While traditional yoga is the culmination of physical, mental, and spiritual practices that originated in ancient India, modern yoga is a blend of western styles of gymnastics with postures from yoga, consisting largely of postures or asanas. One such form of modern yoga that is quite popular in the West is Yin Yoga. Based on the Taoist concepts of yin and yang, this form of yoga helps release muscular tension from the body and provides overall relaxation.
Yin Yoga is a slow-paced workout regime involving postures and asanas that are held for a longer time. While beginners may stay in a posture for 45 seconds to two minutes, advanced practitioners can hold an asana anywhere between two-six minutes.
“The purpose is to reach the deeper levels of tissues in the body called fascia. These tissues are where one generally holds tension, knots, tightness, emotions and stress,” shares yoga instructor Lakshya who has been practicing Yin Yoga for over three years.
This form of modern yoga accesses the stressed areas when one stays in the poses for a longer time, thereby releasing the tension. “It also aids in alleviating chronic pains such as shoulder ache, stiffness in hamstring or back pain due to hardening of muscles and tissues from years of inactivity or wrong posture. So, this yoga gently stretches the muscles and tissues,” explains the 31-year-old instructor from the Netherlands.
According to the instructor, anyone can practice these asanas easily at home. “To begin with, one has to put in only 85 percent of your capacity as we stay in a posture for long. In fact, it is a great complimentary practice for anyone who does high-intensity workouts or weight training where the muscles tend to get small and tight,” she concludes.
Dragonfly
Opens hips, groin and the back of thighs
From a sitting position, spread your legs apart until they won’t go any further. Sitting on a cushion will help tilt your hips.
Bend forward, resting your weight into your hands with your arms locked straight. Or rest your elbows onto a block.
You can also perform this yoga by leaning against the wall. By raising your legs up straight, and spread your hands on either side.
Coming out of the pose
Use your hands to push the floor away and slowly roll up.
Once you are up, lean back on your hands to release the hips, tighten the leg muscles, and drag or lift your legs to bring them together.
Bounce or shake out the legs.
Swan pose
Relaxes hips and lower back
You can come into this pose either from Adho mukha svanasana (Down Dog pose) or Marjaryasana (Cat pose on hands and knees)
Slide your right knee between your hands and lean a bit to your right, checking on how your knee feels.
If there is no pain in the knee, flex the right foot and move it forward. But, if the knee feels stressed, bring the foot closer towards the right hip.
Now, centre yourself so that the weight is even.
Tuck the back toe under, sliding the back knee away.
Stay on the hands with the arms straight, or come on to the elbows.
Do this a few times until your right buttock is on the floor or as low as it is going to get.
Coming out of the pose
Use your hands to push the floor away and slowly come up.
Tuck the back toes under, plant your front paws in Down Dog position, and step back to the Downward Facing Puppy.
Caterpillar pose
Stresses the ligaments along the back of the spine
Sit on a cushion with both legs straight out in front of you.
Fold forward over the legs; allowing your back to round and let your head drop to your knees.
Stay in that position for about five minutes.
Further leaning forward, hold your feet with both hands.
Hold on to this posture for one to three minutes.
Coming out of the pose
Use your hands to push the floor away and slowly roll up.
Once up, lean back on your hands to release the hips and then shake out the legs.
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