“The goal of yoga is to abide in your true nature… If you are not abiding in your own true nature, then you are identifying with the vrittis in your […]
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Stefanie Arend: Energetic Sequencing in Yin Yoga (Episode 71)
It’s important as practitioners and teachers that we don’t fall into a kind of “alternative reductionism” when we apply principles of Chinese Medicine to how we work with our bodies […]
Stefanie Arend: Meridian Massage (Episode 70)
Meridian massage, meridian tracing and tapping, cultivating an intuitive listening to the needs of your body and mind with Yin Yoga. These are some of the themes Stefanie Arend and […]
Stefanie Arend: Be Healthy With Yin Yoga (Episode 69)
Yin Yoga supports a mechanism of self-healing by opening up stagnations and blockages within the fascial network. This in turn allows for the body’s energy to circulate in an unimpeded […]
The Point of Vanishing (Episode 68)
In many of the traditions I’ve studied, the sublime is to be found literally hiding in plain site. To quote Stephen Batchelor, “the mystical does not transcend this world, it […]
Why Yin Yoga Works: A Scientific Explanation
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.
Winter: The Sacred Portal (Episode 67)
When we become stripped of our illusory perceptions of being separate, we can experience two simultaneous feelings. The first is a deep and liberating truth of interconnection and love. But […]
Playing the Edge in Yin Yoga
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.
Dr. Timothy McCall: A Story of Healing (Episode 66)
Dr. Timothy McCall looks at how illness can be a real moment of opening to lots of unfinished business, and we consider all the various levels of healing that can […]
How to Prevent Injury in Yin Yoga: The Functional Approach to Alignment
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.
Dr. Timothy McCall: Holism vs. Reductionism in Medicine (Episode 65)
In this episode, Dr. Timothy McCall speaks about the problems inherent in trying to evaluate the efficacy of alternative therapies from a reductionistic model. He also discusses the problems of […]
Is It Safe to Compress the Spine in Yin Yoga?
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.
Dr. Timothy McCall: Starving Cancer (Episode 64)
Intermittent fasting is a popular fitness trend to improve insulin sensitivity, decrease inflammation, promote cellular autophagy, and help manage weight. But what if fasting can also reduce the chances of […]
Does Alignment Matter in Yin Yoga Poses?
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
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.
Dr. Timothy McCall: When the Doctor Gets Cancer (Episode 63)
In the first part of my interview with Dr. Timothy McCall, we talk about what it was like for him to receive his cancer diagnosis and how he thought about […]
The Bitter and Sweet Sides of Yin Yoga
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.
Matthew Remski: Lighting a Path Forward for Safety and Transparency (Episode 62)
The themes of power abuse, toxic group dynamics, and victim blaming are important themes for anyone who occupies the space of a yoga mat or a meditation cushion in the […]
6 Potential Benefits of Yin Yoga
Yin Yoga offers many benefits – on a physical level, an energetic level, and a mental level as well. If you’ve been thinking about trying “the other half” of yoga, here are 6 reasons to get started – and stay consistent – with your Yin Yoga practice.
Matthew Remski: The Dynamics of Deception and Enablement (Episode 61)
The Jois family held tightly to its narrative of legitimacy until, well, they didn’t. And this is what is both eerie and fascinating about the recent developments in the Ashtanga […]
Why Train in Yin Yoga? (Episode 60)
Although Yin Yoga looks quite simple, being an effective Yin Yoga teacher is not so simple. There are five primary reasons someone should invest in proper training if they plan […]