Origin, Birth and Evolution of Yin Yoga
S.Pucelle
Prologue
If we refer to the passive and introspective qualities of postural Yoga, the first signs of Yin Yoga, or rather, of a similar approach to yoga practice, date back to time immemorial. Indeed, before the development of Vinyasa, the practice was very static. The body was only the laboratory and received rather simple maintenance.
Hygiene and the endurance of the body were promoted by the various exercises of Asanas (poses) and Pranayama (breath regulation ), constituting the prelude to Pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses) before the last three stages of Samyama(Dharana, Dhyana, Samadhi). For Patanjali, Pratyahara is a bridge between the bahiranga (external) aspects of Yoga, namely yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, and the Yoga antaranga (internal): dharana (concentration), dhyana (meditation) and samadhi (absorption).
To some extent, I would consider the Yin Yoga approach similar to the nature of Pratyahara, between the external (bodily) and internal (mind/consciousness) aspects of Yoga, for its inherent autogenic and reflective qualities. The practice of Yin Yoga poses is not new, it has existed since the beginning of postural Yoga. Therefore, no one can be credited with creating the Yin poses.
Connection between India and China
The first historical signs of India-China relations appear in the Mahabharata (400BCE - 300CE).
According to tradition, an Indian Buddhist monk named Buddhabhadra, or Ba Tuo in Chinese, came to China during the reign of Emperor Xiaowen in 495 CE. Appreciated by the emperor, he received his support and was given land to build a temple on Song Mountain. The Shaolin temple, whose name translates as "little forest".
Buddhabhadra teaching his first disciple Sengchou. Painting of the Shaolin temple.
Buddhabhadra was appointed the first abbot of the monastery and devoted himself to translating the Buddhist scriptures and transmitting the precepts to his disciples.
At the time when Buddhabhadra was preaching Buddhism, thousands of miles away in southern India, there lived an Indian prince named Bodhidharma. Thus, in 527 A.D., thirty-two years after the founding of the Shaolin Temple, the Buddhist monk Bodhidharma, originally from India/Persia, travelled to China to teach meditation, now known as"Chan" Buddhism. He travelled throughout China and finally arrived at Song Mountain, where he found the Shaolin Temple.
He stayed in this area of Henan where he meditated for nine years in front of a wall, hence his nickname of "Brahmin contemplating a wall". This earned him the respect of the monks and allowed him to enter the monastery, Bodhidharma introduced Chan Buddhism, and the Shaolin Monastery became the center of this new form of Buddhism. He also started to train his disciples in martial arts, mainly Kung Fu.
Bodhidharma, known as "Damo", was also a Buddhist monk, of the"Mahayana" tradition and not "Theravada" like Buddhabhadra. It is important to understand that there are differences between the two, although both belong to Buddhism. Bodhidharma helped transmit Buddhism from India to China (where it is known as Chan), Zen to Japan, Sŏn to Korea, and Thien to Vietnam. These different names correspond to the pronunciation of the Sanskrit word Dhyana (meditation).
He is considered the 28th Indian patriarch in the line of direct transmission from Gautama Buddha. The details of Bodhidharma 's biography are unclear as the main sources of information about his life are inconsistent regarding his origins, the chronology of his journey to China, his death and other details.
Bodhidharma in meditation in a cave for 9 years.
From Tao Yin (DaoYin) to Modern Taoist Yoga.
The earliest forms of Daoyin were developed during the early Han Dynasty (206BCE-8CE). The practice of Daoyin was also called Yang sheng in ancient times, which means "nourishing life".
Tao Yin considered a precursor to Qigong, waspracticed in ancient Chinese Taoist monasteries for health, longevity and spiritual cultivation. Tao Yin is also said to have been influenced by Indian Yoga, especially for the deep stretching exercises that resemble modern Yoga and in some aspects Tantra Yoga. Tao Yin is a series of exercises aimed at unifying body and mind, practiced as a form of Taoist Neigong (internal form) to cultivate jing (essence) and to direct and refine Qi (the internal energy of the body according to traditional Chinese medicine). These exercises are often divided into Yin positions, lying and sitting, and Yang positions, standing and moving.
Both Hatha Yoga and Taoist Yoga offer different exercises, philosophies and breathing techniques. However, the essential underlying practice is similar in terms of postural exercises, breath regulation and spiritual dimension. Their roots are both Indian and Chinese, and their complementarity is obvious. This is not surprising since in the ancient Mahabharata (one of the two great Sanskrit epics of ancient India 400BCE-300CE), there are several references to China.
Taoism and Buddhism have a long history together in China, and it is clear that both have links with Yoga. As early as the 2nd century, Taoism focused on meditation and breathing, which are the principles of Yoga. Much later, the neologism Taoist Yoga emerged, probably in the 1970s, in response to the West's fascination with Eastern practices and philosophies.
Paulie Zinkhas a pivotal role in the development of Yin Yoga as we know it today.
Paulie Zink is an American martial arts champion, Taoist Yoga teacher and renowned Monkey Kung Fu practitioner. He began practicing martial arts at the age of 16 and studied at a local Kung Fu school. While attending California State University in Los Angeles, Paulie Zink met Cho Chat Ling, a martial arts master from Hong Kong. He became his student and learned Taoist Yoga, Qi-Gong and Kung-Fu. Cho Chat Ling trained him for free for ten years. Paulie Zink started teaching Taoist Yoga and Kung-Fu in the 1970s.
In addition, he competed successfully in martial arts tournaments, winning the Long Beach International Karate Championship three years in a row, from 1981 to 1983. Paulie Zink called his practice Taoist Yoga or TaoYin or, sometimes, Yin & Yang Yoga.
The emergence of Yin Yoga
In 1989, while attending Paulie Zink's Taoist Yoga classes, Paul Grilley first experimented with poses using passive traction.
Paul once came across a martial arts interview on local television in which Paulie Zink was present. While Paulie's martial arts demonstration was impressive, his flexibility particularly appealed to Paul. He then attended Paulie Zink's classes for about a year. Paul Grilley was introduced to the asana in Paulie Zink's Taoist Yoga classes, including the poses Yin poses and Yang movements. It was the prolonged poses that particularly resonated with Paul. He had the insight that an entire yoga class could be Yin in nature without including Yang movements. So he began to offer a full Yin practice to his regular Hatha Yoga students.
Initially, Paul called his new approach to Yoga "Taoist Yoga" out of respect for Paulie, who called his practice by the same name.
Paul Grilley began practicing yoga in 1979 and studied anatomy with Dr. Garry Parker in Montana. In 1982, he continued his studies in anatomy and kinesiology at the University of California, Los Angeles.
In 2000, he obtained a Master's degree in Western Literature from St John's College in Santa Fe.
In 1990, Paul met Dr. Hiroshi Motoyama, who had a profound impact on Paul’s personal spiritual journey and on the theoretical development of Yin Yoga. Dr Motoyama scientifically demonstrated connections between the meridian theories of acupuncture and modern theories of fascia. Paul used Dr Motoyama's theories to explain the benefits of Yin Yoga. In 2005, the California Institute for Human Sciencefounded by Dr. Motoyama, awarded him an honorary doctorate to clarify the latest theories on fascia and its relevance to Hatha Yoga practice.
Suzee Grilley has had a distinguished career as a dancer and choreographer. She was a member of Nikolais Dance Theatre in the 1980s. She co-teaches the entire programme developed by Paul, co-creating the Yang movements taught alongside their Yin Yoga methods. Yang sequences include Advance-retreat warrior's, Flying Dragon, Walking the Dragon, Twisting the Dragon, The Golden Seed and The Animal Parade.
Sarah Powers attended Paul Grilley's class and quickly became interested in the practice, although she was not exposed to the various benefits and theories of the practice, as Paul's classes were mainly held in silence at the time. From the moment Paul established the anatomical, physiological and energetic principles of Yin Yoga a few years later, Sarah Powers integrated them into her regular practice and teaching.
It is in fact Sarah Powers who introduced the name "Yin Yoga".
As Paul did not intend to teach the whole practice of Taoist Yoga that Paulie Zink offered, he agreed to change the name to Yin Yoga, which encompasses only the long-held postures. Paul named his first book - Yin Yoga, "Outline of a Quiet Practice", in 2002 after Sarah's suggestion; Yin Yoga was an articulation of Paulie Zink's teachings.
This was the dawn of Yin Yoga's story as an established practice. One of the main critics at the time was the name "Yin Yoga" is a misnomer, for we know Yin is inseparable from its Yang counterpart. While this statement is true, it loses its relevance when we step back and realize that the Yin Yoga approach has reintroduced parity to a much more "Yang" yoga scene into which the modern world has bred. It has acted as a soothing balm for the practitioner, in which many have recognised its therapeutic qualities.
Sarah was an established yoga teacher when she discovered Paul's teaching. She introduced more students to the Yin aspect of Yoga around the world and integrated her own teaching with a focus on Buddhism and psychology. She recommended Paul to students who wanted to deepen their knowledge of Yin Yoga. (Read Original Yin from Bernie Clark)
Sarah Powers became interested in yoga in 1986 at the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology (Palo Alto, California) during her studies. In 2008, she founded Insight Yoga, a combination of modern Yoga, transpersonal psychology and Buddhist philosophy, including Chinese meridian theory, by co-founding Insight Yoga Institute with Ty Powers ( Dharma teacher). The Insight Yoga style combines Yin Yoga with a more traditional "Hatha Yoga" practice.
Sorry for the confusion
For nearly ten years, Paul and Sarah have developed and taught variations of Yin Yoga that have generated worldwide interest in its practice. These versions of yoga incorporate knowledge from Buddhism, psychology, theories of skeletal variation and Dr Motoyama's theories of fascia and meridians. These forms of yoga are very different from Paulie Zink's presentation of Taoist Yoga, which is why Paul and Sarah refer to their styles as Yin Yoga.
Then, in 2009, Paulie Zink also changed the name of her style of yoga to Yin Yoga, which confused the yoga community as to who was behind the development of Yin practice. To this day, there are various explanations for the development of Yin Yoga that do not help the reader understand an already detailed history (Read Who Owns Yin Yoga? by Bernie Clark)
Second Generation
Biff Mithoefer, leads Yin Yoga teacher training and workshops in the US and abroad. He has trained and taught extensively with Don and Amba Stapleton and studied Yin Yoga and anatomy with Paul Grilley. Biff has studied Shamanism with teachers in the Shapibo tradition of eastern Peru and is studying cross-cultural Shamanism as taught by Angeles Arrien. Author of The Yin Yoga Kit 2006 and co-author of The Therapeutic Yoga Kit 2009, Biff is founder and director of the Jamtse Sponsorship Project which supports Tibetan refugee children. He lives in Vermont with his family.
Bernie Clark has been teaching Yoga and meditation since 1998. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Waterloo (Canada). He combines his deep interest in Yoga with an understanding of the scientific approach to investigating the nature of things. His continuing education has led him to take a close interest in mythology, comparative religions and psychology. All of these avenues of exploration have clarified his understanding of the ancient Eastern practices of Yoga and meditation. Bernie's Yoga practice encompasses Vinyasa Yoga and Yin Yoga. He is the author of numerous books such as "The Complete Guide to Yin Yoga", published in 2012, and a trilogy on the functional approach to Yoga covering the whole body through yoga practice. Bernie Clark is also the creator of YinYoga.comthe most comprehensive website on Yin Yoga.
The Perennial Philosophy of Yin Yoga
The furtherance of Yin Yoga unfolds from a constellation of traditions and practices towards a sapience culmination.
Following the development of Yin Yoga from its beginnings, one cannot help but notice the natural syncretism that occurs during the different periods. The mosaic of Yin Yoga, as we know it today, is composed of different beliefs, knowledge, philosophies, religions and disciplines. From Shamanism, Hinduism, Taoism, Buddhism, science and psychology, these different spiritual paths and knowledge systems have permeated the Yin Yoga approach.
Yin Yoga acts as a particularly conducive platform for the practitioner in search of self-observation and self-exploration, the innate relaxation that exudes from the Yin practice exposes the Yogi to profound insights, usually about the body, phenomenal perception or the mind-consciousness relationship.
This is mainly due to the universal nature of the practice, the very heart of the "Yin " praxis lies in its attributes such as surrender, acceptance, mindfulness, introspection, intraception, regulation of Qi, relaxation, to ultimately initiate an immanent or transcendent experience.
In my humble opinion, interspirituality will become an important and essential part of humanity's journey beyond all biases and differences. If a part of the world's population was willing to open up to the wisdom of other spiritualities without having to give up their own belief system, the world would be different. There is always the possibility of a growing spiritual convergence between different religions and philosophies. Even if not everyone accepts this kind of inclusion, this unity is already occurring around practices like Yin Yoga, where practitioners and researchers have sought ways to explain similar (sometimes virtually identical) spiritual mysteries.
Epilogue
"Truth is unique; the sages call it by different names." Rig Veda
Paradigm Shift
Dr Motoyama, although an eminent scientist, was not empathetic to the way science has shaped our world as we know it today. In less than 500 years, science has had a dramatic existential relevance in many areas of our lives, such as technology, our intellect and our relationship to reality. Through comparative studies of Eastern and Western religions and personal mystical experiences, he saw the need for humanity to confront the rise of many of the problems afflicting the modern world and society of the 21st century and remodel the Western vision and belief system. He perceived that new spiritual communities would develop together on the basis of wisdom and knowledge from direct experience.
Dr. Hiroshi Motoyama (1925 - 2015) was a Japanese parapsychologist, scientist, spiritual teacher and author whose main subject was spiritual self-cultivation and the relationship between mind and body. Motoyama Sensei was both a scientist trained in empirical methodology and a medium who gained deep philosophical knowledge through experience. He was a Shinto priest of Tamamitsu Shrine in Tokyo, and aa Yogi well versed in the Yoga treatises. He graduated from the Tokyo University of Literature and Science with PhD degrees in Philosophy and Physiological Psychology. He was awarded a prestigious prize for his comparative study of Eastern and Western mysticism.
In his own words
"By experiencing the mind-body interconnection, as well as integrating science with spirituality, people can gain a deeper insight into the nature of reality, which will hopefully empower them to contribute to the improvement of society at large."
