple and mild pose that promotes better posture health. However,
if you have a groin, knee, neck or lower back injury or a herniated disc you
should ask your doctor before attempting.
Getting In and out of the Pose:
Begin by sitting with your legs straight out in front of you as you
sit on your yoga mat. If you find your groin and hips are tight
you can raise your pelvis up onto a blanket. As you exhale bend
your knees and then pull your heels inward to your pelvis. Lower
your knees out to your sides and gently press together the soles
of your feet.
Pull your heels toward your pelvis, just as far as you comfortably
are able and fold forward, allowing your back to round, lightly
holding both of your hands around your ankles or shins.
When doing the butterfly pose never force your knees down
against the floor, as this will only cause injury. Instead, gently
 release the bones of your thighs toward the floor. When you do
this, the knees will gently follow.
Continue to remain in this pose for one to five minutes.
Once done with the pose inhale while you gently lift your knees
away from the floor. Extend your legs and resume your regular
position.

Options:
You may also find the Diamond Pose helpful – figure B. With this seated
pose you have your legs in front of you with the bottoms of your feet
touching each other, directly in front of the groin. However, while the
Butterfly Pose has you pull your legs close to the body, with the Diamond
pose you have your legs slightly away from your torso. When you look down
at your legs you should notice that they form a diamond shape, with the knees
being the two pain points of the diamond. Once your legs are in this position
you can lean forward with your torso so that it rests on the floor, and allow
your arms to drape alongside your torso and head with your arms facing
upward.
Figure B
Diamond Pose
Alternative:
Easy Cross Leg
Half Butterfly

Counter Poses:
Knees into Chest Pose: lay down on your back and hug your
knees while you rock on your mat;
Windshield Wipers Pose: lay down on your back with knees
bent, feet flat on floor and arms stretched out to the sides; gently
lower your knees to the left side of your body, slowly pull your
knees back to the start position and gently lower your knees to
the right side of your body. Repeat this action as desired or
needed.
Reversed Table Pose, to open the hip in the opposite direction:
bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor and your
hands behind your hips, shoulder-width apart, and turn your
fingertips inward so they point toward your toes; press firmly
into your hands and feet and lift your hips up toward the ceiling;
draw your shoulder blades firmly into your back and lift your
chest. Repeat this action as desired or needed.

Meridians, Organs and Joints Affected:

Liver and kidney meridian channels if the stretch is felt in the
inner thighs, especially if the feet are close to the groin.
Gallbladder meridian channel, running outside the legs and
urinary bladder running along the spine in the lumbar area.
Hips and lower spine.
Digestive tract, ovaries, and prostate gland.

Recommended Hold Times:

Three to five minutes.

2. The Caterpillar Pose.

The Caterpillar Pose (front view)

The Caterpillar Pose (side view)

With the caterpillar pose you not only experience strengthening and
flexibility to the abdomen and spine, you also are able to massage the deep
tissues in these areas. When you hold this pose for a longer duration, these
tissues and tendons experience increased blood circulation. In my experience,
in this seated pose, nearly anyone can appreciate and be aware about the way
the deep tissues and tendons surrounding the entire abdomen and spine are
stretched and compressed.
Benefits:
Increases flexibility in tight hamstrings and back muscles
Massage the stomach, bladder, uterus, kidneys, and gallbladder
to relieve pain and discomfort
Improves sleep, lowers anxiety and stress, and treats low self-
esteem
Leads to sex control

Side effects:
If you have a herniated disc or sciatica be careful with this pose, always use a
prop underneath your hips and ask your doctor before attempting.
Getting In and out of the Pose:
To begin the Caterpillar Pose practice stillness and flow with a
steady breath. Start out by sitting on your yoga mat comfortably
before stretching out your legs.
While you are seated with your spine stretched and extended
straight, take a moment and focus on your breathing, allowing
your breath to fill your whole body. Inhale and lean your torso
forward so that it, eventually, presses against your thighs.
Sit still, connecting deeply with your breaths as you allow
yourself to feel the stretch of your shoulders, neck, knees,
hamstrings and lower back for a few minutes. The longer you
stay in this pose the deeper you will massage and stretch the
ligaments along your spine, stomach, kidneys, and liver.
Remain focused on your stretch, allowing your body to stay
relaxed without applying too much pressure on your neck,
abdomen, or lower back.
When you are done with the Caterpillar Pose gently stretch out
your legs and sit down in a neutral position with the palms of
your hands placed on the yoga mat behind you. Lean your neck
back and allow the spine to relax.

Options:
If you have a tight or injured back or hamstring you might try using the wall
as a prop to reduce stress on your back during this pose. To do this, lay on the
floor with your hips against the wall, allowing the wall to support your legs.
You might also try rolling up a small blanket to place under your knees or
siting on a small pillow. Adjust the height of the pillow or blanket until you
discover the position that allows you to create a slope. This slope will adjust
the tilt of the pelvis, thereby reducing the stress placed on your legs.
Alternative:
Half Shoelace Pose.
Half Butterfly Pose.
Half Frog Pose.

Counter Poses:
Reversed Tabletop Pose.
Reclined Twist Pose.
Windshield Wipers Pose.

Meridians, Organs and Joints Affected:

Spine, hamstrings, knees, neck, and shoulders.
Urinary bladder channel, digestive tract, uterus, and gallbladder.

Recommended Hold Times:

Three to ten minutes.

3. The Dangling Pose.

Figure A
Dandling Pose with Legs stretched
Figure B
Dandling Pose with legs slightly bent.

The Dangling Pose utilizes a standing position where the body is folded over
at the hips, keeping the spine straight and long. While you keep your neck
relaxed and extended your head is pointed downward towards the ground.
Meanwhile, your feet are tightly planted on the yoga mat. Legs full stretched
as in figure A or, in presence of sciatica or stiff hamstrings, slightly bent as in
figure B. By doing this pose you can stimulate the liver and kidneys, stretch
the hamstrings, and strengthen your thighs and knees. You can also relieve
stress and moderate depression, reduce symptoms of menopause, treat
headaches, and improve digestion.
Benefits:
Reduce menstrual pain and cramps, and treat the symptoms of
menopause.
Massage and compress abdominal organs.
Gently stretch the lower spine while loosening your hamstring.
Build diaphragm strength.
Strengthen thighs, calves, and knees.
Improve digestion.
Treat the symptoms insomnia, anxiety, and depression.

Side effects:
Avoid this pose if you have glaucoma or high blood pressure.
If you have lower back injuries then bend your knees more
deeply while resting your forearms against your thighs with a
straight spine.
If you have low blood pressure be sure to lower down into your
squat rather than rolling up when coming out of this pose.
Pregnant woman should avoid this pose.

Getting In and out of the Pose:

1. Stand on your yoga mat with your feet firmly planted directly
beneath your hips.
2. Deeply inhale and then as you release the breath bend forward at
your hips. Allow your upper body to go downward as you bend,
bringing your abdomen close to your legs, complete your
exhalation. Your head should be floppy and your forehead
should be near your knees. Your palms on the floor near your
feet or you can clasp the elbows with the opposite hands.
3. Allowing yourself to deeply feel the stretch of the muscles and
tendons in your hamstrings, shoulders and neck.
4. Deeply inhale and lift your head, raising your arms and bringing
 your body back up to an upright standing position.
5. Take a few deep breaths and then repeat the pose, feeling the
stretch even more deeply this time and holding it a little longer.

Options:
If struggling to do this pose you can place your feet a short distance from the
wall and then allow your hips to rest against the wall.
If you want to do this pose for longer than two minutes, then do multiple
sessions of the pose rather than lengthening the pose duration.
Alternative:
Snail Pose.
Caterpillar Pose.

Counter Poses:
Squat Pose.
Gentle backbend.

Meridians, Organs and Joints Affected:

Urinary bladder meridian channel because of the stretch along
the back of the legs and spine
Hamstrings.
Spine, neck, and shoulders.
Abdominal organs including the bladder, stomach, and uterus.

Recommended Hold Times:

One to two minutes.

4. The Dragon Pose.

In figure A you can see the Dragon Pose, in which you lead forward on your
front leg, which is in a kneeling position. Meanwhile, your back leg is
stretched out behind you, allowing you to stretch and strengthen your hip
flexors and lumbar region. The remaining photos illustrate other variations of
the pose you can try.
Figure A
Dragon Pose.

This pose is a great way to stretch your hip flexors, ease sciatica pain,
strengthen your lumbar region. If you find yourself frequently experiencing
lumbar pain from sitting at a desk, then this pose is just for you. There are
many variations of this pose, allowing you to try them all and find your
favorites.
When doing this pose don’t force your body downward. Instead, simply drop
your hips and allow your body’s weight to naturally pull your body down
towards the yoga mat, allowing the gravity force to take over.
Benefits:
Ease sciatica pain.
Increase mobility in the hip flexors and stretches quadriceps.

Side effects:
Can be uncomfortable for the kneecap and ankle. In presence of injury ask
your doctor before attempting this pose.
Getting In and out of the Pose:
1. From a position on all-fours (known as Tabletop), step forward
with your left foot placed firmly between your hands. Your left
knee should be leveled directly above your heel.
 2. Lower your right knee onto the floor, allowing your leg to slide
back until you feel a deep stretch in your thigh and right hip. Be
sure that you are not placing your weight directly on your
kneecap, but instead slightly towards the lower part of your
thigh. Press your front foot gently to the floor.
3. Keep your hands on either side of your front foot, on top of
blocks, if helpful. If it is possible, you can place the palms of
your hands on your top thigh and then lift your chest. This
process adds more weight onto your hips while stretching your
back. More advanced pose requires having the torso lifted, right
hand moves close to the lower back grabbing the left elbow,
while left hand is resting on your left thigh as showed in figure
A.
4. Once done holding this pose move your back knee forward,
tucking your toes and placing the weight on both your hands as
you step back into the original tabletop position.
5. Repeat this position with the opposite leg.

Options:
This pose can get intense, so in the beginning only hold the pose
for one to three minutes.
If you experience discomfort then try placing a blanket beneath
the back of your knees.
You may be able to relax more deeply if you frame your front
foot with your hands on two blocks.

Alterations:
Figure B shows the Dragon Flying Low: Place the palms of your
hands inside your front foot and slowly walk your hands forward.
You might consider placing your elbows on the mat or blocks.

Figure B
Dragon Fly Low
Figure C shows the Winged Dragon Pose: Rotate your front foot firmly,
using it to open your knee to the side as your front foot rolls over to its
outside edge. Rest your elbows on the yoga mat or blocks, or walk your
hands forward.
Figure C
Winged Dragon Pose

Figure D shows the Twisted Dragon Pose: Firmly rotate the front foot while
carefully pressing the knee out with your homolateral hand. Rotate your chest
upward, in the direction of the front bent knee.
Figure D
Twisted Dragon Pose

Alternative:
Sleeping Swan pose.
Saddle pose.

Counter Poses:
Child’s Pose.
Downward Facing Dog Pose.

Meridians, Organs and Joints Affected:

Stomach, spleen, liver, kidney, and gallbladder meridian
channels.
Hip flexors, ankles and lumbar spine.

Recommended Hold Times:

Two to five minutes.

5. The Dragonfly/Straddle Pose.

The Dragonfly Pose is a great way to decompress your spine and stretch your
hamstrings and adductors. It is a simple pose, but if you have trouble
completing it or if you have sciatica you can always place a pillow or a
folded blanket under you as you sit, making it a little easier for beginners and
even more comfortable. If your adductors and back are very tight, bending
the knees and putting a folded blanket as a support behind the knees will
allow those muscles to relax and it will also help you in bending forward.
Figure A

Figure B
Benefits:
Increase hip flexibility.
Stretch the inner thigh, hamstrings, and spine

Side effects:
This pose may aggravate sciatica.
If you have any pain in your knees or below the knees then hold off on this
pose.
Getting In and out of the Pose:
1. While seated (cushion optional) with your legs stretched outward
gently spread them apart.
2. Once your legs are spread, fold forward directly from the hips,
allowing your spine to stretch, neck to relax. Place your hands in
front of you, even stretched over head if you can as showed in
figure A or you can grab your feet as in figure B.
3. You should feel mild sensations along your spine and inner
thighs.
4. After a couple minutes in this pose use your hands to push away
from the floor and slowly sit upward. Place your hands slightly
 behind your back and lean on them in order to release your hips
as you pull your legs back together.
5. Sit and feel the effects of this pose for a few minutes before
going onto the next pose.

Options:
Many people find that it is helpful to sit on a cushion or folded
blanket during the Dragonfly Pose.
You can place bolsters in front of yourself as you do this pose,
allowing your upper body and chest to rest against them.
If you have a sensitive neck you can place your elbows in front
of you on blocks and then place your chin on your hands.
In order to ground your hips you can place cushions or bolsters
on your thighs. Never place them on your knees, as this can
injure the joints.
If your feet naturally fall outward or inward while completing
this pose, then you can use blocks or folded blanket to keep them
facing towards the ceiling. This is not necessary, but will allow
you to experience a new sensation.
To explore an alternative twisting position you can fold one of
your legs, lean towards the extended leg and rotate your chest
upward toward the ceiling. Use one hand to support your head
and find a comfortable spot to rest your shoulder. Once you
complete the pose on one side, repeat it on the other side.
If there is pressure in your groin, then you might be helped with
the Half Dragonfly Pose. Simply complete the Dragonfly pose
and then bring one foot inward in the direction of your groin. If
you want, you can bend forward or to the side.

Alternative:
Butterfly Pose.
Frog Pose.

Counter Poses:
 Windshield Wipers Pose.
Reversed Tabletop Pose.

Meridians, Organs and Joints Affected:

Urinary bladder meridian, liver and kidney channels through the
groin, and spleen channel through the inner knees.
Gallbladder channel along the torso in the twisting version
explained in the options section above.
Hips and spine.
Hamstrings.

Recommended Hold Times:

Three to five minutes.

6. The Frog Pose.

The Frog Pose is great as it opens the hips while strengthening the lower
spine and stretching both the thighs and groin. Not only that, but it also
creates a heart space in the shoulders and chest. By opening the hips this pose
takes the pressure off of your knees.
The Frog Pose
Benefits:
Stretch the inner thighs.
Lessen menstrual pain and cramps.
Improve digestion.
Improve circulation to the lower back.

Side effects:
Be careful of this pose if you have a lower back injury.
Avoid your arms going to sleep during this pose. If your arms
begin to tingle then spread them out wider.
Allow your hands to pillow your forehead if the neck is stiff.
Knees can be uncomfortable, so padd them if needed.

Getting In and out of the Pose:

1. While on all-fours (tabletop pose) walk both of your knees as far
apart from each other as they will comfortably go without
pressure. The inside edge of your feet should both be on the
ground with your knees bent at a ninety-degree-angle or a little
more if you can.
 2. Inhale as you stretch your spine by stretching your tailbone and
the crown of your head in opposite directions. Feel the sensation
of your spine elongating.
3. Deeply exhale and while using your core muscles lower yourself
down onto your forearms, ensuring that your elbows are directly
beneath your shoulders.
4. Release the tension in your stomach and torso, allowing your
hips to draw back and downward.
5. Hold the pose for a few minutes as you practice your breathing.
6. When you are done with the pose, gently bring your feet back
together while you use your hands to press away from the floor.
Bring your knees back in, one after the other.
7. Rest for a few minutes in Child’s pose before you move onto
your next pose.

Options:
In order to support your upper body you can place a bolster
under your chest lengthwise.
If your knees are sensitive you can place a folded blanket
underneath them.
If you extend both of your arms during the pose you can place
your cheek down on the mat, switching sides halfway through
the pose.
There is an easy variation of this pose called the Half Frog Pose:
lay on your stomach while you keep one leg straight and the
contralateral cheek on the mat. Arms open in a T-shape or cactus
shape. Bring the knee of your other leg forward until it is aligned
with your hips and you have ninety-degree-angle between leg
and thigh and the inside edge of the foot on the ground. Hold this
for one to three minutes before repeating it on the other leg.

Alternative:
Butterfly Pose.
Dragonfly Pose.
 Child’s Pose.

Counter Poses:
Windshield Wipers Pose.
Lying on the back, grab your knees and move them in circles.

Meridians, Organs and Joints Affected:

Liver, kidney, and spleen meridian channels, thanks to the inner
legs pressure.
Lumbar spine, hips and shoulder.

Recommended Hold Times:

One to five minutes.

7. The Snail Pose.

In figure A for the Snail Pose you can see the ideal form, which has a person
balanced on their shoulders, with their torso in the air allowing their legs to
gracefully bend over their head. The feet are rested on the floor a few feet
behind where the head is resting. The arms are braced along the torso to give
added support to the spine.
Figure A
In figure B you notice the person is doing a similar pose, but with a slight
alteration: instead of having their arms bracing their spine, the arms are
stretched out upward and to the sides, allowing them to rest.
Figure B

In figure C the pose is the same as in figure B, but instead of having the legs
bending in a relaxed position over the head, the person has the legs arched
upward for a deeper stretch and increased intensity.
Figure C

Lastly, figure D is the same as figure C, except instead of having the arms
stretched out gently upward and to the sides, the arms are stretched out
behind the torso and the hands are grasping onto each other.
Figure D

The Snail pose allows you to get one of the deepest stretches of the spine. It
requires great relaxation and concentration, making it one of the more
difficult poses, but very much worthwhile. It’s okay if it takes you some time
to adjust to this pose, simply attempt to relax and don’t force it.
Benefits:
Stretches and releases the spine.
Massages the abdominal organs, improving bladder health.

Side effects:
Avoid this pose if you are pregnant, if you have high blood
pressure or glaucoma.
Ask a doctor before attempting this pose if you have a neck
injury.

Getting In and out of the Pose:

While laying down on your back, push your hips upward and
support them with your hands.
Relax your stomach so that your spine can round, allowing your
feet to gently fall over your head and toward the floor.
Pull your shoulder blades together and position them so that they
carry most of your body weight. The hands and legs rest in the
position chosen among the described above images.
You should feel stretching in your spine and neck, and possibly
some in your hamstrings. Hold this pose for a few minutes while
slowly bringing the hips down further to target different spinal
regions.
To release this pose, slowly bring your legs down and then lie
down still for a few minutes resting your body as you feel the
post-stretch sensations.

Options:
Try placing a folded blanket over your yoga mat to pad your
shoulders. Be sure there is not too much pressure in your neck.
Balance is more difficult with the Snail pose, try relaxing your
belly to allow your spine to better round.
 To help with balance, you can ask a partner to hold your feet in
place.

Alternative:
Dangling Pose.
Caterpillar Pose.

Counter Poses:
Reclined Twist Pose.
Windshield Wipers Pose.
Shavasana Pose.

Meridians, Organs and Joints Affected:

Urinary bladder meridian channel.
Spine.
Bladder, stomach, uterus, and other lower abdominal organs.

Recommended Hold Times:

Three to five minutes.

8. The Saddle Pose.

In figure A you can see the traditional Saddle Pose with individual laying on
their back with their legs straddled beneath them, and their arms stretched out
above their head. In figures B and C you can see two variations on the pose,
with a leg either stretched straight outward or with the foot anchored on the
floor and the knee pointed in the air, as if kneeling.
Figure A
Figure B

Figure C
The Saddle Pose is frequently considered as one of the more challenging Yin
yoga poses. However, it offers a deep stretch for the fascia and muscles of
your bent leg, together with a great stimulation for ankle and knee joints and
compression to the spine, offering increased blood flow to the lumbar region.
There are a couple different alterations you can do with this pose to make it
more comfortable, such as adjusting the placement of your feet or using a
pillow, if you would like.
Benefits:
Stretch the hip flexors and quadriceps.
Increase flexibility of the hips.
Knee, ankle and spinal lumbar compression, increasing blood
flow.

Side effects:
Ask a doctor before attempting this pose if you have an ankle, knee, or back
injury.
Getting In and out of the Pose:
1. On your yoga mat sit either on or between the heels of your feet,
depending on whichever is most comfortable for your hips and
knees. You can have your knees slightly more open than your
hip-width.
 2. Slowly lean backwards as far as you can. Find the way that
works for you. You may have to support yourself on your hands
or your elbows as you lean backwards, or you may be able to lie
all the way down. Work with your body doing what it can
comfortably manage. You can use a bolster under your spine for
support.
3. It’s okay if your knees lift up slightly, if it doesn’t cause
discomfort. You can place your arms either over your head or
beside you, whichever is most comfortable.
4. You should feel a comfortable compression of your lower spine
and knee as well as a stretching/opening feeling in your belly,
chest, hip flexors, and quadriceps.
5. After holding your pose for a few minutes use your arms and
core muscles to push yourself up. Release your legs from under
yourself and lay down on the mat for a few minutes before doing
your next pose.

Options:
1. You can either sit between your feet or on the heels of your feet.
By sitting on your heels you will create a deeper stretch in your
back whereas sitting between them increases the stretch in your
quadriceps. One or the other will feel more natural for you,
depending on your femoral rotation.
2. You can sit on a cushion during this pose to make a deeper
stretch in the back easier.

Alternative:
Seal Pose.
Sphinx Pose.

Counter Poses:
Shavasana Pose.
Child’s Pose.

Meridians, Organs and Joints Affected:

 Stomach, kidney and spleen meridian channels.
Heart and lungs meridians if your arms are overhead.
Hips flexors and quadriceps.

Recommended Hold Times:

Three to five minutes.

9. The Sphinx Pose.

In figure A you see the Sphinx Pose, in which the person is laying on their
stomach with their head in the air and their forearms rested to the side so that
the palms of their hands are placed on the ground in front of them and the
shoulders are over the elbow.
Figure A
Sphinx Pose

In figure B you see the Seal Pose, a variation of the Sphinx Pose. In this pose
the person has their torso elevated higher in the air, thanks to their arms being
stretched out in front of them with their palms on the floor.
Figure B
Seal Pose
In figure C you see the Advanced Seal Pose, where the arms are still
stretched out and braced on the floor, but instead of being extended in front
of the person they are extended directly downward from the shoulders. This
causes the torso to be elevated even higher than in the standard Seal pose.
Figure C
Advanced Seal Pose

The Sphinx Pose is a classic in Yin yoga, and the perfect way to stretch out
your spine, increase flexibility in your hip flexors, and reduce stress. While
this pose is simple and can be completed by nearly anyone, those who are
pregnant should avoid it.
Benefits:
Reduces anxiety and stress, calms the mind.
Increases spinal flexibility.
Stretches the abdomen, spine, and hip flexors.

Side effects:
This pose is not recommended for pregnant people.
It’s normal to feel a comfortable compression of the spine, but if
you feel a sharp or tight pain then ease out of the pose.

Getting In and out of the Pose:

1. While laying down on your abdomen place your hands on the
yoga mat so that your palms are flat and elbows are aligned
directly under your shoulders.
2. Pull your shoulders back from your neck so that your shoulder
blades slide down your back. You should feel your breast bone
slightly lift in the process.
3. As you breathe feel your breath go deeply in the direction of
your abdomen and lower back.
4. Come out of the Sphinx pose by bringing your elbows out to
your sides and rest laying on your mat.

Options:
Get a stronger compression and deeper stretch by pulling your
hands slightly closer toward your torso with your arms straight,
creating a sharper angle. This is a Seal Pose variation as showed
in figure B that can slowly lead you to the Advanced Seal Pose
(figure C).

Alternative:
Using a cushion under the elbows to deepen the pose.
Sliding the elbow away from the ribs to reduce compression in
the lower back.
Counter Poses:
Child Pose.

Meridians, Organs and Joints Affected:

Urinary bladder and kidney meridian channels.
Spine and hip flexors.
Adrenal glands through compression.

Recommended Hold Times:

Three to five minutes.

10. The Fire Log/Square Pose.

In figure A you see the standard Fire Log Pose with the legs overlapped and
stacked in front of the individual in seated position. One leg is placed on top
of the other in order to simulate a stack of fire logs or a square. The arms are
placed directly at the side of the torso with the palms flat on the ground.
Figure A
Fire Log Pose

In figure B you can see a variation of the Fire Log Pose, where the individual
is bent forward over their legs so that their head is resting on the ground. The
arms are also stretched forward in front of the individual with their palms
facing upward in the air. Legs can be in Fire Log Pose or in an easy cross.
Figure B
Fire Log Pose bent forward over legs

In figure C you can see Eye of the Needle, where the individual is laying on
their back with the left leg crossed on top of the other so that the left ankle is
over the opposite knee, left arm is between the legs and hands are interlaced
around the right leg.
Figure C
Eye of The Needle
With the Fire Log Pose you can stretch out your lumbar region and target
your gluts and hips. It is not a simple pose and if you have trouble with your
knees not laying down there are steps you can take to make the pose even
more simple, such as by placing a cushion between your ankle and your knee
or trying Eye of the Needle Pose as in figure C.
Benefits:
Stretches the lower lumbar region, and groins.
Increases hip mobility through a deep external rotation.
Massages lower abdominal organs, such as the stomach, uterus,
and bladder.

Side effects:
This pose may worsen sciatica. Avoid it if you have low back
injury.
Avoid this pose if you are pregnant and if you have knee injury.
If you experience pain in your knees when completing this pose
try spreading your knees further apart. If you still experience
pain, ease out of the pose and definitely try the Eye of the Needle
pose instead.

Getting In and out of the Pose:

1. While seated on your yoga mat, stretch out your right leg before
placing your left ankle over the right knee.
2. Without moving your left leg bend your right knee and place
your right foot beneath your left knee.
3. You can stay here as in figure A or, if you want more, from your
hips bend forward, letting your spine round as in figure B.
4. Rest your hands on the yoga mat or on your elbows and then
continue to hold the pose for a few minutes. You should feel the
pose in your hips, outer thighs, buttocks, and sacrum.
5. Once you are done with the pose, place your hands behind you
and lean your weight back on them before stretching out your
legs in front of you. Take a minute to feel the effects before
 repeating the pose on the opposite side.

Options:
If you find your knees stay stuck up high, then you can place
cushions or folded blankets under your knees.
You may place a bolster in your lap to support your torso when
bending forward.
If you want to target one side of your body you can bend to the
side instead of folding forward.
If you have a sensitive neck you can place your elbows down and
support your head on your hands. If needed, you can place
bolsters under your elbows.

Alternative:
Eye-of-the-Needle Pose.
Sleeping Swan Pose.
Shoelace Pose.

Counter Poses:
Reversed Tabletop Pose.
Windshield Wipers Pose.

Meridians, Organs and Joints Affected:

Liver and kidneys meridian because of the pressure into the inner
groin, Urinary meridian channel if you fold forward and
gallbladder meridian channels on outer leg.
Spine and hips.
Stomach.

Recommended Hold Times:

Three to five minutes.

11. The Happy Baby/Stirrup Pose.

In figure A you can see the Happy Baby Pose with the individual laying on
their back with the knees bent over their lower stomach and their feet straight
in the air above their torso. They have their arms stretched upward and
wrapped around their feet.
Figure A
Happy Baby/Stirrup Pose

In figure B you can try a variation on the Happy Baby Pose, which is the Half
Happy Baby Pose. In this pose the individual lays on their back with one air
bent over their torso with the arm on the same side grasping the foot, just like
in the traditional Happy Baby Pose. However, in this version the opposite leg
and arm remain stretched out.
Figure B
Half Happy Baby Pose
The Happy Baby pose is a great option for those who are new to yoga, as it is
really simple and can ease you into becoming more flexible. This pose is
great for stretching the thighs, groin, and hamstrings as it opens the hips. It
also helps to release the sacroiliac joint and the sacrum. Use this pose to build
up your strength and increase your flexibility, making it easier to attempt
more difficult poses as you become more advanced.
Benefits:
Calms the mind while reducing stress, fatigue and anxiety.
Increases arm strength.
Decompresses and releases sacroiliac joint.
Increases hip flexibility and range of mobility.
Stretches the inner thigh, hamstrings at the back of the thighs,
and groin.

Side effects:
If you have a knee or ankle injury then place your hands behind
your thighs instead of grasping your feet to increase support.
If you have a neck injury or any discomfort then support your
head with a pillow or a folded blanket.

Getting In and out of the Pose:

 On your yoga mat lay on your back and bend your knees into
your chest. While inhaling, grab onto your feet with your hands.
You can grab onto either the inside or the outside edges,
whichever is more comfortable.
Spread your knees out wider than your torso, pulling them back
toward the floor and your armpits.
At a ninety-degree angle have your ankles placed directly over
your knees.
Stretch your feet through your heels. Lightly pull against your
feet with your hands to create a slight resistance.
Lengthen your spine by stretching your tailbone as you pull your
stomach in and stretch your neck out. Hold this pose for a few
minutes.
To exit the pose, place your feet on the floor while exhaling.

Options:
If you have trouble reaching your feet you can use a resistance
band looped around the arches of your feet or hold onto either
your ankles or shins.

Counter Poses:
Windshield Wipers Pose.

Meridians, Organs and Joints Affected:

Bladder and kidney meridian channels.
Sacroiliac joint and hips.

Recommended Hold Times:

Three to five minutes.

12. The Sleeping Swan Pose.

In figure A you see the main Sleeping Swan Pose with the individual laying
out on their stomach. One leg is bent as if in a kneel beneath them with the
other leg stretched straight outward. The forehead rests flat on the floor with
the arms coming out above the head and palms resting on the ground.
Figure A
Sleeping Swan Pose

In figure B you can see the variation known as the Dear Pose aka 90/90. In
this version the person is sitting upright with one leg bent in front of them, 90
degree between leg and thigh and the other leg bent behind with the same 90
degree between leg and thigh. Arms are elongated in front of them with the
palms resting on the floor.
Figure B
Dear Pose aka 90/90
In figure C the individual has their legs in the same position as figure B, but
they have their torso bent forward and laying on the floor, the arms resting
beside them and palms also resting on the mat.
Figure C
Dear Pose bent forward.

In figure D the individual has their legs in the same position as figure A and B
but the person lays forward with their torso towards the front knee, forehead
on the floor if it is possible. Arms resting with their palms on the floor.
Figure D
Dear Pose variation.
Figure E shows the same Dear Pose, where the individual again has their legs
bent in front and behind them. The individual is bent forward with their torso
towards the front foot, with their arms on the same side wrapped around their
head and same front foot.
Figure E
Dear Pose variation.

The Sleeping Swan Pose is a great way to clear your mind and anxieties
while you stretch your hips and spine. This pose has the ability to target and
strengthen the hip flexors and psoas muscle, helping to prevent injuries in the
future.
Benefits:
Increases hip flexibility. Strong external rotation of the front hip.
Provides stretch for the hip flexors and quadriceps for the back
leg.
Calms the mind and lessens anxiety

Side effects:
Be careful of your knees. They shouldn’t hurt while doing this
pose, but if they do hurt you can pull your front foot closer to
your opposite hip, or even place it under your hip and padding
the back knee.
If you have any knee pain or injuries then try the Eye-of-the-
Needle Pose.
You should avoid this pose if you are pregnant.

Getting In and out of the Pose:

1. While on all fours (tabletop position) bring forward your left
knee so that it is closer to the wrist on the same side. It should be
either directly behind your wrist or to one side of the wrist or the
other, it will vary depending on your physical make up.
2. Move your left foot in front of you across the mat so that your
knee is on the left side of the mat and your foot is on the right
side of the mat. Your shin should be on the mat and your knee
should be at an angle that it stretches the hip without causing
pain. If you find that your shin is parallel to the yoga mat then
you can flex your foot in order to stabilize your joints.
3. Walk your right knee backward until the right leg is fully
extended behind you. Lift your pelvis higher by pulling together
your thighs.
4. While inhaling push onto your fingertips while you stretch your
spine, draw in your abdomen, and open your chest.
5. While exhaling walk your palms in front of you, lowering your
 entire upper body to the mat. Keep the weight back into the hips.
Rest your forehead and arms on the mat stretched out in front of
you.
6. Stay in the pose and while exhaling try to release any tension in
your left hip.
7. Come out of the Sleeping Swan pose by pushing back on your
hands, lifting your hips, and moving back onto all fours into the
tabletop position.
8. Repeat the pose on the opposite side.

Options:
This stretch can be intense on the hip. Know that the more
parallel your shin is to the front of the mat, then the higher the
intensity. To reduce this, keep your front foot close to the
opposite hip.
If your forehead doesn’t reach the yoga mat then you can place it
on a cushion, block, or make two fists with your hands and rests
your head on them.

Variation:
You can perform one of the poses as showed in figure B, C, D
and E accordingly to your hip mobility. Pick the pose you can
painlessly maintain.
If you have knee pain or uneven hips, the use of props such as
blanket or pillow are more than welcome.

Alternative:
Eye-of-the-Needle Pose.
Square Pose.
Shoelace Pose.

Counter Poses:
Child’s Pose.
Windshield Wipers Pose.
Meridians, Organs and Joints Affected:
Gallbladder line because of the stress on the outer leg, liver and
kidney channels because these meridians come through the inner
groin, spleen and stomach meridian channels from the stress on
the top of the back leg, Urinary bladder line through the pressure
in the lumbar arch.
Hips and lower back.

Recommended Hold Times:

One to three minutes.

13. The Shoelace Pose.

Figure A illustrates the original Shoelace Pose where the person has their legs
twisted together in front of them with one knee over the other, their feet
resting beside their hips. Their arms are stretched out and braced on the
bottom of their feet or on the floor.
Figure A
Shoelace Pose

Figure B shows a variation with the arms in Eagle Pose (as in Garudasana).
Here the legs are in the same position of the figure A but the arms this time
are also twisted and held in front of the torso so that the palm of the hands are
touching each other with fingertips pointing upwards.
Figure B
Shoelace Pose with arms in Eagle Pose.

In figure C the person is in the same pose as in figure B, but they have their
torso bent forward, resting on the upper leg and with arms over the knees.
Figure C
Shoelace Pose with arms in Eagle Pose and torso bent forward.

Figure D illustrates the Half Shoelace folding over the knee, in which one leg
is folded over the other so that the ankle is close to the hip and knees are
stacked. The other leg is stretched straight forward. The person is bending
forward with the arms resting on the upper knee.
Figure D
Half Shoelace folding over the knee.

Figure E illustrates the Shoelace Pose with Cow Face Arms Pose (as in
Gomukasana). Here legs are in Shoelace Pose and the arms are entwined
behind their back. One arm is twisted downward from the shoulder blade
with the other upward from the shoulder blade. The hands are grasping onto
each other to remain in position.
Figure E
Shoelace Pose with Cow Face Arms Pose.
Figure F illustrates Shoelace Pose with Hands in Reverse Prayer Pose
(Paschima Namaskar). Here the person has their legs entwined, arms placed
behind their back in a straight line and the palms resting one against the other
in prayer position in between the shoulder blade.
Figure F
Shoelace Pose with Hands in Reverse Prayer Pose.

Figure G illustrated the Twisted Shoelace Pose. The legs are overlapped as in
the Shoelace Pose while the person is sitting with the torso twisted towards
the side of the upper leg with their arms in front of them, palms braced on the
floor.
Figure G
Twisted Shoelace Pose.

The Shoelace Pose allows you to see great progress in your hips, shoulders,
and spine. Its name comes from the way in which your arms and legs are
twisted together, appearing much like dramatic shoelaces.
If you have trouble starting out this pose, then you can try out practicing it in
short steps. For instance, first try just moving your arms into position, then
just the legs, and then you can try adding it all together.
Benefits:
Decompress the spine if you lean forward.
Increase hip flexibility and mobility. Great hip opener.

Side effects:
Avoid the Shoelace Pose if you are pregnant.
This pose can worsen sciatica pain.
If you have any pain or injuries in your knees or back you may
want to try the Eye-of-the-Needle pose, instead.

Getting In and out of the Pose:

 1. While on all fours (tabletop position) place one of your knees
behind the other and spread your ankles as far apart as is
comfortable, and then sit back down between your heels.
2. You can have your spine straight or from the hips fold forward,
letting your spine round. You should feel a stretching sensation
along your hips and buttocks, and possibly your spine. You can
add some arms pose as explained if you feel comfortable in
performing that.
3. After holding the pose for a few minutes come out of it by using
your hands to press against the floor gently and slowly stretch
your spine back upward. Place your hands behind you and lean
back on them to release the hips and unfold your legs.
4. Take a few minutes to feel the pose before moving onto your
next pose.

Options:
If your sitting bones are not evenly planted on the ground, then
try sitting on a pillow or block.
Try leaving your bottom leg outstretched in front of you or put
your leg in an easy-cross position if you are struggling with the
pose.

Alternative Poses:
Square Pose.
Sleeping Swan Pose.
Eye-of-the-Needle Pose.

Counter Poses:
Reverse Tabletop Pose.
Windshield Wipers Pose.

Meridians, Organs and Joints Affected:

Liver, kidney and gallbladder meridian channels. In the presence
of a folding forward, the urinary bladder line will be stimulated
 and the stomach compressed.
Hips and spine.

Recommended Hold Times:

Three to five minutes.

14. The Recline Twisting Pose.

Figure A shows the traditional Recline Twisting Pose, where the person has
their legs stretched out, knees slightly bent. The person is laying on their
back, with their legs and torso slightly bending toward each other. The arm
closest to the legs is holding onto the knees while the other arm remains
extended to the side.
Figure A
Recline Twisting Pose.

Figure B is a variation called Wrapped Legs Twisting Pose, in which the

person is in the same pose, but twists one leg over the other at the knee. If it
is possible, the foot of the top leg hooks the calf of the opposite leg.
Figure B
Wrapped Legs Twisting Pose.
Figure C shows Cat Pulling its Tail, where the individual again laying on
their back. One leg is bent at the knee behind the person’s back, with the arm
on the same side holding onto the foot. The opposite leg is bent at the knee in
front of the individual with the arm grasping around the knee. Both shoulders
should be on the floor.
Figure C
Cat Pulling its Tail.
This incredibly simple pose is great for beginners and masters, as it has great
benefits, such as the ability to balance the nervous system and restore spinal
balance, yet it is simple to do. Even if you are new to Yin yoga and not yet
very flexible, you can still complete this pose.
Benefits:
Balances the nervous system.
Improves digestion by massaging abdominal organs.
Restore spinal balance.

Side effects:
Be careful not to allow your arms to experience a tingling
sensation. If this happens, simply adjust your arm position by
either bringing them to your side or elevating them with a prop.
Hand can rest on the ribs too.

Getting In and out of the Pose:

Lie on your back with your arms stretched out straight to both
sides, so that it resembles a cross or the letter “T”.
Push your hips slightly over toward the right, meanwhile
bringing your knees to your left. If needed, you can support your
knees with blocks or a bolster.
Hold the pose. Once done, bring your knees over your hips and
 then into your chest for some breaths to realign your spine.
Repeat on the opposite side.

Options:
Don’t force this pose, you shouldn’t feel any pain. You will find
overtime it becomes easier to do this, as you become more
flexible.
Use any cushions, pillows, blocks, or bolsters necessary.

Alternative:
Seated Twist Pose.

Counter Poses:
Windshield Wipers motion.
Hugging the knees while rocking on your back side to side.

Meridians, Organs and Joints Affected:

Gallbladder meridian, lung and heart and small intestine
meridian channels if the arm is over head, urinary bladder
channel by twisting the spine.
Massage the internal organs because the twist compresses the
stomach.
Spine.

Recommended Hold Times:

Three to five minutes.

15. The Melting Heart/Puppy Pose.

This pose is simple and easy to do, even for beginners. You can use it to
increase flexibility in your spine, improve posture, and lessen back pain.
The Puppy Pose.
Benefits:
Increases shoulder flexibility and mobility.
Improves posture and counteracts rounding of the spine.

Side effects:
If your arms begin to tingle, then relieve this by spreading them
out as bending your elbows. Rest your forehead on your hands.

Getting In and out of the Pose:

1. While on all fours spread your knees a little wider apart than your
hips and then lower yourself down onto your elbows.
2. While keeping your hips in line with both of your knees stretch your
arms out in front of you, one at a time.
3. Place your forehead or chin onto your yoga mat, letting yourself melt
into the pose.
4. You should feel an opening sensation in your ribs, chest, and front of
your shoulders along with some soft pressure on your middle and
upper back. Hold this pose for a few minutes.
5. To release the pose, gently pull your hands back to your shoulders
while you lower your hips onto your heels.
Options:
 You can use a bolster to support your torso and a folded blanket
to pad your knees.
If you feel pain or pressure on your shoulders, then simply bend
your elbows to the side and place your forehead on your hands.

Alternative:
Supported Saddle pose.
Supported Reclined Butterfly pose.

Counter Poses:
Child’s pose.

Meridians, Organs and Joints Affected:

Heart and lung meridian channels, if the pose pep up your arms.
Stomach and spleen meridian channels, if you feel stretch in the
chest.
Urinary bladder meridian channel thanks to the compression
along the spine.
Spine and shoulders.

Recommended Hold Times:

Three to five minutes.

16. The Bananasana.

In figure A you see the traditional Bananasana, with the person laying straight
on their back, their legs stretched in front of them and ankles crossed. The
arms are braced over the head, hands holding the opposite elbows or one
hand holding the opposite wrist. They lean to one side at the spine, as if
taking the form of a banana.
Figure A
Bananasana
In figure B you can see a variation of the Bananasana, called Criss Cross
Leaning Steeple Pose, in which the person is standing if for some reason it is
not possible to lay down. Their ankles are crossed. They stand with an angle
to one side, the same of the front leg, again like a banana, and their arms are
stretched over head, with their fingers intertwined.
Figure B
Criss Cross Leaning Steeple Pose

Figure C illustrates the Criss Cross Twisted Leaning Steeple Pose. A very
similar form to figure B, if for some reason it is not possible to lay down on
the back, but the person is stretching even further with their chest puffed out
by twisting with the torso towards the side of the front leg.
Figure C
Criss Cross Twisted Leaning Steeple Pose

The Bananasana, otherwise known as the Banana Pose, is a fun and simple
pose to open up the entire side of your body, giving you a gentle and deep
stretch to muscles and fascia along the side of the body in a few minutes.
This revitalizing pose will help to open up your body’s energy systems and is
known as one of the more fun poses in Yin yoga.
Benefits:
Stretches all of the muscles and tissues along the side of the
body.
Works the spine in a lateral flexion.

Side effects:
Avoid tingling in the arms when doing this pose. If your arms
begin to tingle adjust their position, raise them with a bolster, or
try to play by changing the hold onto your elbows in the hold
onto your wrist. You can even completely relax your arms.
Avoid going overly deep into this pose if you have a back injury.

Getting In and out of the Pose:

 1. Lie down on your back with your arms stretched out over your
head and your legs out straight.
2. While your buttocks is pressed firmly to your yoga mat move
both of your legs to the right of the mat. Cross your ankles so
that your left foot keeps your right foot in place.
3. With your buttocks still fully planted on the mat, pull your upper
body to the right of the mat, allowing your spine to curve to the
side in the shape of a banana. To maintain this pose hold your
left wrist with your right hand or allow your hands to hold the
opposite elbows.
4. You should feel sensations along your ribs, shoulders, arms,
hips, and thighs. Hold this pose for a few minutes.
5. To release the pose slowly bring your arms and legs back to a
neutral position.
6. Lift your head, making sure that you are laying straight, and then
maintain the Shavasana pose to feel the effects of the
Bananasana.
7. Repeat this pose on the opposite side.

Options:
It’s not uncommon to not feel much with this pose at first. Allow
a few moments to allow the sensations to deepen, and then you
can lean into that more to increase this sensation.

Alternative:
Dragonfly pose, side bend variation.
Shoelace pose, side bend variation.

Counter Poses:
Hugging the knees to the chest.
Shavasana Pose.

Meridians, Organs and Joints Affected:

Gallbladder meridian channel that runs along the side of the
 body.
Heart and lung meridian channels if the arms are overhead.
Spine.

Recommended Hold Times:

Three to five minutes.

17. The Shavasana/Corpse Pose.

The Shavasana Pose gives your body a chance to truly relax, allowing it to
recuperate and recover from the harsh taxing of life. By taking the time to
practice the Shavasana regularly, you not only allow your body to heal, but
you also give it the chance to become stronger.
The Shavasana is also known as the Corpse pose, as during it you lay down
completely still on your back with a relaxed body and mind. It may simply
appear to be a nap to some people, but it is a vital Yin yoga pose in which a
person attempts to maintain full consciousness while also being completely
relaxed. It signifies the end of your yoga practice; when you finish your
poses, Shavasana is the natural completion.
When new to the Shavasana, or if you are practicing alone, then it can be
helpful to set a timer while completing this pose. Not only will setting a timer
ensure that you spend enough time on this vital component, but it can also
help in case you fall asleep. While the goal is to stay awake and alert through
the entire Shavasana, it is not uncommon for those new to the pose to fall
asleep, in which case the timer can help to wake you.
In standard yoga, the Shavasana pose should make up ten to fifteen percent of
a person’s yoga practice time. However, Yin style yoga is more gentle as it
doesn’t use the muscles, allowing you to use a shorter time period for this
pose. Ideally, five to eight percent of your Yin yoga practice should be
dedicated to the Shavasana. This means that if you spend an hour doing your
other Yin yoga poses, then you should spend three to five minutes on the
Shavasana. Although, you can always spend longer on this pose if you feel it
would be helpful.
While some people may think that the Shavasana is simply a time to allow
your body to rest, it is much more than that. This pose allows both mind and
body to heal. While you lay still and relaxed, your mind is still active as you
focus on your energies and how they are flowing.
When you are in the other Yin yoga poses, such as Shoelaces and Happy
Baby, it is difficult to feel your energies and what they are doing. But, when
you do the Shavasana you are completely still, allowing you to better focus
on the subtleties that are happening within your body.
By focusing on your energies and how they flow during the peace of the
Shavasana, then you can better learn how to notice your energy flow at other
times. While you are practicing this pose notice closely your prana or Chi
energy and how it flows both in and out of the areas of your body that you
worked during your Yin yoga practice. When you first begin this, you may
find it not easy to feel these energies. But, over time, you will find that you
can more easily notice them, both as you practice the Shavasana and at other
times of the day.
The Shavasana may be simple, but there are many ways in which you can
practice it. Many Yin yoga masters and teachers have their own way of
practicing this pose, and each one has its own benefits. One way is not
necessarily superior to another, you simply have to find the method that best
works for you. In this chapter, I will be sharing my favorite way to practice
this vital part of Yin yoga, but feel free to experiment with other Shavasana
methods, as well.
Now, let’s look at the Shavasana step-by-step:
1. When practicing the Shavasana it is crucial that your body
maintains a neutral pose. Start by sitting on your yoga mat with
your feet on the floor and knees bent before leaning back onto
your forearms.
2. While you continue to brace yourself with your forearms, raise
your pelvis moderately off of the floor. With your hands, press
the back of your pelvis in the direction of the tailbone, and then
return your pelvis to the yoga mat.
3. Inhale and as you feel the breath fill your body, slowly extend
first your right leg and then your left. As you extend your legs
one at a time, stretch them by pushing through the heels. As you
release the stretch in your legs soften the groin and ensure that
both legs are angled evenly to the torso mid-line. Your feet
 should turn out equally.
4. Soften the muscles in your lower back and without flattening it,
maintain the natural curves of the back and narrow your pelvis.
5. Use your hands and lightly lift the base of your skull away from
the base of your neck, releasing your neck down to your tailbone.
If you find this difficult, you can support your neck and head on
a small pillow or folded blanket. Then, tilt your head so that the
crease in your neck moves to the center of your head and
broaden the base of your skull. Be sure that your ears are of
equal distance from your shoulders.
6. Stretch your arms up to the ceiling at a ninety-degree angle to the
floor. Broaden your back and pull your shoulder blades away
from your spine as you gently rock from side-to-side. Now,
release your arms and allow them to rest on the floor, angled to
the mid-line of your torso.
7. Now, turn your arms to your sides and stretch them away from
your shoulder blades. With your arms stills stretched out, rest the
back of your hands on the floor. You want the balance of your
hands to center on the knuckles of your index fingers. Be sure
that your shoulder blades are resting gently and balanced on the
floor. Imagine that your shoulder blade tips are raised up and
diagonally toward your sternum. Now, spread out your
collarbone.
8. Soften your senses by relaxing your nose, the root of your
tongue, and eyes. You want to let the eyes sink to the back of
your head while you relax your forehead and the bridge of your
nose. Let go of your brain, allowing it to relax into your skull.
Try to be focused and present in the moment.
9. Hold the pose.
10. When ready to exit the Shavasana, exhale and roll
onto your right side. Take a few deep breaths and use your hands
to push yourself up off the floor. Lift your torso, slowly moving
your head with it. Whenever you roll out of the Shavasana your
head should be the last part of your body to move up.
Shavasana Pose.

18. Stressing the Arms.

The human shoulder is one of your most important, complicated, and mobile
joints. Think about how many times a day you use your arms, whether it is
for eating, driving, cleaning, or working. You are constantly using your
shoulder joints. Yet, most people neglect these important joints, not giving
them the care they need and not working them out in the ways they need to.
Thankfully, with Yin yoga, you can practice Stressing the Arms Pose to keep
your whole arm and shoulder healthy and mobile.
By stressing the arms you can feel an incredibly and soothing release in the
front of your chest. This does a great job of working your whole arm,
especially the elbows. You can practice this while using multiple poses, such
as Shoelace, or Sitting Swan. While you can use any of these options, in this
portion we will focus on Stressing the Arms with the Sitting Swan Pose as in
figure A, as it is a good bonus pose that works on your hips.
Figure A
Stressing the arms (with the Sitting Swan Pose)
Follow these steps to begin Stressing your Arms with the Sitting Swan Pose:
1. Sit on your yoga mat with your legs stretched straight out in front
of you, and then lean back on your arms with your hands placed
slightly behind you.
2. Move your left ankle, placing it on top of your right knee.
Bending your right knee, bring the heel of your foot close to your
hip. Maintain a flex of the left foot in order to better support your
knee.
3. Continue to hold this pose, which should result in feeling some
sensations in your left hip. If this feeling lessens overtime, then
you can move your foot closer to the hip to increase the
sensations.
4. Slowly walk your hands further away from yourself and lean into
them more. This will increase the sensations you feel. Pay
attention to the stress points, which may be the wrists, elbows,
biceps or shoulders. You will feel the sensations differently
depending on the angle and how much pressure you are
applying. As long as you notice some sensations, then you are
getting benefits.
5. Don’t feel like you have to overdo stressing your arms and make
it stressful. When you have had enough, come out of the pose.
 When you come out, shake your arms and relax them. Next, do
the other side.
6. If you want a deeper sensation that you can’t get while doing the
Sitting Swan, then you can practice stressing your arms while
your legs are fully extended in front of you. You can also walk
your hands even further behind you as you move your hands
closer together. Eventually, you can get advanced enough that
your hands completely touch as you do this pose.

19. Pec Stretch/Shoulders Roll.

In figure A the individual laying on their side, knees bent slightly. The upper
arm is rested alongside the lower back with the hand in between ribs and hip.
The arm on the side the individual is laying on, is rested behind them and
bent at the elbow with palm flat on the floor.
Figure A
Pec Stretch.

Figure B illustrates a similar pose, but the person has the upper leg bent into
the air, with the bottom of the foot rested on the floor. The bottom arm is
stretched out straight in this version.
Figure B
Shoulders Roll.

Getting In and out of the Pose:

1. On your yoga mat, lie down on your stomach and stretch your
arms outward and upward at a forty-degree angle for Pec Stretch
Pose. This should resemble a cactus. Knees are slightly bent.
Turn your head so that one ear is on the floor or a support and
the other ear is directly away from the floor. Now roll your body
to the same side.
2. Increase sensations by lifting your top hand to the ceiling before
laying it across your back. Lay here allowing your head to
remain on the floor or support for three minutes, and then repeat
the pose on the other side of your body.
3. Follow the same indications for Shoulders Roll but have the
upper leg bent into the air, with the bottom of the foot rested on
the floor and the bottom arm stretched out straight in this
version.

We use shoulders and neck almost constantly. Whether we are doing

housework, driving, cleaning, working on the computer, or even watching
TV, we are using these joints and muscles throughout the day. Because of
this, many people carry tension and stress in these areas, gradually increasing
and in the process compounding on pain.
While there are Yin yoga poses for the upper half of the body, many of the
poses focus on the lower half of the body. Yet, we can still incorporate the
amazing principle of Yin yoga, such as passively holding poses, into other
aspects of your practice. In this extra section of the book, we will focus on
some indications on shoulder and neck health using Yin yoga principles.
Yin Seated Neck Stretch:
1. Sit on a pillow or cushion as you draw your chin inward toward
your collarbone, then slowly roll your right ear over your
shoulder on the same side.
2. While relaxing your jaw, push your chin slightly forward and
then back, allowing your head to feel heavy.
3. Find an area with your chin that feels just right and stay in that
position for two minutes. Repeat this on the left side.
4. For deeper sensations lay your right hand on your head just
above your ear and stretch the other arm to the side so that the
fingertips can touch the ground.

Yin Shoulder Rolls:

To begin the shoulder rolls you should sit in a Siddhasana, otherwise known
as Perfect Pose. This is a classic and simple pose, but let’s go over how to
accomplish it before we get into the shoulder rolls.
1. Sit on your yoga mat with your legs stretched out in front of you
and your arms resting at your side. If you want, you can sit on a
pillow.
2. Bend your left leg and bring the heel of your foot to your groin.
Now, repeat this and bring your right foot to your groin, resting
it directly in front of your ankle.
3. Focus on your breathing, and as you exhale lift your right foot
with your hands and then place it above your other ankle,
bringing it into the groin area.
4. You can keep your posture more steady by placing the toes of
your right foot in your left calf muscle.
5. Pick up your hands from the yoga mat and place them on your
knees. Sit with your spine straight and gaze facing forward. Your
 body should have a straight line from the top of your head to the
floor.
Now that you have the Perfect Pose down, maintain this pose while you
follow the steps for your Yin Shoulder Rolls:
1. Raise your spine and rotate your shoulders clockwise. As you
rotate keep the stretch deep. As you do these rotations, focus on
the movement of your shoulder blades in your back, attempting
to bring them together as you rotate.
2. Practice your deep breathing as you do your shoulder rotations.
As you inhale your shoulders should go up, and as you exhale
they should go down. Do four rotations of this clockwise, and
then repeat four rotations counterclockwise.
3. As you do this pose, ensure that you maintain the straight spine
and neck from the Perfect pose.
4. Release the rotations and stretch your neck first to the right and
then to the left to remove any residual stiffness.
 Conclusion.
Thank you for making it through to the end of Yin Yoga, I hope that it was
informative and able to provide you with all of the tools you need to leave
behind stress, embrace the Yin lifestyle, and begin practicing Yin yoga with
success.
Through discovering my spiritual journey I was able to let go of the past and
embrace a new path, pointing to a brighter future. However, if you want the
full benefits that the spiritual lifestyle has to offer, you need to work on your
mental and emotional health. They said that 90% of people that walk into a
doctor’s office for medical issues have those issues related to stress. So if you
really want to address wellbeing, health and wellness, you have to factor in
your mind state and shifting from a state of stress and survival into a state of
calmness, joy and serenity so that you are not just surviving in your life but
you are thriving within it. You can learn more about it in my other book The
Key to Happiness.
If you found this book useful in any way, a review on Amazon is always
appreciated!
My Personal Prayer:
Never take for granted your life and all you have in your life that is definitely
more than enough.
Never take for granted your breathing and your healthy mind and body.
Never stop wondering in the morning when you see yourself alive into the
mirror.
Never stop being surprised to see a flower blossom, nor when you receive a
hug, a smile, or kindness.
Never stop saying the most powerful mantra you should chant every morning
when you wake up, that is, “Thank You.”
My gratitude goes to:
All of the gurus from the past for the texts and prayers that they left behind
for all of us as a guideline to live a fulfilled life;
all of the yogis in the current era, who each of them in different ways were a
guide to me and a good inspiration;
all of the souls who have always believed in me;
and lastly to the ones who challenged me so that I could test myself and begin
to believe in myself more.

My personal website: www.sasycacace.com

If you want to reach me out, please use the following:
sasy.cacace@gmail.com
sasy@sasycacace.com