Yin yoga soothes with slower pace, longer poses

If you want to increase your health and well-being, but cannot motivate yourself to be active, there is a very pleasing yoga that you can participate in that will give you “something for almost nothing.” Yin is a yoga that addresses the health of your connective tissues, which is an often-overlooked fitness issue. This yoga is an exceptional choice for people older than 40, those recovering from an injury, athletes who have over-trained, or those who feel constantly fatigued. It is fantastic for people who do or do not exercise. Think of your movements as a child, easily bending over to pick up an object, or sitting cross-legged on the floor — the magic of yin can bring that back.

Let me introduce you to Sharon Slater, a cancer survivor and a big fan of yin yoga.

Q. Sharon, what led you to yin yoga?

A. I am a breast cancer survivor. I had participated in a clinical trial about mindfulness and its effects on patients undergoing chemotherapy during my treatment. The trial introduced me to alternative therapies, and I began looking for something that would not only replace those sessions, but something exercise-related that would allow me to be proactive in staying healthy. I wanted to avoid the “what now?” that patients often experience when their treatment ends. I was visiting Mirbeau Inn & Spa three years ago, and as I walked by the yoga room, I noticed that everyone was on the floor in unusual poses. I was intrigued. While in the locker room later that day, I recognized two of the women that were in the class and I asked them what they were doing. They told me about the yin class and suggested that I try it. I did just that a few days later and became a member right after the class. I have been practicing yin with Tina Ramsden for the past three years at Mirbeau and would not think of stopping. I believe that the quality of yin yoga that Tina brings with her is hard to find.

Q. Were you doing anything for fitness health before yin?

A. No, I have never exercised and after my surgeries I didn’t know where to begin! Yin was the right thing for me.

Q. What has yin yoga done for you?

A. My yin practice is good for my body, mind and spirit, and provides me with an overall feeling of “wellness.” I am more even-tempered and the feeling of peacefulness and acceptance that you experience is hard to describe. It has truly changed my life, both physically and emotionally.

I also had a discussion with Mirbeau’s yin yoga instructor, Tina Ramsden.

Q. Tina, can you tell us a little about your yin teaching experience and what it’s all about?

A. Although I have 20 years of working in the wellness and fitness field, my journey into teaching yin was by mistake. I had a shoulder injury that was getting in the way of my life and I wanted to “fix” the problem. Finally, through years of seeking, I found and trained in yin yoga. I was amazed that I had never learned about another part of the body which is highly ignored: the connective tissue. I learned to be truly free in the body you need to target, skillfully, deeper tissues, using slow, relaxed and supportive floor poses. Yin yoga really allows one to become skilled in the art of meditation, and it teaches you to listen to the messages of your body, buried under an overactive mind. Yin improves all movement, from getting out of bed to athletic performance. It supports you from the mood to the health of your immune system. It is similar to acupuncture in its effect — minus the needles! I felt I had an obligation to share this treasure and began adding yin to my teaching. To my surprise many people came, and like me, reported a vast array of healing experiences. I am still amazed how this simple and easily adaptive yoga heals; my oldest student is 93!

Ramsden, an experienced-registered yoga teacher of yin- and alignment-based hatha yoga, has been teaching yoga and wellness since 1986, and earned a BSE from SUNY Cortland in the field of health education as a recreational therapist.

So now you want to find the magic of yin, of course! As mentioned above, a delightful spot is the Mirbeau Inn & Spa in Skaneateles. It holds a variety of classes seven days a week. Classes are available with a Mirbeau membership, or as a guest at the inn, they are free. You can visit the website at www.mirbeauinnandspa, under "Spa Menu," for details. I feel it’s only fair to disclose I am a little biased since I am a member at Mirbeau and think yin is the cat’s meow! An added bonus is you can eat at Doug’s Fish Fry after class. In addition to teaching at Mirbeau, Tina (tinasyoga.jimdo.com) runs classes at Marcellus Free Library (www.mflib.org) or Camillus Medical Center West (www.hoawellness.com) for $7 a class. Another yin yoga location is the Unitarian Universalist Society in Auburn, 607 N. Seward Ave., at 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays. Classes are $5 and drop-ins are welcome. Here are two yoga/fitness studios in the area that I have no personal experience with, but have heard good things about: The Center for Wellness, 1 Hoffman St., Auburn (730-2210 or www.thecenter4wellness.com) and Gazella Performance and Wellness Studio, 3986 Jordan Road, Skaneateles (729-8645 or www.gazellatraining.com).

Yoga classes are options at almost every fitness center. There are many different styles of yoga: some are gentle and easy; other yogas are beyond challenging and will push you to your physical and mental limits. You will see names like slow flow, restorative, gentle, yoga fusion, power yoga and more. Every correctly run yoga class is beneficial, but yin is a specific type of yoga that places you in poses for three to five minutes in a position to utilize gravity, not muscle, to stay there. If you are looking for yin yoga, speak with the instructor to make sure you have found the right style of yoga.