Yin Yoga vs Restorative Yoga - what's the difference?

When people ask about the difference between Yin and Restorative Yoga, the answer seems to depend on who you're talking to. I believe the difference is in the intention as well as the foundation of the practice.

Yin Yoga is a school of Yoga based on the Chinese Tao Yin Yoga, which includes practices to cultivate our internal energy (or Chi) according to Traditional Chinese Medicine. To teach Yin Yoga, as with any other form of Yoga, one should have undergone specific Yin Yoga Teacher training, which includes Yin asanas (postures), Meridian Theory and various other aspects related to Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Restorative Yoga has its roots in Hatha Yoga, which is an Indian tradition and is based on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. Restorative Yoga, as the name indicates, keeps the focus on “restoring the body” using relaxation to aid recovery from injury and illness. The intention of Yin Yoga is not to aid recovery. Bernie Clark (a well-known Yin Yoga teacher, author and creator of YinYoga.com) describes Restorative Yoga as 'taking an unhealthy body and bringing it back into balance' while Yin Yoga 'takes a normal healthy body and brings it up to optimum'

The one is not superior to the other. As with all Yoga, we need to weigh up the benefits of each and practice what suits us best.

Tao Yin Yoga is a series of postures mainly supine or prone. (i.e. not standing postures) although there are one or two standing postures in Yin. The postures in Yin are also often much more active in nature than in Restorative Yoga, for instance Mountain Pose (Tadasana), Pigeon Pose (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana) and Dragon Pose (something like Anjaneyasana or a lunge) could both be used in Yin. Yin postures are designed to work with a specific area of the body or meridian / energy lines similar to the lines used in acupressure. The aim of the different Yin postures are either to stimulate and activate or to relax and calm. In the case of Restorative Yoga, there is no question of stimulation or activation; the aim is total relaxation and release. The aim of postures in Yin Yoga is to create a balanced and persistent pressure on certain joints or areas of fascia or connective tissue to allow a gentle release, whereas there is no intended sense of pressure on the joints in Restorative Yoga. A Yin Yoga class includes a series of static asanas which are held for anything between 3 and 10 or even 20min’s, depending on the posture and level of experience. Bernie Clark says about Yin: "if you are feeling it you are doing it". If we are 'feeling it' we are not practicing Restorative Yoga. Although Yin also uses bolsters and props, it is important to note that with Yin Yoga, blocks and bolsters are only used to support the part of the body not being focused on. In a Yin Yoga class we also practice Mindfulness and you will find the teacher using Mindfulness tools to help deepen the practice, keeping the class engaged with a commentary to keep yogis focused during prolonged sittings, whereas a restorative Yoga teacher will sparingly cue into finding further comfort and relaxation. The Mindfulness skills we use and learn during a Yin class help us wake up to what we call “being on automatic pilot”. Often in Yoga, our bodies may be on the mat, but in our head we are somewhere else. Only being present and fully aware of what's happening to our body and breath on the mat, can we really know what each of us needs to practice Yoga beneficially and as the practice is intended. Every person, every body needs different things at different times, and Yoga is meant to be a personal practice, even if it’s in a studio environment. Mindfulness Yin yoga is the perfect method for becoming mindfully aware of our bodies and our personal, internal rhythm. By waking up from our "automatic pilot" mind and learning to listen to our bodies rather than just 'doing' our Yoga practice, following our teacher, going through the movements, we can learn to "drop into being" with our bodies, listening to what our body is telling us, and really learn what we need, being at one with our Yoga practice. This is valuable to us, both on and off the mat. There are definitely some overlaps between the two practices, but they are two distinct methods with different intentions. Despite their differences, both practices are Yin, which is the slower, quiet, calm practice to balance out the Yang, which is active, faster, powerful. We could think of the Yoga practices of Ashtanga yoga, Hatha yoga and Vinyasa yoga as a Yang practice. Yang yoga poses often emphasise strength and endurance, they are active, powerful, and generate heat in the body. Yin is the negative element, feminine, passive. Yang is positive element, masculine, active. They’re opposite yet complementary forces which work together in harmony. One is always ascending while the other descends. We need both to create a balance. One of the biggest challenges we all face in this fast-paced world is to balance our activity with our rest. So whether you choose Restorative or Yin Yoga, enjoy the quiet. References:

https://www.elephantjournal.com/2012/11/9-things-ive-learnt-about-yin-yoga/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tao_yin https://www.yinyoga.com/Newsletter_volume13.php