The Sacred Pause: The Power of Stillness
In the quiet, we return to ourselves — stillness is the teacher
In a world that glorifies movement, productivity, and constant connection, stillness can feel radical—almost uncomfortable. Yet, it is in stillness where we often find the deepest healing. This is the heart of Yin yoga: a practice rooted in receptivity, surrender, and the quiet art of listening.
Yin and Yang: The Dance of Balance
Yin yoga draws its philosophy from Taoism, where life is understood through the balance of opposing yet complementary forces: yin and yang. Yang is active, fiery, and outward-focused—the energy of doing. Yin, on the other hand, is cool, receptive, and inward—the energy of being.
Most of our modern lives are dominated by yang energy. We rush from one task to the next, exercise vigorously, and rarely give ourselves permission to pause. Without balance, this overemphasis on yang leaves us depleted, disconnected, and yearning for something more. Yin yoga offers that counterbalance, inviting us into stillness, introspection, and rest.
Why Stillness Matters
Stillness is not passive; it is powerful. When we allow ourselves to stop moving, to stop striving, we create space for awareness. The body softens, the nervous system recalibrates, and the mind begins to settle. It is in these moments of stillness that we reconnect with ourselves—beyond roles, responsibilities, and external expectations.
In Yin yoga, we hold postures for several minutes, surrendering to gravity and cultivating patience. The stillness of the body allows us to observe the stillness (and the turbulence) of the mind. It is both a practice and a profound teacher.
My Journey into Stillness: Vipassana in India
I first experienced the raw intensity of stillness when I traveled to India and spent 10 days in an ashram studying Vipassana meditation. For those ten days, I sat in silence—no speaking, no eye contact, no phones, no connection with the outside world. Each day was structured around hours of meditation, with nothing to distract me from the thoughts and sensations that arose.
At first, it was excruciating. Sitting still for hours at a time felt unnatural; my body ached, my mind raced, and the absence of communication made me restless. The urge to move, to escape, to do something—anything—was overwhelming. But slowly, something began to shift. The longer I sat, the more layers of distraction and resistance fell away. By the end of those ten days, I discovered a depth of peace and clarity I had never experienced before. Stillness became a sanctuary rather than a struggle.
This experience was a stepping stone that eventually led me to study Yin yoga more deeply, first in India and later in Bali. The discipline of Vipassana gave me the foundation to embrace the stillness of Yin, and those teachings continue to shape not only my practice but the way I guide others on their own journeys.
Bringing Vipassana into Yin Yoga
What I learned in India has become inseparable from how I teach Yin yoga today. Just as Vipassana encouraged me to observe without judgment, I invite my students to meet themselves on the mat exactly as they are—restless or calm, tense or at ease—and simply stay. The long holds in Yin postures mirror the stillness of meditation, giving space for emotions, sensations, and thoughts to arise and pass.
When I teach, I encourage my students to treat stillness as a practice in itself—not something to achieve, but something to experience. Stillness teaches us patience, resilience, and self-acceptance. It allows us to step out of the constant pull of the external world and rest deeply in our own presence.
Returning to Ourselves
Yin yoga, like Vipassana, is a path of returning—returning to breath, to body, to awareness, to the simple truth of who we are beneath the noise of life. Stillness is where balance is restored, where healing begins, and where we remember that we are whole just as we are.
In the end, the art of stillness is not about escaping life but about being fully present for it. And in a world that moves so fast, perhaps the most radical act of self-care we can offer ourselves is to slow down, to soften, and to simply be.
Much love Sunshine xx