The Difference Between Restorative and Yin Yoga

Written by Valentina Londoño

A complete Yoga practice will always include the opposites. Heat and cool, dynamism and stillness. Its goal will always be focused on finding balance and restoration in the body, and stillness in the mind. All Yoga practices should feel restorative in nature. Below we take a look at the main differences between Restorative Yoga and Yin Yoga.

RESTORATIVE:

Art of doing less, Art of slowing down.

“When you let go of any doing, everything gets done”

- Kamini Desai

Restorative yoga is a spiritual practice, that through structures and conscious movement, takes you beyond the mind rather than through the mind, into a place of natural healing. It is a series of techniques focused on the breath, the body and awareness, designed to help you move into a state of relaxation. It is a combination of static poses and slow flowing movements.

The body is its own healer, it has wisdom and pure intelligence; it knows how to heal itself. The aim of a Restorative Yoga practice is to meditate with the body, freeing it from the mind, so its own intelligence will take it back into balance, physically, mentally and emotionally. It allows us to resolve and release incomplete and unprocessed emotions.

YIN

Yin energy: Passive, inside, slow, cool, moon, night.

Yin Yoga targets the connective tissues that normally aren’t used and exercised often. It is designed to exercise the ligaments, and create space and strength in the joints. It creates more flexibility in the body.

Yin Yoga is a static practice, involving long duration of the poses. Poses can be held anywhere from 1 to 20 minutes. In a 1 hour class you, can can expect anything from 3 to 5 poses. The purpose of a Yin Yoga Practice is to release deep emotions/trauma that have been living in your body for long time.

You can find our Restorative Yoga classes on Wednesdays at 6pm, and Sundays at 4pm & 5:45pm. Book your mat now via the Ardor Albury app x