Yin is a slow-paced, considered style of yoga that brings together Indian and Taoist teachings and traditions with elements of Chinese medicine. Postures are held for longer periods of time, in advanced classes sometimes as long as twenty minutes, stimulating the subtle body.
Yin Yoga was founded in the late 70s by Paulie Zink, a martial arts expert, taking inspiration and knowledge from Taoist priests who taught long-held stretches and breathing techniques to Kung Fu students two-thousand years earlier in China and Taiwan as part of their Daoist Yoga practice.
Yin Yoga is now taught across the Western world with leading teachers including Paul Grilley who has published a handful of books on the practice. Zinc incorporated elements of Hatha Yoga and Taoist Yoga to create a series of long-held floor postures as well as the insights and movement associated with both traditions. Yin Yoga is not intended as a complete practice, but as a way to complement more active forms of exercise.
Yin Yoga engages the subtle body, bringing together ancient Chinese and Indian teachings. In India this energy is called prana and its pathways are nadis, while Taoists call it qi and its pathways are meridians.
The Taoist concept of yin and yang are opposite and complementary principles in nature. If Yin is stable, feminie and passive, Yang is in flux, masculine and active. As such, the sun is yang and the moon is yin. Where there is dynamic yoga, there is a Yin class. While in a Vinyasa Flow class you may hold an asana for five breaths, in a Yin class you may hold a posture for five minutes. Yin Yoga is an effective way to open your hips or hamstrings, and to cool the chatter of the mind. Teachers will guide you through your practice, helping you observe your breath and focus on the present.
Due to its gentle nature, Yin Yoga can be practiced by anyone irregardless of their age, health or physicality. Yin Yoga has great mental health benefits helping with mindfulness and the quieting of inner thoughts. It’s also excellent for your internal organs, focusing on the flow of energy to them and supporting the body’s fascia - the connective tissue, nerve endings and blood vessels that surround muscles. Yin Yoga can help increase circulation, improve flexibility and mobility and reduce stress and anxiety.
As Yin Yoga classes are less energetic than a dynamic yoga class the temperature of the room may be kept a little higher than usual. You’re also encouraged to wear warmer clothes and you may be able to keep your socks on depending on the teacher and the different postures you’ll be holding. While in long holds your teacher will talk you through the anatomy of the posture, explaining the physiology and effects. They may also tell traditional Buddhist stories or lessons from their own practice. Yin Yoga does away with the traditional Sanskrit names for poses, instead using descriptive titles such as Caterpillar, Sleeping Swan or Butterfly pose.
My journey into yoga began with a deep appreciation for its experiential benefits—its ability to calm, ground, and create space for inner stillness. Struggling with anxiety, I found solace on the mat, where breath and movement became tools for healing.
This intuitive yoga instructor brings more than twelve years of yoga asana practice developed around a lifetime of mindfulness
I trained as a professional ballet and contemporary dancer, but after sustaining a serious back injury during my 5-year full time training I was forced to give up dancing and seek an alternative career path.
Jacqueline is a dedicated and passionate practitioner with over 25 years’ experience, and over 400 hours of formal yoga training in different disciplines. Her gentle, meditative teaching style promotes calmness and connectedness.
Yoga has been my guiding light, my ultimate life hack, and the catalyst for an extraordinary transformation in my own life
I found Yoga around 10 years ago, while I was having female health problems. The feeling that yoga left me with after every class, was a feeling that I knew I just had to share.
I am Christel and have been practicing for over 20 years. Qualified as an instructor in 2019 I have been teaching since. French originally I moved back to France in 2023 after spending 28 years in the UK.
My approach to yoga is grounded in mindful movement, breath awareness, and creating a space where every student feels welcome, regardless of experience level.