Cognitive Permaculture ~ Neurowild Mind ~ Soul Care

Yin

Classes and Exploration

I offer free, weekly online yin yoga classes (via Google Meet). We meet Tuesdays at 7:00pm MDT (a second, weekend class is in the works). The sessions run for about an hour and fifteen minutes; 10-15 minutes for an introduction and brief Mycofascial Integration practice, then 50-60 minutes of yin poses, then a few minutes for a closing/transition time. You do not need a webcam to participate in this class; you can simply watch and follow along from the comfort of your home or wherever you choose to practice. A webcam can be helpful, though, if you want to communicate anything with me about the poses and/or want to chat after the class (I will hang out on the call for a while after each session for questions, reflections, and general dialogue related to the experience).

If you would like to attend a class, please click this link to sign the waiver form. After submitting the form, you should receive an email from JotForm with the link to the Google Meet video call. (It may take a few minutes for this email to arrive. Also, check your spam folder if you don't see it.)


Registration and Cost

Because these classes are virtual and we thus don't make use of a brick-and-mortar studio with mats, bolsters, blocks, and other props, I facilitate this experience for free. If you find value in the classes, however, please consider donating an amount that reflects the value you feel you receive from a yin class. Whether $3, $5, or $50, any donation is very much appreciated and will be used to further my work through Living Heart Intelligence (I have many other projects in the works, including workshops, a self-paced online course, handy guides/booklets on mycofascial integration, and more). For reference, the average cost for a drop-in/single yoga class in the Denver/Boulder area (where I live) is $20.

You can donate via Venmo (@David-Wolken-42), PayPal (@DavidWolken42), or Buy Me a Coffee (follow the link or click/tap the coffee cup icon in the corner of this page).


Preparing for a Yin Class

Below, I've included a list of Frequently Asked Questions about yin that provides a basic, practical overview of what yin yoga is, and how to set up for a class. Check that out if you're curious, or just arrive in class -- at the beginning of each class I'll give a brief description of the practice and how to engage it.

You may find your experience deepened or enhanced if you have a fuller conceptual understanding of yin and Taoist philosophy. Toward this end, I've compiled a booklet that provides a relatively complex (though also accessible, I hope) discussion of yin's history, philosophy, and practice. The booklet has two parts: a basic overview and an advanced discussion. You can download the PDF booklet by clicking the button below:

What is Yin?.pdf

I also discuss yin on the Blog page of this site, where I explore the phenomenon of yin as it relates to embodied cognition, somatic mind, mental/physical health, mindfulness, and various other ideas.


Yin Yoga Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is yin yoga?
  • Yin yoga is a unique form of somatic experiencing (call it "yoga," "mindfulness," "contemplative practice," etc.) that serves to support a holistic mind-body integration through long-held, passive floor poses supported by yoga blocks, bolsters, blankets, pillows, and the like. It is "passive" in that the defining characteristic of a yin experience is to release all muscular engagement/activation and allow the body to naturally form and settle into whatever shape is adopted in a given pose. It is not quite "stretching," as the goal is less about lengthening certain muscles or tissues in a linear direction and more about using the physical dimension of the practice to facilitate a holistic experience of yin energies on all levels of our multidimensional, embodied cognition. Yin supports relaxation, rest, recovery, and mind+body expansiveness by enabling the fascia (our primary structural, perceptual, and communicative organ system) to naturally redistribute and release tension that inevitably builds up as we go about our otherwise excessively yang-driven, yang-oriented lives in a social condition of frantic hyperactivity.
  • What do I need to participate in a yin yoga class?
  • I do my best to make yin as accessible as possible, regardless of your experience with yoga and whether or not you have any yoga supplies such as a mat, blocks, bolsters, or straps. However, a yin experience can be enhanced and deepened with the support of props like this. If you don't want to purchase any new products, you can use common household items such as pillows, cushions, blankets/towels (folded or rolled), and even a thick book (such as a dictionary, to serve as a yoga block). At a minimum, ensure you have a safe, quiet, comfortable, spacious area in which to stretch out and move around during the class. Stretchy and/or loose-fitting clothing is best. Ideally, you would have at least a couple props on hand, such as blankets/towels and pillows/cushions. To optimize your yin experience, I recommend acquiring some yoga-specific props such as a bolster and soft blocks.
  • What is the point of yin? What benefits does it provide?
  • The best answer to these questions will be your own, unique experience of yin yoga. Generally speaking, though, yin supports deep relaxation and regulation of the countless forms of energy constituting us as humans. By helping us develop the ability to slow down and deeply settle into a calm, still state of being, yin supports health and wellness by enabling our bodies to rest, recover, restore, and rebuild themselves from within. We possess immense powers to self-regulate and self-heal, which have been honed by hundreds of millions of years of animal evolutionary development and adaptation. Sadly, most people in modern society are chronically dissociated from these innate abilities, as our fast paced, tech-obsessed industrial culture forces us to work and live like machines, rarely affording us the opportunity to really, truly, and thoroughly settle into a deep state of calm relaxation.
  • When we do allow ourselves to slow down to a genuinely human pace, countless benefits emerge. These include: more restful sleep; lower blood pressure; increased focus; more sustained energy; more compassion and patience for ourselves and others; stronger immune function; optimized metabolism; and being more responsive and less reactive.
  • Do I need to be flexible to do yin?
  • Flexibility is relative, and only indirectly related to yin yoga. While popular images of yogis in modern society typically feature slim, very flexible, colorful legging-wearing women, this should not be taken as representing the goal or standard of all forms of yoga. Anyone can practice yin, regardless of how flexible or inflexible you perceive yourself to be. Yin is less about physically stretching and more about utilizing physical forms to facilitate a more holistic, energetic experience of flowing along the spectrum of yang-yin energies. So, in a word, no: you do not need to be flexible to do yin.
  • Do I need to believe in, or subscribe to, Taoism to practice yin yoga?
  • Practicing and experiencing yin does not require subscribing to a specific belief system or becoming a student of a specific tradition, any more than exercising at the gym requires any such commitment. In Taoist philosophy, the yin-yang principle is set forth as a sort of scientific description of the ontological nature of reality. Just as any movement involves laws of physics and gravity, so does any movement involve the "law" of yin-yang. In other words, in Taoist philosophy, yin-yang is described as a universal characteristic of reality, experienced by and understandable by anyone who cultivates an ability to tangibly perceive these aspects of nature.