There are many fascial oriented therapies. Yin yoga being one of those that targets the fascia with a longer held posture, (a stress). What we know is that fascia is two-directional, think like lattice. Similar to the structure of nylons, it has stretch and strength. The crimp (wavy springiness of the collagen fibers) is what allows healthy fascia to move or glide. The amount of force exerted on an object is directly related to strain- how much the object under stress lengthens. This is called the stress-strain curve. Losing our springiness or crimp is what causes the fascial structure to change and not glide! There are many reasons responsible for our fascia to stop moving or gliding.
Fascia surrounds and connects our tissues to one another. Our bones transform the stress placed on them and become thicker and stronger with stress. “Wolffs Law, The Law of Transformation of the Bone.” Stressing the bones is a form of mechantransduction and piezoelectricity. This stress is felt in the body at a cellular level. Our cells convert this stress into biochemical and electrical signals within our body. Messages asking specific cells to become activated or inactivated.
We practise Yin Yoga safely with a goal of feeling moderate sensation in the area targeted.
We find stillness in each posture. Stillness of the body, stillness of the breath, and we empty the mind of thoughts using the breath.
We safely stress our tissues to make them healthy and strong. We never want to feel anything sharp, never numbness, nothing that feels tingling or stabbing, never feeling pain.
We always practice paying Attention, this makes Yin Yoga a mindful practice. Always listening to what our body is saying.