Why not have it all? …Enjoy the benefits of being physically fit AND experience ease in body and mind. Whether you achieve fitness through Pilates, tennis or a fitness oriented yoga practice, Yin Yoga will complement your exercise regimen. Yin Yoga targets deep dense connective tissue – cartilage, ligaments and tendons. Active physical exercise directs circulation and energy to the muscles and superficial connective tissues. In contrast, Yin yoga allows energy to reach the deeper connective tissues. Practicing Yin yoga with muscles cool and relaxed promotes lengthening of connective tissues by increasing the supply of fluids to the joints - making them less dense and more able to stretch. This results in decreased stiffness and greater flexibility. In addition, Yin Yoga calms the nervous system and allows for increased focus of the mind and ease in the body. So, you CAN have it all- strength gained through an active exercise regimen as well as ease in body and mind. Join us for a Yin Yoga practice - Saturdays at 8am at Uptown Body! Linda Dias www.yogacreations.com
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WHAT is yin?
A slow, meditative, thoughtful series of poses aimed at lengthening connective tissue (tendons, ligaments and fascia). WHY practice yin yoga? Connective tissue is found in bones, muscles and organs and is concentrated in the joints. Inactivity or not using full range of joint flexibility will shorten the tissue over time. This creates a “shrink-wrapped” effect- with tissue just long enough to accommodate your daily activities. Yin Yoga targets natural motion of the joints. It would not be expected to create movement that is not natural for a particular joint. For example, with the knee the focus would be on bending and straightening rather than movement side to side. HOW does yin yoga work? Strengthening the body by safely stressing tissue is a basic principle of exercise. Slow, steady and mindful stressing of joints does not inure them any more than a sensible weight lifting regimen would injure muscles. There are differences , however, in the way muscle and connective tissue respond: muscle tissue responds to rhythmic contraction and release and connective tissue responds to slow, even energy. Thoughtful positioning of a yin pose coupled with holding the pose at length allows the connective tissue to respond by lengthening.The result is greater flexibility and a sense of ease in the body. Yin yoga Saturdays 8AM at Uptown Body, 305 Dillingham Ave., Falmouth. Yin and yang are not opposing forces (dualities), but complementary forces, unseen (hidden, feminine) and seen (manifest, masculine), that interact to form a greater whole, as part of a dynamic system. Everything has both yin and yang aspects as light could not be understood if darkness didn't exist, and shadow cannot exist without light. Either of these aspects may manifest more strongly in a particular object depending on the criterion of the observation. The concept of yin and yang is often symbolized by various forms of the Taijitu symbol, for which it is probably best known in western cultures. There is a perception (especially in the West) that yin and yang correspond to evil and good. However, in Daoist metaphysics, good/bad distinctions and other dichotomous moral judgments are perceptual and not real, and yin-yang is an indivisible whole. In the ethics of Confucianism on the other hand, most notably in the philosophy of Dong Zhongshu, (c. 2nd century BCE) a moral dimension is attached to the idea of yin and yang.[2] -Wikipedia Tree Pose is a standing balancing pose that provides a good stretch to your entire body. The pose can also strengthen your legs, ankles and feet and help increase the flexibility of your hips and knees.
To perform Tree Pose, you bend one leg and place the sole of your foot against the inside of your other leg. Standing on one foot, you then stretch your arms above your head. While in the pose, try to visualize your body stretching downward through your supporting leg, upward through your arms and outward through your bent leg. You may find it difficult to maintain your balance in this pose. To remain steady, sink your weight down through your supporting foot. Imagine your supporting foot as a root that keeps you solidly planted in the ground. Gazing at a fixed point in front of you and breathing evenly can also help you maintain your balance. Make sure you take your time performing Tree Pose. It may take you a while to find your balance. The key to balance is knowing when you have lost it.
Consider looking at you yoga practice. What do you see? Is what you're doing relevant to where you are today? Perhaps your practice would benefit from a more restorative, or more active focus. Witnessing (without judgement) is the first step toward updating for todays needs. Allow the wisdom of your body to guide you toward a yoga practice for you and for now. I noticed today as I looked down towards my mat the impression my mountain pose made- on my mat was the indent from my toes, heels and pads of my feet. Left untouched were the places the arches hovered above the mat. My footprints- seen them a thousand times as I look behind me on the beach sand.
Today I noticed them... witnessed their display with appreciation and compassion...for now.
Practice Ganesha Mudra when struggling to overcome an obstacle. Begin by placing the left hand in front of your chest with palm facing out. Now grasp the left hand with the right hand palm facing in. Pull the hands outward without releasing the grip - pairing this action with exhale. Relax the hands on the inhale. Repeat this process 6X and change the hand positions so that the right palm faces out and the left palm faces in. Rest your hands in your lap and remain in silence for several minutes. |
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