Yin Yoga Podcast

When considering whether or not and why and how I should do some book, reviews or book episodes, the reason I decided again to do this is because. There are a lot of teachers who are a bit newer that have come up, in more recent years who may not be as familiar with Yin and the founder of Yin, or at least the founder of Yin in the way that I practice and teach it and the most kind of common way.

And they may also not be, familiar with these books that came out,  before their time. And so I thought, of course, I can't start, to record episodes. On yin yoga books, unless I start at the beginning, which would be my teacher, Paul Grilley's book. So we're going to talk about that book today.

Interview with My Teacher Paul Grilley 

Yoga Teachers: Join The Waitlist for my Therapeutic Yin Yoga Training at the bottom and top of the Page

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Anatomy for Yoga with Paul Grilley

Hang Drum Music by Fred Westra

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@nykdanuyoga

@YinYogaPodcast

The episode delves into the philosophy of Taoism, drawing connections between Yin Yoga and Taoism's principles of wu wei (non-forcing action).

My Guest Dhugal Meachem, is a friend and colleague with a rich background in Tibetan meditation, Qigong, and Tai Chi. Dougal shares his journey from practicing Tai Chi and Qi Gong in Hong Kong to discovering Yoga and then eventually Paul Grilley and Yin Yoga.

In this episode, Dhugal offers practical insights into how embracing quiet and stillness through practices like Qigong and Yin Yoga can lead to contentment and Harmony in life.

The conversation also touches on Dhugal's experience teaching Yin Yoga and training instructors to deeply understand and appreciate the practice.

Dhugal,  a practitioner with a rich background in Tibetan meditation, Qigong, Tai Chi, and Yoga, discusses his journey from Asian spiritual practices to Yoga, and how he eventually became a Yoga teacher and trainer.

The conversation explores Taoist philosophy, emphasizing naturalness, non-action (wu wei), and the integration of body, mind, and heart.

Dhugal's Yoga and meditation revolve around finding contentment and balance in life. The episode also delves into Dhugal's unique insights into Taoism, its connection to nature, and its practical applications in modern living.

You can learn more about Dhugal and his work https://www.dhugalmeachem.com/

 Yoga Teachers: Join The Waitlist for my Therapeutic Yin Yoga Training at the bottom and top of the Page

To Join my Yin Yoga Classes on Zoom

To subscribe to my On-Demand Video Library:

Full Show Notes https://nykdanu.com/teachers/yin-yoga-teacher-training/yin-yoga-podcast/

Anatomy for Yoga with Paul Grilley

Hang Drum Music by Fred Westra 

Find me on Instagram 

@nykdanuyoga

@YinYogaPodcast

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Today's topic can be a bit of a tricky one—a common question I get is about the origins and philosophical roots of Yin Yoga.

Is it rooted in Indian philosophy or does it have its connections with Taoism and Chinese medicine?

As Is often the case in Yin Yoga the answer is yes....no ...well it depends.

This often leaves new teachers puzzled about whether to discuss chakras or meridians or perhaps both in their classes.

Let's dive into this.

I want to clarify that much of what I'll share is my personal opinion. There's no right or wrong here.

Yin Yoga often gets confused between Indian philosophical grounding and Taoist or Chinese medical systems.

You'll find teachers leaning towards Indian philosophies while others veer towards Taoism and Chinese medicine.

For new teachers, this can be perplexing—should you be talking about chakras, meridians, or both?

This episode will aim to clarify these confusions and share my journey and decisions based on 20 years of teaching.

Yoga Teachers: Join The Waitlist for my Therapeutic Yin Yoga Training at the bottom and top of the Page

To Join my Yin Yoga Classes on Zoom

To subscribe to my On-Demand Video Library:

Full Show Notes https://nykdanu.com/teachers/yin-yoga-teacher-training/yin-yoga-podcast/

Anatomy for Yoga with Paul Grilley

Hang Drum Music by Fred Westra 

Find me on Instagram 

@nykdanuyoga

@YinYogaPodcast

See all episodes at a glance

In this episode of the Yin Yoga podcast, I delve into the topic of 'Yin Yoga Policing', with a focus on defining what constitutes a Yin Yoga pose.

Questions from Yin Yoga Facebook groups inspired this episode, I share my thoughts and personal experiences, especially from my training with Mr. Yin Yoga teacher Paul Grilley.

Paul (and I) emphasize the need for critical thinking rather than following a dogmatic approach, advocating for a more flexible and inclusive practice.

I'll discuss the inclusion of upper body poses and the use of props in Yin yoga, and argue against rigidly declaring certain poses as 'not Yin'. By encouraging adaptations to meet individual needs, I aim to promote a more open and understanding Yin yoga community.

Yoga Teachers: Join The Waitlist for my Therapeutic Yin Yoga Training at the bottom and top of the Page

To Join my Yin Yoga Classes on Zoom

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links to the other episodes mentioned are in the Full Show Notes https://nykdanu.com/teachers/yin-yoga-teacher-training/yin-yoga-podcast/

Anatomy for Yoga with Paul Grilley

Hang Drum Music by Fred Westra 

Find me on Instagram 

@nykdanuyoga

@YinYogaPodcast

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The Five Elements: An Overview

This Episode was a requested episode from a listener! If you have Yin Yoga questions or Topic Ideas you want me to cover on the podcast let me know in the comments.

Yoga Teachers: Join The Waitlist for my Therapeutic Yin Yoga Training at the bottom and top of the Page

To Join my Yin Yoga Classes on Zoom

To subscribe to my On-Demand Video Library:

Full Show Notes https://nykdanu.com/teachers/yin-yoga-podcast/the-five-elements-101-yin-yoga/

Anatomy for Yoga with Paul Grilley

Hang Drum Music by Fred Westra 

Find me on Instagram 

@nykdanuyoga

@YinYogaPodcast

See all episodes at a glance: 

Yin Yoga and Sobriety: A Deep Dive with Daphne Luke

In this episode of the Yin Yoga podcast, my guest Daphne Luke and I explore the profound impact of Yin Yoga on addiction recovery and sobriety.

Daphne is a seasoned teacher with both Bernie Clarks' 50-hour Yin Yoga Training and 500 hours of Yin Yoga Training with Paul Grilley.

Daphne has been practicing Yoga since the 90s and teaching yoga for two decades.

Initially developed a love of Yoga through Ashtanga and Yinyasa then discovered a passion for it with Yin Yoga. 

Daphne grew up in Canada & now lives in Auckland, New Zealand where she teaches yoga part-time, trains new Yin Yoga teachers, and manages a private alcohol rehab center.

She teaches Yin Yoga to recovering alcoholics as well as regular weekly community classes. 

She lives with her 16-year-old son and a pug named Leo.  

This is a brave conversation anchored in the inspiring story of Daphne Luke an experienced Yoga practitioner and a committed advocate for recovery from alcoholism. 

Through her story, You'll learn about the meeting of Yin Yoga and sobriety, and how this practice can act as a profound tool for recovery and personal growth.

.Daphne believes this practice is more than physical exercise; it is a full mind, body, and spirit experience that cultivates a deep sense of presence and peace.

In this episode, you'll hear about the intersection of Yin Yoga and Sobriety and how Yin Yoga has been a pivotal part of her recovery journey. 

As a recovering alcoholic, she found solace and grounding in the practice, which allowed her to step off the violent pendulum swing of addiction, even if only for the duration of the session.

 The meditative and introspective qualities of Yin Yoga helped Daphne and continue to help many others confront and process the mental and emotional aspects of their addiction. 

Daphne's story is one of resilience, commitment, and transformation.  Her story is a testament to how Yin Yoga and the sober community can complement each other, offering hope, support, and effective tools for healing. 

Daphne's professional journey has also integrated her passion for Yin Yoga with her commitment to recovery.

She now teaches Yoga at an alcohol rehab center, where the practice serves as a crucial component of the recovery program: the physical, mental, and spiritual healing aspects of Yin Yoga, mean patients can find a holistic approach to their rehabilitation. 

Her journey underscores the transformative power of Yin Yoga on the path to sobriety.

Her story offers hope and practical insights for those struggling with addiction or supporting someone who is. 

You can find Daphne on Facebook or Instagram as @YinYogaNZ

Yoga Teachers: Join The Waitlist for my Therapeutic Yin Yoga Training at the bottom and top of the Page

To Join my Yin Yoga Classes on Zoom

To subscribe to my On-Demand Video Library:

Full Show Notes https://nykdanu.com/teachers/yin-yoga-teacher-training/yin-yoga-podcast/

Anatomy for Yoga with Paul Grilley

Hang Drum Music by Fred Westra 

Find me on Instagram 

@nykdanuyoga

@YinYogaPodcast

See all episodes at a glance

Welcome to this week's episode: Yin Yoga and Spine Health.

This was a requested topic, and it’s something I encounter often in questions like, "My student has lower back pain, what sequence can I give them?" or "How do I address back issues in my classes?"

As a Yoga therapist with a specialty in back care, I’ve worked with individuals suffering from back issues for many years, and I’m excited to share my experience with you.

So what you can expect in this episode is first, we're going to break down the nuts and bolts, just very brief overviews of some of the most common back conditions that might happen that might show up in your class.

Then we're going to talk about what can be problematic actually for a lot of these back conditions in Yoga classes.

And then what we might do about that, and then I'm going to give you a framework for how you could create a class for a healthy spine, like a healthy spine class for Yin Yoga, not for people that have back injuries, but for the general public who are just kind of sore and tight.

Hop over to my blog to see the full show notes. There you'll see 3 images of alternative Back Bends to Sphinx and Seal.

Also linked there a a video practice Yin Yoga for a Healthy Spine

Yoga Teachers:⁠ Join The Waitlist for my Therapeutic Yin Yoga Training⁠ at the bottom and top of the Page

To Join my ⁠Yin Yoga Classes on Zoom⁠

To subscribe to my ⁠On-Demand Video Library⁠:

Full Show Notes ⁠https://nykdanu.com/teachers/yin-yoga-teacher-training/yin-yoga-podcast/⁠

⁠Anatomy for Yoga with Paul Grilley⁠

⁠Hang Drum Music by Fred Westra ⁠

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⁠@nykdanuyoga⁠

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Today on the podcast I'm going to discuss the practice of Loving Kindness Meditation, or Metta for Yin Yoga.

In this episode, I'll share in detail the who, what, when, why, and how of incorporating this powerful meditation into our Yin Yoga practice, in our Yin Yoga Classes, AND in our everyday lives.

This topic is very near and dear to my heart I’ve been practicing Metta for nearly 20 years, integrating it into my personal meditation practice and classes for my students.

It’s become a staple in my life which offers me both inner groundedness and a sense of connectedness to those around me.

Also mentioned in this epiosde:

May I be Content:

https://thetattooedbuddha.com/2019/12/06/may-i-be-content/

Psychology Today Article with links to studies:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/feeling-it/201409/18-science-backed-reasons-try-loving-kindness-meditation

Yoga Teachers: Join The Waitlist for my Therapeutic Yin Yoga Training at the bottom and top of the Page

To Join my Yin Yoga Classes on Zoom

To subscribe to my On-Demand Video Library:

Full Show Notes https://nykdanu.com/teachers/yin-yoga-teacher-training/yin-yoga-podcast/

Anatomy for Yoga with Paul Grilley

Hang Drum Music by Fred Westra 

Find me on Instagram 

@nykdanuyoga

@YinYogaPodcast

See all episodes at a glance

Metta Books:

Loving-Kindness in Plain English: The Practice of Metta by Bhante Henepola Gunaratana 

Lovingkindness: The Revolutionary Art of Happiness by Sharon Salzberg 

Awakening Loving-Kindness by  Pema Chödrön 

Fall and The Metal Element: An Overview

As we start transitioning into fall, it’s a time linked deeply with the metal element in TCM. Fall marks a shift from the extroverted, yang energy of summer to a more introverted, yin phase.

In both TCM and Taoist thought, fall is a time for letting go and is connected to the emotion of grief. This grief could be as simple as missing summer or something deeper.

Fall is my second favorite season, after spring. Although I adore fall’s colors and cozy sweaters, scarves, and boots  I do grieve the reduction in daylight hours more than anything.

The Emotional Aspect of Fall The Metal Element

Many Practical Tips for Embracing the Season in this Episode.

Visit my website to access the full show notes with video for Practice

Yoga Teachers: Join The Waitlist for my Therapeutic Yin Yoga Training at the bottom and top of the Page

To Join my Yin Yoga Classes on Zoom

To subscribe to my On-Demand Video Library:

Full Show Notes https://nykdanu.com/teachers/yin-yoga-teacher-training/yin-yoga-podcast/

Anatomy for Yoga with Paul Grilley

Hang Drum Music by Fred Westra 

Find me on Instagram 

@nykdanuyoga

@YinYogaPodcast

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In this episode, we dive into the fundamentals of fascia with anatomy expert Gil Hedley.

Watch Killing us Softly 4 https://youtu.be/lxYcaFzVX08?si=nVDAvK3IBsJUcL_p