Exploring the Yin of Yoga

Back in the 2010s Yin Yoga made a huge splash on the scene.

It seemed to offer a counter-point to the fast and hot repetitive movements found in the popular formats. A popular option especially in the evenings, studios began offering combination “Yin Yang” classes and specialty workshops and Teacher Trainings followed as well.

The revelation that individual bone structure and joint shape plays such a significant role in an individual’s ability to do certain poses as well as someone else, no matter the technique or volume of practice, was talk of the town and very helpful for students grappling with perceived blocks. Gil Hedley’s iconic “The Fuzz” video was a staple in many workshops and courses.

Not without controversy either, as traditional anatomists raised their eyebrows at the suggestion that holding passive stretches for five or ten minutes at a time was counter to emerging research into injury prevention for athletes.

Josh spoke to Mel McLaughlin, long time member of Yoga Australia and avid student of Paul Grilley, one of the founders of Yin Yoga:

Josh: I’m a fan of Yin Yoga, although my attendance is sporadic. Over the years I’ve really enjoyed how teachers give permission to put aside some typically strict aspects of “conventional” yoga styles. For example, it seems like alignment is not set in stone for any one person, people talk about “shapes” rather than anatomical cues. It can be refreshing. What is your approach?

Mel: Absolutely, Paul Grilley famously said “there is no alignment in Yin”.

Yin and Yang are two very different sides of the same body. Alignment is more important in Yang as the speed and vigour of postures is heightened but even then it can go too far. There are cues that are simply unnecessary – there’s no reason to square the hips in half pigeon, for example.

In fact, you can make the case that varying the subtle alignment of a pose – the version you are doing – is crucial for long-term practitioners. People can find themselves strung in very specific directions after many years of practice, to the detriment of a more rounded approach to posture.

I do strongly recommend that teachers pay close attention to sequencing – vinyasa krama is very important. If we sequence intelligently, really think it out, then we have a better idea of how the body will feel as we finish the practice. This includes the feeling you’re trying to elicit in any class, as well as the effect on meridians.

Classic bone photos from Paul Grilley showing astonishing variation in shape
Classic photos from Paul Grilley showing astonishing variation

Josh: Much is spoken of Yin Yoga and the relationship with Traditional Chinese Medicine, does Yin Yoga have a closer relationship with common yoga that people might not recognise?

Mel: There is far more commonality between India and Japan/China than difference, in this context. In a sense you can “stack one on top of another” and they match extremely well. There are some points of variance in some of the physical representations, like the number of nadis and meridians. In each system there are very specific numbers involved and yoga tends to mention larger numbers. But if you were to put a blueprint of the chakras or nadis on top of the Chinese equivalents, there is a lot of crossover. It is more similar than not.

We love to label things for our convenience but it can make us see more difference than really exists.

Josh: How does Yin Yoga fit into a balanced health and wellness routine, should people do vinyasa yoga or weight training as well? Is passive stretching okay now?

Mel: When you put tissues under a sustained amount of gentle pressure, the effects on fascia are incredible. Our fascia needs to be healthy and hydrated and passive static stretching has measurable positive outcomes.

Sporting performance and injury resilience are improved by Yin Yoga, something that is often overlooked by Yang style training. There is a great line in a movie from a Taoist monk character, it goes: “Yang dies on the battlefield without Yin”

Taking an isolated or out of context view on scientific studies is really not helpful. Doing passive stretching right before running onto the football field is unwise. There’s an appropriate time for all things, and Yin is the ingredient of balanced health that people often miss.

Flowing yoga does get you to end range some of the time, but Yin will get you there much more consistently. Yin is for nourishing the Yang.

You are born with a constitution in TCM, there are five elements you can be born under, and it can be your greatest gift or your Achilles heel. With Yin Yoga people frequently report better pain levels, better sex life, and much more. It is quite medicinal in nature.

For me, ultimately, it’s about longevity.

About the Teacher

Mel McLaughlin is a Level 3 Registered Teacher and has been practicing everything ‘yoga’ since her lengthy sojourn in India 22 years ago. One of the original leading teachers to bring YIN YOGA into the public eye in Australia, Mel built a yin community and following from the ground up in Sydney. She runs Yin Yoga Teacher Training and advanced modules to Yin enthusiasts.