I have many people to thank for helping to make this project become a reality, and for assisting me on my own journey down the Yin River. Firstly, for introducing me to yoga, I must acknowledge and express my gratitude to my first teacher, shakti mhi, of the Prana Yoga & Zen Centre in Vancouver, Canada. I am also very grateful to Saul David Raye, my Thai Yoga Therapy teacher, for introducing me to the subtle energies within us, and for giving me my first taste of Yin Yoga. The day after I attended my first Yin Yoga class, conducted by Saul, I came across Sarah Powers’ video, Yin and Vinyasa Yoga, and resolved to meet this woman. To Sarah I owe a great debt; her combination of yoga knowledge and dharma truths has inspired me greatly. Through Sarah I met Paul Grilley, to whom I am also deeply indebted. Paul shone a light, and illuminated for me a totally new aspect of yoga. Paul taught me so much about anatomy, and helped me realize just how unique each person is, inside and out. Paul also fired within me a desire to learn more about what is really going on within us when we practice yoga.
To all my teachers, and all their teachers, my thanks.
I also wish to acknowledge the support of my family and friends and their assistance in creating this book. My thanks to Jessica Clark, for her design of the www.YinYoga.com Web site, the layout of this book, her patience in teaching me Illustrator and Photoshop, and for her help in “prettying up” the illustrations. To Ryan Clark, for his computer skills, for creating the Web page and the html templates for the online version of the book, and for patiently answering all my questions. To Violette, for contributing many of the illustrations. To Louise, for the original Web-book cover art: Yang Mountain – Yin River. To Professor James Clark, for the initial proofreading of the entire manuscript, for offering invaluable suggestions, and for acting as my science editor, especially in the sections on energy. I also need to thank the good folks at BookSurge for their invaluable editing services and printing the book. For the index I want to thank Pilar Wyman. (A book without a good index is not worth reading!) My gratitude also goes to Stewart, Julie, and Roberta for their encouragement. I also wish to thank the models for many of the pictures, especially Lindsay and Stephanie. And lastly, my special thanks to a good friend, Diana Batts, for her encouragement and support, for patiently posing for most of the pictures in the book, for proofreading the early manuscripts, and for being my traveling companion on our ride down the Yin River.
Finally, my blessings and thanks to all the students who have allowed me the honor of teaching them; one really learns when one attempts to teach. Indeed, my students have been my greatest teachers.
Lokah samasta sukhino bhavantu.
May all beings everywhere be happy.
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