YinSights

A Journey into the Practice & Philosophy of Yin Yoga

Detailed Table of Contents

Part One: The Philosophy and Physiology of Yin Yoga

What is Yin Yoga?

Yin and Yang
Yin Tissues and Yang Tissues
Theory of Exercise

History

Original Yin
Paul Grilley
Dr. Hiroshi Motoyama
Sarah Powers

Our Bodies and Yoga’s benefits

The Kosha Model
The Physical Body

Tissues and Flexibility

Limits of Flexibility

Muscles

Contracting Muscles
Changes In Our Muscles As We Age

Fascia
Connective Tissues

Bones and Cartilage
Tendons and Ligaments
Plastic versus Elastic

Collagen

Collagen in the Bones
Aging or Damage of Connective Tissues

Ground Substances
Joints

Synovial Joints

A Demonstration

Yin Yoga and the Joints

Contracture
Degeneration
Fixation
Hydration
Spinal Curves

The Energy Body

The Yogic View of Energy

Prana
The Nadis

The Sushumna Nadi
Ida and Pingala

Chakras

The Seven Chakras
Dr. Motoyama’s View

Pranayama

The Daoist View of Energy

The Five Major Systems
Chi and Daoist Energy

Other Forms of Chi
Function of Chi

The Five Daoist Elements
The Organs

The Zang Organs
The Fu Organs

The Meridians

The Lower Body Meridians
The Upper Body Meridians
The Extra Meridians

The Western View of Energy

A History of Energy Research
New Paradigms
Bioelectronics
Electromagnetism

Bio-electromagnetism
Bio-electromagnetic Healing

Integrins, Cytoskeletons and Meridians

The Integrins and Cytoskeleton
Meridians Revisited
Models are Just Models

Electropollution

Measuring Energy

Other Instruments

The Mind Body

Samkhya

Purusha & Prakriti
The Three Gunas
The Twenty-Four Principles of Samkhya
The Samkhya Practice

The Yogic View

Classical Yoga

The Five Vrittis
Kriya Yoga
The Obstacles to Yoga
The Five Kleshas
Ashtanga – The Eight Limbs
Samadhi and Kaivalya
Problems with Classical Yoga

Tantra Yoga

The Thirty-Six Principles of Tantra
Tantric Practices

Mantras
Mudras
Yantras
The Pancha-Makara of Tantra

Hatha Yoga

The Buddhist View

The Historical Buddha
The Four Noble Truths

1 – Suffering exists
2 – There is a Cause of Our Suffering
3 – There is a Cure for Our Suffering
4 – The Cure is the Eight-fold Way

The Five Hindrances

Desire
Aversion
Sloth
Restlessness
Doubt

The Five Precepts
Buddhist Meditation Practices

Watching The Breath
The Anapanasati Sutra
Awareness of the Body
Mindfulness of the Mind
Listening
Red Lights and Telephones

The Western View of Mind

The Jungian Model of the Mind

The Goal of Jungian Psychotherapy
Individuation
Jung Meets the Buddha

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Behavior Therapy
Cognitive Therapy
Newer Approaches
Recording Thoughts
Yoga and CBT
A.W.A.K.E.N.

Allow
Watch
Act
Keep At It
Expect The Best
Now!

Part Two: The Practice of Yin Yoga

(Next: Foreword )