Channels and the Practice of Yin Yoga written by Hugh Lee
Let us begin with clarifying how the name “Yin Yoga” originated. When we break down the words Yin and Yoga, the word “Yin” comes from Taoism which originated in China and “Yoga” comes from the Yogic tradition developed in India.
Why has there been the education of combining the meridian channel system from Chinese Medicine into the practice of Yin Yoga?
For a definition of what channels are and the history of channels, you can refer to the blog article titled “How do Channels relate to Yin Yoga” Becca Andrews, Doctor of Chinese Medicine.
Paul Grilley was one of the early developers of modern Yin Yoga, he initially didn’t call it Yin Yoga. He called it Taoist Yoga which he learnt from his teacher Paulie Zink (Martial Arts master in the U.S). Paul changed the name of the style from Taoist Yoga to Yin Yoga because Taoism teaches both a yin and yang practice. Paul was only interested in teaching the more Yin-like practice of longer static holds.
During this time Paul was studying the Chinese Medicine meridian system and Indian chakra system and Nadi (channels) system with Motoyama. Paul also holds a masters degree in anatomy, and for his PhD he studied fascia and its specific relationship with Yoga asana postures.
Paul Grilley’s study of meridians, fascia, nadis, chi and prana lead him to come to the theory that both the Chinese and Indian traditions have many similarities. “the meridians are Chinese and the nadis are Indian, and they are the same. So exploring one system and how it works is essentially exploring both.” https://pranamaya.com/q-a-with-paul-grilley-dissecting-anatomy/
Both Paul Grilley and Sarah Powers dived deep into the exploration of stretching fascia and its effects, they studied how stretching can encourage the stimulation of chi in the meridian channels. According to Paul the stimulation of chi flow in the channels aids in the health and vitality of the organs and every system of the body.
“I believe all styles of yoga affect your meridians and your energy body. So, according to this theory, stretching the fascia would send and encourage the flow of electrical and other influences through the meridians, which affects every system in your body. The Chinese viewpoint is that all of your organs and life functions—digestion, breathing, emotion—are all controlled by chi or a life force. It’s the same in the Indian viewpoint. They call it prana.” https://pranamaya.com/q-a-with-paul-grilley-dissecting-anatomy/
Sharing from my personal experience of Yin Yoga practice for over a decade. There was a few handful of instances I felt abdominal pain and cramping, so I went into “Saddle” Yin Yoga pose which involves stimulating and stretching the fascia in the thighs/hip flexors, where the stomach meridian channels are located (thighs, hip flexors up into the torso). After 5 minutes each side. I felt physically relieved from the pain and cramping. This happened on more than one occasion and I recorded feeling relief from the stomach pain each time.
What I have felt whilst in the postures and also immediately afterwards; is a softening, a release of deeply stored tension in the fascia, much deeper than muscles. Also immediately after a Yin Yoga practice I’ve felt healing both physically and mentally, body feels a sense of vitality, restoration, and rejuvenation.
I have felt myo-fascial release and relief from an achy lower back from practicing Yin Yoga postures that aim to stretch the lower back, specifically forward bends and twists. I have also felt a release of tension in my neck from practicing Yin Yoga poses that gently twist the upper body including the neck. A release of tension in the hip area, hamstrings, groin and adductors.
Are we able to measure and observe whether Yin Yoga postures stimulate the flow of qi in the channels?
When I review my experiences from practicing saddle pose, I can only guess that I was stimulating the stomach channels to unblock the flow of qi which could have aided in nourishing and balancing the stomach and spleen organs. I can honestly say I have no way of providing any solid evidence to prove this or measure the effectiveness of practicing saddle pose to nourish the stomach and spleen. I felt personally that my practice of saddle Yin posture helped provide me with an overall physical healing effect on my organs.
I can safely say it’s the restorative, stillness of a Yin Yoga practice that switches the nervous system from a sympathetic to parasympathetic state in order to encourage healing.
Sarah Powers believes both yin and yang practices can stimulate the flow of chi in the body. “A regular Yin/Yang practice can stimulate the flow of chi in these electromagnetic routes (meridians), enhancing each organs’s function, relieving energetic and emotional blockages in the meridians.” Sarah Powers, Insight Yoga, 2008.
In Sarah Powers book Insight Yoga, it shows the 12 primary channels which are grouped into yin/yang pairs associated with each element. Plus, the 2 central channels; the Sea of Yin/ Conception Vessel and the Sea of Yang / Governing Vessel are also illustrated. The same information is also shown in Bernie Clark’s book “The Complete Guide to Yin Yoga.”
In both Sarah Powers and Bernie Clark books, the channels are superimposed on pictures of students in Yin Yoga poses. The linking of the channels and Yin Yoga poses came about from Sarah Powers and Bernie Clark exploring, sensing and feeling into the areas of sensation from each Yin Yoga pose and then referring to the channels like a map or guideline to the relevant channels being stimulated in each of the postures.
“If we feel a strong tugging along the inner groin while in dragonfly (straddle) pose, we may be stimulating the Liver and Kidney meridians. In general, every time we come into a Yin Yoga pose, we should pay attention to where we are feeling the stress. Check the pictures showing meridian lines and check the areas in your body where the stress is significant, and you will discover which meridian lines you are affecting.” Clark, B. “The Complete Guide to Yin Yoga.”, 2012.
My opinion is some Yin Yoga practitioners are going to ‘feel’ the qi being stimulated in the channels and some will not. Each practitioner will vary in their experiences as every body will respond differently to the Yin Yoga practice.
What about the relevance of acupressure and Yin Yoga practice?
Sarah Powers, Bernie Clark and Norman Blair all wrote in their Yin Yoga textbooks that Yin Yoga practice is not an acupuncture session. But instead Yin Yoga practice is more of an acupressure session as gentle pressure is placed on the fascia whilst in the Yin Yoga postures to create a therapeutic effect.
“In Yin Yoga practice, we stimulate the flow of chi through acupressure. Acupressure, while not as precise as acupuncture, is a simple massaging (compressing or stretching) of the tissues that lie along the meridian lines. Like acupuncture, this can also stimulate energy flow and rebalance our systems.” Clark, B. “The Complete Guide to Yin Yoga.” 2012.
Norman Blair, author and Yoga Teacher studied with Sarah Powers also asserts through his own research and exploration that Yin Yoga is the practice of acupressure.
“Yin yoga is a practice of acupressure (where physical pressure is being applied to the body at particular points) as it emphasises fascia of the body through this slow style of stretching. A valid question is “Does X pose influence Y meridian that can be helpful for Z condition?”
The answer is possibly “yes”.” Norman, Blair “Brightening our inner skies, Yin and Yoga” 2017.
I am of the opinion that more research, study and exploration is needed to see if we are able to observe and measure whether we can stimulate qi in the channels.
Tom Myers Anatomy Trains, Myofascial Meridians and Channel Sinews
The Chinese Medicine channel network definitely exists, there is no disputing this. This channel system has been used thousands of years and is still used extensively worldwide from classical to contemporary East Asian ancient medicine systems. But is the channel system relevant to Yin Yoga practice? Perhaps the Myofasicia meridians are more relevant to a Yin Yoga practice.
Myofascial Meridians is a term developed by Tom Myers, he uses the descriptive term “Anatomy Trains” to describe the metaphor of train tracks or lines. Tom says a single Anatomy Train is the equivalent term to a myofascial meridian. When you break down the word ‘myofascia’, it means “bundled together” of both muscle and fascia. When Tom Myers refers to ‘meridians’ he does not mean the Chinese Medicine meridian channels.
“The myofascial meridian lines are not acupuncture meridians, but lines of pull, based on standard Western anatomy, lines which transmit strain and rebound, facilitating movement and providing stability through the body’s myofascia around the skeleton.” Myers, T.W Anatomy Trains, Myofascial Meridians for Manual and Movement Therapists. 2014.
How does the Myofascial meridians and Channel Sinews relate to Yin Yoga practice?
Specifically when we practice Yin Yoga postures we massage, compress, stretch, pull on, lengthen, put healthy stress on the myofascial tissues.
Can the myo-fascial meridians and channel sinews play a role in relieving aches and pains in the body? Such as lower back pain? Jaw ache? Neck pain?
My opinion is that the Myo-fascial Meridians and Channel Sinews systems are more relevant to Yin Yoga education and practice. In a Yin Yoga practice we aim to help facilitate deep tension release from the myofascia in the body.
The role of the myofascial meridians and Channel Sinews system can be used to act like a map to help us locate and target specific key areas of the body where we can stimulate and stretch to find release and relieve stored tension and pain. The myofascial meridians are lines of pull, which distribute strain. So for example, if we feel neck pain located at the back of the neck, perhaps we can experiment with stretching/pull tension away from the neck by stretching the whole back body meridian and go into a full forward fold pose. Or experiment with stretching the “lateral side” body line/meridian.
A Yin practice is an opportunity for deep rest, to relieve aches and pains from poor posture patterns we have adopted, a chance to restore and replenish our depleted energy reserves. During the long held poses, there is time to cultivate a Mindfulness awareness practice, a time to allow our senses to withdraw to allow a deeper understanding of bodies, our minds and our true nature.