YOUR YOGA

“Yinstinct” is the working title of these workshops, and of Niamh’s teaching, as she is reluctant to name or copywrite it. To do so goes against its basic principles.

Niamh finds that Yin Yoga (simple postures often held for 5 minutes) is a gateway to intimate knowledge of, and respectful listening to the minutiae of our magnificent organism. Through this keen listening we learn to trust our body’s wisdom, and to hear what is really behind the ebb and flow of the feelings and suggestions that arise therein. Through the pauses in Yin we have the space to find “right reaction”, to wait until we clearly hear that the stirrings in us are true and wise, and need expression and response.

Right reaction to a stimulus may be anger of a most fiery order, or fear, or grief, or joy, or disinterest. They truly have their place. But we may find ourselves habituating a certain emotional response. We may always run from physical or emotional intensity, or conversely, undervalue softness, seek extremes, seek “improvement”, and ignore or “push through” pain.  Because sometimes our responses come from unconscious places of past hurt or trauma. Sometimes our body is so bound in habit, we cannot find that space to hear our true response. But when we can soften inward, listen to the subtleties, then we can respond in accord with the stimulus, and meet without fear, the rainbow of human feeling.

Yin gives us softness, safety and space to really value and connect with our body in its most subtle, changing, and real manifestation. Yet this is only the starting point of these Yinstinct workshops!… Yinstinct leads us, from that still place of tiny awarenesses, to begin to move in our instinctual, animal way. “Yinstinctually”. Welcoming the Yin, welcoming the possibility that while we can be robust, and challenge ourselves, we do not have to be great, or big, or strong. THEN we finally move our own movement!

Moving from stillness, to the subtle or wild instincts of movement and back again, these workshops will help you find your body’s innate intelligence, and its passionate, unselfconscious, gentle, pleasurable, easing, strengthening expression of its brilliance, creativity, and joy.