• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • ABOUT
    • MEET JOSH AND TERRY
    • GRATITUDE
    • OUR FAVORITE THINGS
  • CONTACT
  • WRITING
    • BOOKS
    • BLOG
  • PODCAST
  • My Courses
  • Log In
  • Cart
Josh & Terry Summers

Josh & Terry Summers

Creative and functional approach to the spiritual path, weaving insights and practices from Yin Yoga, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and ancient wisdom traditions

  • PRACTICE ONLINE
  • ON-DEMAND EDUCATION
    • Short workshops (2-3hrs)
    • In-depth courses (7-10hrs)
    • Teacher Training Modules (25-50hrs)
    • Summers School of Yin Yoga
  • LIVE/ONLINE EVENTS
  • 1:1

Blog

Tami Simon | The Dharma of Dogs (republished)

February 24, 2023 Leave a Comment

In 2018, I interviewed Tami Simon, founder of Sounds True, about a book she edited called The Dharma of Dogs. The original interview was published by MeaningofLife.tv on February 15, […]

The Four Foundations of Yin Yoga

December 10, 2022

Yin Yoga is an elegantly simple style of floor-based postural yoga. But Yin Yoga’s simplicity rests upon a foundation of at least four simple-yet-also-sophisticated principles of practice: safety, relaxation, receptivity […]

Yin Yoga and World Peace – A Dreamer’s Dream

February 18, 2022

Can Yin Yoga heal the wounds of the world and bring about world peace? Probably not – at least not on its own – but it might be an important complement to other more familiar forms of activism.

From Perch to Flight – Yin to Yang Meditation

September 8, 2021

In many ways, the perch is the cornerstone concept from which both steadiness of being (samatha) and deeper understanding (vipassana) emerge. Yin Meditation encourages a receptivity to all experience, and in this approach the perch functions as a place of safety and rest when deemed necessary by the meditator.

Your Joints, Your Qi – How Yin Yoga Harmonizes Qi: A Holistic Model – Part 3

July 13, 2021

The third installment of this series focuses on the most physical mechanism by which I believe Yin Yoga harmonizes Qi, namely how Yin Yoga impacts the state of energy in the joints.

How Yin Yoga Harmonizes Qi: A Holistic Model – Part 2

July 1, 2021

The second installment of this essay series will lay out a theoretical framework for how Yin Yoga can help support the harmonization of Qi from the perspective of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

How Yin Yoga Harmonizes Qi: A Holistic Model – Part 1

June 10, 2021

This essay series will draw out some of the many hypothetical mechanisms of how the practice of Yin Yoga can be a powerful tool for harmonizing one’s Qi.

The Way of Yin – Receptivity and Creativity on the Path

April 27, 2021

Just as a musician trains their ear, their sense of time, their technique, their sensitivity in relationship to other musicians, in other words, just as a musician can develop these various musical capacities, I see different meditation approaches as ways of deepening and refining contemplative capacities.  

The Biochemistry of Qi

April 14, 2021

When our Qi is harmonized we feel physically relaxed, emotionally grounded, mentally calm and engaged. In other words, Qi harmonization is the basis for a thriving life.

The Tao of Progress

April 6, 2021

Recently, a question came in about how to assess one’s “progress” in meditation. The question captivated me because I’ve heard many ways of describing meditative progress. In a recent talk, I took a first pass at answering the student’s question.

5 Essential Yin Yoga Poses

November 11, 2020

Embrace the profound simplicity of the Yin Yoga practice with these five basic postures. Physically, this sequence targets all lines of the body for optimal health and function, while providing a necessary nudge towards energetic and emotional harmony.

The Four Principles of Yin Yoga

November 6, 2020

Before practicing, it’s important to familiarize yourself with the four main principles of Yin Yoga. Please read through the following at least a few times to ensure you are practicing safely and intelligently. 

The Way of the Inner Bodhisattva: How to Work With Internal Parts

August 10, 2020

Josh Summers interviews Dr. Richard Schwartz, founder of Internal Family Systems, one of the most popular and effective forms of psychotherapy today.

Periodically checking in with “Inner Parts” in your practice tends to promote a greater harmonization of their energies, leading to less frequent periods of internal conflict amongst them. And the inverse seems to be true as well: Neglecting to check in with these parts can lay the groundwork for more intra-personal and inter-personal conflicts.

The Summers’ Supine Sequence

April 16, 2020

Part of a Supine Sequence for Yin Yoga by Josh Summers

If you’re in need of some Yin Yoga, but don’t feel like doing much more than lying down, this supine sequence is for you. The entire practice is done on your back, or supine position. It’s about as Yin as Yin Yoga can get, with seamless transitions from one posture to the next and not much effort required.

Why Yin Yoga Works: A Scientific Explanation

December 11, 2019

An Introduction to Yin Yoga by Josh Summers

Yin Yoga emphasizes passive, static postures, held for long periods of time, with our muscles in a relaxed state. Applying this “positive stress” helps promote the strength, vitality, hydration, and mobility of our connective tissues. Let’s look at why.

Playing the Edge in Yin Yoga

November 25, 2019

An Introduction to Yin Yoga by Josh Summers

The “Target Area” is the region of the body that we are intending to positively stress and influence by the practice and execution of our Yin Yoga posture. But in “Playing the Edge,” we want to make sure that we recognize and understand the appropriate and inappropriate sensations in the posture.

How to Prevent Injury in Yin Yoga: The Functional Approach to Alignment

November 13, 2019

An Introduction to Yin Yoga by Josh Summers

A key principle of functional alignment in Yin Yoga is NOT stressing an area of the body you don’t intend to stress. A good way to understand this is through Swan Pose. Let’s look more closely at the anatomy of Swan Pose and the differences between aesthetic vs. functional alignment.

Is It Safe to Compress the Spine in Yin Yoga?

October 30, 2019

An Introduction to Yin Yoga by Josh Summers

To understand the differences between a yang and a yin approach to the same pose, let’s consider the common cues and benefits of Yang Yoga’s Cobra Pose and Yin Yoga’s Seal Pose.

Does Alignment Matter in Yin Yoga Poses?

October 16, 2019

An Introduction to Yin Yoga by Josh Summers

In Yin Yoga, as in all intelligent forms of physical yoga, alignment matters. But alignment in Yin Yoga has little to do with whether your foot is pointed in the “right” direction, or whether your knee is at a precise 90-degree angle. In Yin Yoga, the functional intention is the only reason to do the pose.

Common Myths About Yin Yoga

October 9, 2019

An Introduction to Yin Yoga by Josh Summers

In order to understand what Yin Yoga is really about, it helps to directly address what it’s not about. Clear and safe instructions on how to practice Yin Yoga are critically important, so here’s some straight talk about some of the biggest misconceptions out there.

The Bitter and Sweet Sides of Yin Yoga

October 2, 2019

An Introduction to Yin Yoga by Josh Summers

When students come to a Yin Yoga class, I often get the sense that they think of Yin Yoga as gentle, quiet, and meditative. This idea seems to stem from a common misconception that Yin Yoga is a form of restorative yoga. Nothing could be further from the truth.

  • Go to page 1
  • Go to page 2
  • Go to page 3
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Go to page 7
  • Go to Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

  • Yin Yoga Essentials
  • Qi Harmonization and Yin Yoga
  • Traditional Chinese Medicine
  • Yin Meditation
  • Qi Gong
  • Dharma

Recommended Posts

How Yin Yoga Harmonizes Qi: A Holistic Model – Part 1

The Way of Yin – Receptivity and Creativity on the Path

The Biochemistry of Qi

The Four Principles of Yin Yoga

Footer

Find us around the web

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube

Instagram

Loading...

Join us!

Walk the path with us and receive our regular updates and reflections, along with a free copy of Josh’s ebook, “The What, Why and How of Yin Yoga” and a FREE 2-week trial to our online Sangha.

Copyright © 2023 · Josh & Terry Summers. Design by Great Oak Circle. Privacy Policy

We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website.

You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings.

Josh & Terry Summers
Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.