Why I used to hate yoga

Since I was a teenager, I sporadically tried yoga classes as I was sure it would be something I really liked.

My yoga journey

I went through phases with several teachers, but I could never quite get into it in the way I thought I would. My body couldn’t get into the shapes everyone else seemed to be making, and I was constantly comparing myself to others in the class.

Several years ago however, I went on a retreat and discovered Yin Yoga. Now THIS is something I like, I told myself. I loved the focus on the mindfulness of yoga and the way I felt afterwards; relaxed but energised. It was also a revelation that you didn’t have to look like everyone else, and that as everyone has different bodies then we will all both practice differently as well as look different in the poses.

Really quite obvious when I thought about it afterwards.

So since then, my practice (and of course my teaching) has been very much focused on Yin Yoga. Yet recently I’ve started to explore the yang-side of yoga, and realised that it doesn’t need to be hardcore active and challenging, an assumption I had for many years. It can – and should – be used as a counterbalance to our Yin practice, allowing us to develop equilibrium to an often lopsided life.

So what is Yin Yang Yoga?

Yin Yang Yoga is a fusion that encompasses the ancient Daoist qualities of yin and yang: Whilst Yin Yoga is traditionally a passive, still and quiet form of yoga, its yang equivalent is more active and moving.

The idea behind this holistic practice is to bring balance and stimulate the movement of qi (or energy) throughout the whole body, as well as exercise it physically. The intention is to stress the body in a variety of ways, release tension and calm the mind as a complement to our meditation practice.

Expect a style of yoga - augmented by breathwork and meditation - that flows like water between these two opposite but complementary approaches. In order to aid this flow, the yang element of the practice will still be relatively gentle, allowing it to be accessible to all levels including beginners.