We asked Modo Yoga Nanaimo teacher Sarah-Jane Smith the most frequently asked questions from our students. 

1) What are your top 3 reasons for practicing Yin Yoga?

1. Yin provides me with a structured way to slow down, observe and see what is happening within.

2. The longer held postures give my body a chance to lengthen out, unwind and relax.

3. This style is a welcome balance to the more strenuous physical practices and requirements of everyday life.

2) What if I have a hard time staying still?

Then move……with intention. The intention is to find a position to be in that creates a mild – moderate sensation. If your position is creating a moderate – high level of sensation then adjust it.

If you have a hard time staying still due to mental or emotional stirrings, your breath can be a helpful tool to help ride the waves. At anytime in your practice you are welcome to deepen your inhale and lengthen your exhale to send a signal to your body/heart/mind that it is okay to soften the grip that these mental or emotional stirrings might have on you at this moment.

3) Is Yin Yoga only for flexible people?

Absolutely not! I teach in a style that guides participants towards creating a mild – moderate level of sensation in a particular area of the body instead of cueing how to arrange your limbs in a very specific way. I have found that this method creates the most accessible environment for individual experience within a group class setting.

4) Can Yin Yoga help me start meditating?

Yes! While the movements within in a Yin practice would be considered slow there is still movement which is helpful as a point of focus to a busy mind. Within the practice, participants are invited to ask themselves, “What do I feel and where do I feel it?” This self inquiry along with breath awareness helps us to move towards a meditative state.

5) How is journaling an important part of a Yin practice?

Yin Yoga lays the foundation of openness in our bodies, hearts and minds to let held emotion and experience rise. I find that journaling with prompts takes these held emotions and provides a way to release, understand and even transform them.

If you’re looking to experience a Yin Yoga and Journalling practice, join SJ and Claire Sicherman for their Write from Within Workshop on September 29th from 1-4pm at Modo Yoga Nanaimo’s Rutherford location.

For more details and to sign up click here.

 

 

About Sarah-Jane:

SJ teaches with an aim to provide yoga instruction that fosters deep inner knowing and trust in one’s capabilities, intuition and innate wisdom. She has been teaching for 9 years and studies Yin Yoga with Joe Barnett. She lives on Salt Spring Island with her family. When not studying or teaching yoga, she is kayaking, reading, or hiking with her beloved dog, Leo. 

 

About Claire:

Claire Sicherman is the author of Imprint: A Memoir of Trauma in the Third Generation. She facilitates writing workshops and retreats on Salt Spring Island and in other communities in the Pacific Northwest.