Maine Yogafest 2016

“Hot” Yoga practices activate a determined, purposeful, muscular and often thinking way of practicing (think vinyasa, Bikram). YIN yoga’s methodology is different. Its purpose is to begin the “un-doing.” We allow the effects of traction or compression to affect key junctures in the body – shoulders, spine, hips – to soften us, to rebalance energy flow. Introspective and offering longer holds than faster practices, YIN starts NOT from a place of activity. Instead we'll start slow and stay slow, holding the shapes for 3-5 minutes. We will enlist time, stillness and gravity as key allies. In doing so we switch the autonomic nervous system's “lever” from the go go GO “fight or flight” pattern in our lives we all know too well these days to a natural calm, “rest & digest” place of being that awaits rediscovery of its potent effects on our health and well-being.