A gentle yin sequence based on the swan series.
BackPosted by Regina Kerschbaumer (Yoga Orchid) on 27 Sep 2019
Article in the OmYoga Magazine – February 2019 issue:
In yin yoga we cultivate a beginner’s mind. The names of the postures have deliberately been changed so that nobody can say you are doing it incorrectly. It it is not about alignment, it is about the functionality of the ‘shape’.
In yin yoga we reach beyond the superficial muscle tissues and delve deep into our joints. Tendons and ligaments are yin tissues which are targeted and stretched to improve the flexibility of our joints. The muscles need to be relaxed and soft when we stretch in a yin way. Yin yoga creates space in the body and also space in the mind – stillness.
Students may prefer to do the ‘perfect’ pose – sleeping swan (the yin name for the pigeon) possibly because it feels so much deeper and looks so much more impressive than the other versions of swan. I always remind them it is not about the aesthetics – it is all about the functionality.
I sometimes teach all of the swan variations in a sequence because the target areas are so different in the back leg and this way students can really feel the benefit in the variations.