Yin Yoga | Stimulating Energy Flow To Enhance Organ Function

A regular yin yoga practice stimulates the flow of energy throughout your body, enhancing each organ’s function

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When frustration exists, it is difficult to think or plan, much less feel inspired to make healthy choices for your body and mind. You might even notice that your digestion does not want to cooperate during these times. There may be excessive gas, bloating or irregular bowel movements. These are common symptoms of an unhappy liver and gallbladder, and poor digestion and elimination of toxins and food.

A regular yin yoga practice stimulates the flow of energy throughout your body enhancing each organ’s function, the digestive organs included. Yin yoga relieves stress and helps you become more present, less reactive and less attached to the stories/drama that concern you.

Yin is a much slower practice. Poses are typically held anywhere from three to ten minutes, sometimes even longer.

Yin yoga works on and nourishes the deeper, more hidden tissues such as ligaments, fascia, joints and bones.

In Yin we go only to the point where the most resistance is felt. We don’t rush into the deepest position straight away. We find our ‘first’ edge, then wait for our body to open up further and invite us in deeper. It is common to move into greater depth after thirty seconds to a minute, however sometimes this physical range is not available.

Again we pause and wait for another invitation. If an opening becomes available, we drop deeper with a soft, flowing breath. We ‘play’ our edges.

The essence of yin is one of yielding, surrendering and acceptance.

With every edge, we go inside and pay attention to how it feels. If we feel a significant sensation, we know the pose is working. There is no need to use force to go deeper into the pose. In fact the art of stillness in this discomfort is embracing yin. Once we have found our final edge, we commit to being still in mind, body and breath. By stillness in breath I mean having a soft, unlabored and calm breath.

Bare in mind that we have emotional edges too. Sometimes your resistance will be emotional. You may be unconsciously holding back and not ready to venture into painful memories, feelings or thoughts. Yin honors what is offered and accepts where you are at in that present moment.

I encourage you to gift yourself five to ten minutes to drop into this simple yin yoga flow that specifically nourishes the gallbladder and liver, and allow that frustration to simply melt away.

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