Best described as the other half of your practice – Yin yoga increases mobility and flexibility in the body and ultimately leads to deeper relaxation and a better yang practice. Life requires balance and so does yoga. If you are only doing the “yang” styles of yoga (the active muscular forms), it is time to discover the “yin” style of yoga that works on the deep tissues and energy systems of the body. Suitable for almost all levels of students, Yin Yoga is a perfect complement to dynamic yang yogas that emphasize internal heat and the lengthening and contracting of our muscles. Yin focuses on postures that gently stretch and lengthen the connective tissue that surrounds the joints and muscles (particularly in the hips, pelvis, and lower spine) with the aim of increasing circulation in the joints and improving flexibility. Yin yoga is the ultimate slow-paced yoga. You are asked to relax and soften into the posture with poses that are held for relatively long periods of time. As well as increasing flexibility this is also aimed at cultivating awareness of one's inner silence and improving the flow of “Qi” (pronounced “chi”), the subtle energy believed in Chinese medicine to run through the meridian pathways of the body. Enhanced Qi flow is said to improve organ health, immunity, and emotional well-being. The essence of Yin Yoga is surrender: increasing mobility, restoring energy and calming the nervous system. Pure bliss!