Yin Yoga Poses for Burn Out

Although Spring is arriving - the time for rebirth and Winter is coming to a close - time for rest. I still feel Yin deficient as I write this run down with a sore throat(always the first thing to go for me, naturally as I talk almost all day teaching and chatting to students haha!), dry skin and restless nights!

What is Yin Yoga?

Yin Yoga is based on the practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) which focuses on the harmony within the body through the energies of Yin and Yang; the balance of the Universe. I love learning more about yin, my inner nature. Over the past two years, I have practised more yin, feel like I have embodied the meaning of yin and what it means to me; learning how to balance out my Yang tendencies.

What I have learnt from Yin Yoga?

☯️ Practice of stillness every day is important for me to connect to my intuition

☯️ It's a space for me to give myself permission to pause, let go, and come back home to myself.

☯️ Loosen or relinquish holds that I grip onto tightly e.g. to let go of the things I don't have control over

☯️ I have learnt to slow down. Reflect. Respond.

☯️ Be more yin (qualities, e.g., soften, slow down, introspective, creative, less tunnel vision, and not everything has to be a goal) in my life.

☯️ How to let go when it feels safe

☯️ Notice what feels safe, exploring my edge, parameters and boundaries

☯️ How to physically surrender, mentally surrender to deep nourishing rest

☯️ Understand when I am pushing from a Yang default and when I need to soften

I love teaching yin and invite you to:

☯️Slow down

☯️Be okay with stillness

☯️Find our comfortable uncomfortable 

☯️Permission to pause 

☯️Find Yin within your body

☯️Let go

This practice invites you to slow down, deeply rest, nourish and find restoration from exhaustion, a busy day or feeling burnt out. (Speaking from my own experience of a recent burn out, I found myself restless and that Yin was the only practice that allowed me to deeply nourish and slow down to deeply rest and heal)

What is Yin Deficiency?

Yin and yang energies are the balance of the universe, so when exerting ourselves too much we become more yang dominant therefore yin deficient. We tend to become more yin deficient in the season if winter as we cant sustain the energy of summer during winter in the season on rest. Causes of depleting yin are overworking, lack of sleep, over-eating dry and heaty foods, over-exercising and emotional stress. Some signs of Yin Deficiency that I have noticed:

• Night sweats

• Dryness- dry mouth, dry skin, dry eyes, dry hair

• Insomnia

• Restlessness

• Chronic shoulder pain getting worse

• Getting sick

• Feeling overworked and a feeling of unable to stop and can't get off the 'work train'

• Unmotivated and no energy to exercise

• Waking up anxious

Does any of this sound familiar to you?

I invite you to practice some stillness, pause... Yin...

For me, healing happened when I slowed down. I became so comfortable with urgency, multitasking, the go go go lifestyle, rushing and the busyness of life. Slowing down is unfamiliar and uncomfortable and so it's a challenge for me to pause, to rest. I am more Yang in nature and have really 'tried' to balance this over the years to prevent burn out. This is why I felt drawn to share this with you, because I get it!

Yin Yoga Practices in Manchester:

Monday 20th May - Zoom online 

Sunday 5th May - Yoga Sangha

Sunday 2nd June - Yoga Sangha

Sunday 7th July - Yoga Sangha

More Yin Yoga Practices Online: