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Monthly Archives January 2023

What Is the Most Popular Type of Yoga, and How Can You Practice It Safely?

January 24, 2023
Four women practicing yoga poses in a studio, demonstrating some of the most popular types of yoga.
Four women practicing yoga poses in a studio, demonstrating some of the most popular types of yoga.

There’s no doubt that yoga is gaining popularity, but you may be asking yourself, what is the most popular type of yoga? Where is each type most popular in the U.S. and around the world? And for those who are interested in trying it themselves, how can you practice these styles of yoga safely?

For decades, I’ve been devoted to the mission of making quality, ethical yoga more accessible. I’ve worked with thousands of clients and hundreds of students training to become yoga teachers or yoga therapists themselves. I’m happy to share my insights about how to practice yoga safely and avoid injury—which is more common than you might think!

Take a look at the data on the most popular types of yoga below, along with my tips for how to practice them safely.

Table of Contents

What Is the Most Popular Type of Yoga in the World?

The most popular type of yoga in the world is hot yoga, based on data from 2022. The next most popular types of yoga are hatha yoga, Yin Yoga, Power Yoga (which is another heated yoga), and Ashtanga yoga, respectively.

To see which country is most interested in each style of yoga, check our chart below.

Type of Yoga Most Interested Country
Acro Yoga Austria
Aerial Yoga Greece
Anusara Yoga Switzerland
Ashtanga Yoga Norway
Bikram Yoga Australia
Hatha Yoga Singapore
Hot Yoga New Zealand
Iyengar Yoga New Zealand
Jivamukti Yoga Norway
Kundalini Yoga Switzerland
Prenatal Yoga Singapore
Power Yoga United States
Restorative Yoga Canada
Sivananda Yoga Austria
SUP Yoga Switzerland
Vinyasa Yoga Switzerland
Yin Yoga Netherlands

A few more interesting facts about this global data are:

  • Users tend to search for hot yoga in person more than through video. “Hot yoga near me,” one of the top related queries for hot yoga, was searched nearly twice as much as “hot yoga video,” another top related query.

  • The highest interest in Yin Yoga is found in Northern Europe. The Netherlands were the country where Yin Yoga had the highest search popularity, followed by Denmark and Sweden.

  • The peak global popularity for hot yoga, prenatal yoga, restorative yoga, Ashtanga yoga, and Kundalini yoga was in January. Hot yoga also peaked in its popularity in December.

  • The peak global popularity for Power Yoga, Bikram Yoga, Iyengar Yoga, aerial yoga, and Acro Yoga was in February. Power Yoga peaked in its popularity in the final week of February and first week of March, as well as in December.

  • The peak global popularity for Sivananda Yoga was in March, with significantly less interest the rest of the year.

  • Global interest in SUP Yoga climbed in the summer, with interest in the query “sup yoga near me” increasing 250% in June and July. But interest dropped off during the rest of the year.

What Is the Most Common Type of Yoga in the U.S.?

A chart with search term popularity showing the most common types of yoga in the U.S.

The most common type of yoga in the U.S. is hot yoga, based on data from 2022. The next most common types of yoga are Power Yoga and Bikram Yoga (both heated as well), Yin Yoga, and Vinyasa Yoga, respectively.

To see which U.S. region is most interested in each style of yoga, check our chart below.

Type of Yoga Most Interested U.S. Region
Acro Yoga Colorado
Aerial Yoga Hawaii
Anusara Yoga District of Columbia
Ashtanga Yoga District of Columbia
Bikram Yoga Vermont
Hatha Yoga Hawaii
Hot Yoga Vermont
Iyengar Yoga Hawaii
Jivamukti Yoga New York
Kundalini Yoga New Mexico
Prenatal Yoga District of Columbia
Power Yoga Rhode Island
Restorative Yoga District of Columbia
Sivananda Yoga New York
SUP Yoga Colorado
Vinyasa Yoga District of Columbia
Yin Yoga Maine

A few more interesting facts about this U.S. data are:

  • In addition to being the most popular type of yoga in the U.S., hot yoga was the only style that registered search data for all 50 States and the District of Columbia.

  • The peak U.S. popularity for Yin Yoga, Vinyasa Yoga, Ashtanga yoga, and hatha yoga was the week of March 27–April 2. Sivananda Yoga and aerial yoga also hit their peak U.S. search popularity in March.

  • December and January were also peak search times for several types of yoga. Hot yoga, Power Yoga, prenatal yoga, Acro Yoga, Anusara Yoga, Kundalini yoga, and restorative yoga all hit their peak U.S. search popularity in December or January.

  • Jivamukti Yoga was only searched enough to register search data in 3 U.S. regions: New Jersey, New York, and California.

  • Sivananda Yoga was only searched enough to register search data in 5 U.S. regions: New Jersey, New York, Illinois, California, and Florida.

Where Is Yoga Most Popular in the World?

A map of the world with 5 countries highlighted where yoga is most popular.

More than 300 million people practice yoga around the world. Yoga is most searched for in Switzerland, followed by India, Singapore, Canada, and Australia, based on data from 2022. Globally, the peak popularity of searches for yoga last year occurred during the week of June 19–25.

Where Is Yoga Most Popular in the U.S.?

In the U.S., more than 28 million people practice yoga. Yoga is most searched for in Vermont, followed by the District of Columbia, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Hawaii, based on data from 2022. Americans searched for yoga the most last year in the first week of January.

How to Practice Yoga Safely

A study published in the Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine found that the rate of yoga-related injuries increased from 2001 to 2014, with a total of 29,590 yoga-related injuries reported from hospital emergency rooms in that time. More recently, a study published in the Journal of ISAKOS found that about two-thirds of yoga-related musculoskeletal injuries impact the lower extremities (hamstring, knee, hip, ankle, foot, or toe).

Whether you’re just getting started with yoga for the first time or you’ve been practicing for years, it’s important to take proper precautions in order to practice yoga safely. The best way to learn how to practice yoga safely is through one-on-one yoga sessions. This allows you to work closely with a yoga expert who can focus on your unique needs.

By contrast, if you practice yoga in a group setting, you won’t have the same opportunities for personal attention from the instructor. Some people in your group class may be stronger and able to do more repetition, while others may fatigue faster. If you push yourself too hard, you could injure yourself, making it important to know your limits and listen to your body if you ever practice yoga in a group.

Practicing yoga safely relies heavily on your unique circumstances, the yoga instructor or yoga therapist you work with, and your ability to receive personalized attention. Even if a specific style of yoga is more susceptible to certain kinds of injuries, you may find a yoga teacher or yoga therapist who can help you practice it safely and avoid those injuries.

To learn about common injuries for the most popular types of yoga, check out my advice below.

How to Practice Ashtanga Yoga Safely

Ashtanga yoga is known for being active and energetic. Those who practice Ashtanga yoga typically follow a specific sequence of poses, with vinyasa transitions in between.

If you want to practice Ashtanga yoga safely, it’s important to keep in mind that those series of poses will not be safe or effective for everyone. Don’t push yourself too hard, hold a pose too deep or too long, or make yourself do something that could injure you.

In particular, some of the alignment points in Ashtanga yoga may not work well for every body type. In some cases, Ashtanga yoga can involve over-twisting, which may result in injury.

How to Practice Bikram Yoga Safely

Bikram Yoga is a type of hot yoga, performed in a room that is set to 105° F (41° C) with 40% humidity. It is meant to promote exercise and fitness with a fixed sequence of 26 yoga poses.

As with Ashtanga yoga, any type of yoga that prescribes specific poses for everyone will run the risk of injury for those who are not well-suited to those poses. In order to practice Bikram Yoga safely, you need to assess whether you should perform each pose and adjust accordingly.

Hot yoga, including Bikram Yoga, is usually not safe for people with high blood pressure or heart conditions. In addition, I have observed that some of the cues in Bikram Yoga can be anatomically incorrect. For example, one client still experiences issues with her neck as a result of Bikram Yoga, despite going more than a decade without practicing it.

How to Practice Hatha Yoga Safely

Hatha yoga uses physical practices to maintain and direct one’s energy. It can involve using yoga poses for exercise, as well as practicing a specific diet, breathing techniques, meditation, ethics, and spirituality. Many different traditions fall under the umbrella of hatha yoga.

While hatha yoga can be many things, one common issue I’ve observed with hatha yoga at a gym or general yoga studio is it may or may not have good alignment instruction. Some instructors are great, but if you want to practice hatha yoga safely, you shouldn’t automatically assume that the instructor knows how to keep you safe.

For example, you might get a yoga instructor who was trained in a certain lineage that does things a specific way, which may not be safe for everyone. A couple common examples are flattening your neck out or staying in poses that keep your hips locked.

Hatha yoga is frequently performed in general group classes, making it readily available to many people, but restricting the instructor’s ability to meet each individual’s specific limitations and needs.

How to Practice Hot Yoga Safely

Hot yoga is a style of yoga that is meant to be practiced in hot, humid conditions, typically as a form of exercise. Bikram Yoga and Power Yoga are examples of hot yoga. The temperature for hot yoga can range from around 80–100° F (27–38° C).

One major risk of hot yoga is exercising in the high heat and humidity. Some people cannot practice hot yoga safely due to these conditions. Hot yoga may not be safe for those with high blood pressure or heart conditions. If you are pregnant, you may want to check with a doctor before performing hot yoga, as you could face a higher risk of lightheadedness, exhaustion, and fainting in these conditions.

Additionally, by warming up your body with hot yoga, you may be more flexible than usual. If you aren’t careful, this can lead to overstretching and injury. For people who are more flexible or have given birth recently, you may be at greater risk of potentially overstretching with hot yoga. Make sure you know your body’s limits so you don’t accidentally surpass them in a heated environment where you may not get the signals your body would normally send if it were being pushed too far.

How to Practice Power Yoga Safely

Power Yoga, like Bikram Yoga, is a type of hot yoga. It is practiced under hot and humid conditions, and it tends to be an energetic form of exercise.

As with any type of hot yoga, you run the risk of overheating, experiencing exhaustion, and even fainting when you exercise in high temperatures and humidity. For those who have high blood pressure or heart conditions, it may not be safe to practice Power Yoga. Someone who is pregnant may also want to abstain from Power Yoga, as they may be more susceptible to becoming lightheaded, exhausted, or fainting under these conditions.

Heat can improve flexibility and range of motion while reducing pain. On the surface, this seems like a good thing, but it can mean that some of your body’s usual safety mechanisms aren’t as effective. You may not experience the pain you usually would from overstretching, which can lead to injury. In order to practice Power Yoga safely, you must be careful not to stretch too deeply or repeatedly.

How to Practice Vinyasa Yoga Safely

Vinyasa Yoga can describe a number of different yoga styles. If you practice Vinyasa Yoga, you will flow from one yoga post into the next, both in terms of your movement and your breathing. In general, Vinyasa Yoga tends to be faster paced, which can make it more physically demanding.

While Vinyasa Yoga can be many different things, if you’re practicing a more fast-paced and physically challenging style, you run the risk of repeating the same motions over and over resulting in injury. Some people may also struggle with not being able to hold their alignment.

In particular, I’ve seen some Vinyasa Yoga practices overuse Chaturanga. To perform this pose, you get into a low plank position, which can be taxing on your abdominal muscles, back, arms, and wrists. In Vinyasa Yoga, it is sometimes overused as a transition between poses, such as when you’re returning to Downward Dog Pose or performing an advanced Sun Salutation.

If you overuse Chaturanga, you could hurt your shoulders or wrists. It takes a lot of strength to perform, and fatigue can occur.

If you want to practice Vinyasa Yoga safely, make sure you are aware of your body and its limits. Take a break if you get too tired or modify poses as needed, such as by using blocks or putting your knees on the ground during Chaturanga.

How to Practice Yin Yoga Safely

Yin Yoga is a slow-paced type of yoga. It involves holding yoga poses for longer periods of time and can be more relaxing and meditative.

Yin Yoga may be used to target connective tissues (joints, ligaments, tendons, or fascias) in order to improve flexibility, mobility, and circulation. It is the opposite of Yang Yoga, which is more active and energetic.

Although Yin Yoga is meant to be restorative, you can overstretch your connective tissues if you stay in a single position for too long. Sometimes in Yin Yoga, the poses may also be too deep of a stretch for certain people’s bodies to maintain for the length of the hold. The mental challenges of holding poses for a longer period of time or in certain positions can be an issue for some.

While yoga blocks, pillows, cushions, and other bolsters can sometimes help to modify certain yoga poses, even these aids may not be enough to allow certain people to hold a position for a sustained period of time. Personally, one of my biggest injuries came from a Yin seminar in which I stayed in Triangle Pose too deep for too long.

Don’t go to your extremes in any of these poses if you want to practice Yin Yoga safely. Everyone has their own threshold for what’s safe for them, so take care not to exceed it.

Find Ethical Yoga Teacher or Yoga Therapy Training

At Breathing Deeply Yoga Therapy, we offer training to become a certified yoga therapist or yoga teacher. Our programs are designed to meet you at any skill level, whether you’re just starting out, have your 200-hour teacher training, or are ready for advanced training and C-IAYT certification.

We pride ourselves on making yoga more accessible through quality, ethical training programs. Learn more about our courses and apply online today!

Methodology

In order to determine the popularity of different types of yoga globally and in the United States, search data was retrieved from Google Trends. The date range for this data was January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2022, and this data was collected on January 18, 2023.

How to balance the intuitive mind with meditation

January 23, 2023
The Intuitive Mind & Meditation
The Intuitive Mind & Meditation

Welcome to episode 49 of The Breathing Deeply Yoga Therapy and Meditation podcast.

The Vijnanamaya Kosha, the wisdom body or the kosha of discrimination. It is the layer of our consciousness that sits underneath the conscious mind. It is often associated with intuition because the wisdom we are receiving comes from the universal. 

In this episode, learn what the symptoms of an imbalanced Vijnanamaya Kosha are, what it looks and feels like to have a balanced Vijnanamaya Kosha and how we can balance this kosha with meditation, specifically Patajanli’s meditation method. Brandt then finishes by discussing how yoga therapists can approach teaching meditation to their clients.

This episode is a clip taken from the ‘Intuitive Mind’ module inside our Yoga Therapy Foundations Program. 

To dive even deeper into this subject and many, many more alongside expert mentorship with Brandt so that you can start helping people heal from specific health conditions through the power of yoga, consider enrolling for our next intake.

Apply for our next yoga therapy class starting on February 16, 2023.

Om Shanthi, Om Peace 

This episode covers: 

  • How can I approach issues at home when working with children in yoga therapy for mental health?
  • What are some tips to help a client struggling with Neuropathy & a loss of balance?
  • How can I ethically use language when working with an elderly client with PTSD?

Breathing Deeply is a Yoga Therapy and Meditation School, founded by lead teacher Brand Passalacqua in 2014. We hold online and in-person Yoga Therapy Foundations and IAYT accredited Advanced Programs and retreats along with Meditation Programs, including online meditation teacher training and certification and holistic weight loss with Being At Peace with Food.

Breathing Deeply is made up of an active and thriving community of yogis, caregivers, therapists, teachers, medical professionals, parents & children with the same intention—to serve others, lessen suffering, and co-create a new paradigm in wellness.

Yoga Therapy and Physical Therapy – What’s the Difference?

January 23, 2023
A physical therapist who is also certified in yoga therapy helps a patient stretch, demonstrating the benefits of both yoga and physical therapy.

 

A physical therapist who is also certified in yoga therapy helps a patient stretch, demonstrating the benefits of both yoga and physical therapy.

This is a great question to ask, both for people who are considering yoga therapy and physical therapy as treatment options as well as those who are considering them as potential career paths. While my expertise is in yoga therapy, I have immense respect for both fields and believe that they each have a lot to offer.

Keep reading to get an understanding of yoga therapy vs. physical therapy, how yoga therapists and physical therapists are trained, and when to seek out a physical therapist, a yoga therapist, or both.

Table of Contents

Yoga Therapy vs. Physical Therapy

Yoga therapy and physical therapy share a common goal: helping to heal physical conditions. One of the major differences between them to keep in mind is that physical therapists focus only on the body, while yoga therapists take a more holistic approach.

In many cases, a patient will go to a physical therapist first and if those techniques are not enough to resolve the issue, then they’ll enlist the help of a yoga therapist. In certain situations where the benefit of a yoga therapist is clear from the start, however, it can be a good idea to work with physical therapy and yoga therapy simultaneously.

There’s also occupational therapy, which involves helping people adapt everyday activities to their abilities so they can live more independently.

With this overview in mind, I’ll dive deeper into the similarities and differences of yoga therapy and physical therapy below, taking into account the use cases and training required for each.

Is Yoga Better Than Physical Therapy?

Let’s get this out of the way first. I don’t think that yoga therapy is always better than physical therapy, or that physical therapy is always better than yoga therapy. Rather than asking if yoga is better than physical therapy, a better question to ask is if yoga therapy or physical therapy is a better option for you.

If you’re a client, the answer will depend on what you’re trying to heal, how your body has responded so far, and if there are other factors at play, such as a history of trauma or a mental health condition. If you’re a job seeker, the answer will depend on your goals, interests, work style, and educational attainment.

How Is Yoga Therapy Similar to Physical Therapy?

Yoga therapy is actually similar to physical therapy in several ways:

  • Goals: Both yoga therapy and physical therapy aim to heal people from physical problems and pains.

  • Training: Although their training differs in many ways, both yoga therapists and physical therapists learn about human anatomy and muscular issues.

  • Process: In most cases, yoga therapists and physical therapists alike will perform an intake assessment, come up with a treatment plan, and walk clients through different stretches and exercises to perform.

How Is Yoga Therapy Different from Physical Therapy?

Although they have their similarities, there are many more ways in which yoga therapy is different from physical therapy.

Training

Physical therapists complete a significant amount of training, including their doctorate degree. They learn how to help patients with all areas of human muscular or structural dysfunction. Physical therapists also have much more extensive training in pathology, giving them more knowledge about health conditions and diagnoses.

Yoga therapists do not need a graduate degree to practice. Instead, they should become IAYT certified, the highest level of yoga therapy certification. The requirements include at least 800 hours of yoga therapy training in an accredited program as well as passing a certification exam.

Yoga therapists learn how to apply yoga techniques to physical and mental health conditions. These techniques include asanas (yoga poses), pranayamas (breathing techniques), meditation, and even chanting. Yoga therapists study anatomy, yogic philosophy, therapeutic application of techniques, and much more to prepare them for working with a wide variety of clients and health conditions.

Scope

A physical therapist using a yoga pose with a client, demonstrating the benefits of combining physical therapy and yoga therapy.

Physical therapists only work with the body. Common issues that physical therapists treat include hip pain, shoulder dysfunction, and back pain. PTs are especially valuable in helping patients recover from injuries or rehab from surgeries. It makes the most sense to see a physical therapist if you’re facing an acute issue.

By contrast, yoga therapists work on a more holistic whole-person model that includes both body and mind. They can treat physical issues as well as mental conditions. When considering yoga therapy vs. physical therapy, it makes more sense to see a yoga therapist if an acute injury has become chronic or if physical therapy isn’t producing the desired results.

Yoga therapy can also be more beneficial if there are other factors involved. For example, a yoga therapist can use techniques to reduce someone’s anxiety level before starting certain treatments or work with survivors in a trauma-informed approach.

Process

With their training in pathology, physical therapists can perform diagnostic tests to determine the root cause of a physical problem, while yoga therapists are not trained to make diagnoses. Many physical therapists also have physical manipulation skills, which allow them to perform techniques to help muscles relax. Physical therapists often have a significant amount of tools at their disposal, such as hot and cold therapy devices and stim machines.

However, physical therapists are often limited by insurance considerations in terms of how they work and the time they can spend with patients. In many cases, patients will actually see a physical therapy assistant because PTAs require less education and training. The physical therapist oversees their work.

Unlike physical therapists, yoga therapists also have training to assess breathing patterns and how they might affect a client’s pain and healing outcomes. Breath can be a guide for pain, affecting the client’s body and potentially even allowing them to shift their perception of pain. Yoga therapists not only work with movement and breath patterns, but also different mental states, specific breathing techniques, and meditation. Breathing and meditation can be used by yoga therapists to better prepare clients for certain types of treatments, giving them a better chance at a positive outcome.

Yoga therapy is not often covered by insurance, which can actually give yoga therapists more flexibility in how they work. Yoga therapists are able to work directly with clients, learn more about their experiences, and spend more time assessing their exercises over time and making any necessary adjustments to help promote healing.

Combining Yoga and Physical Therapy

If someone’s issue is purely muscular, then it may not make sense to combine yoga and physical therapy from the start. A physical therapist would be the first stop in their healing process to see if they can resolve the problem. If not, a yoga therapist can provide more individualized instruction that incorporates additional techniques, such as how to move and breathe to reduce suffering. A yoga therapist can often be helpful in finding the best way to integrate movement therapy into a client’s life and bring them to the end of their healing journey.

However, there are many other times when it works best to use physical therapy and yoga therapy in tandem. If someone has a history of trauma or a mental health condition and they are also facing a physical issue, then combining yoga and physical therapy from the beginning could work best.

Yoga and Physical Therapy Benefits

The benefits of engaging both yoga and physical therapy include:

  • Gaining multiple perspectives on a case

  • Addressing both physical and mental conditions

  • Creating a holistic approach that incorporates many techniques

  • Accessing more resources to healing

  • Preparing better before treatments that may be triggering

For instance, you may need a physical therapist to help you recover from whiplash after a car accident. But 22% of road traffic accident survivors develop PTSD. While a physical therapist can help work on your muscles, a yoga therapist can help you to move safely and in ways that aren’t triggering.

How to Find a Yoga Therapist

If you’re looking to get started with a yoga therapist, I can proudly recommend the graduates of Breathing Deeply’s yoga therapy program. In fact, a select few of these graduates and myself are offering one-on-one yoga therapy sessions over Zoom.

If you’re interested in finding out whether yoga therapy is a good fit for you, read more about our private sessions and fill out our form. Someone from our team will follow up with you and let you know how we can help.

Yoga Certification for Physical Therapists

If you’re considering a career in yoga vs. physical therapy, you may be wondering if there are opportunities to do both lines of work. I’ve seen plenty of PTs and PTAs who also become yoga therapists and vice versa.

For those who are interested in both, I think it’s highly beneficial to seek yoga therapy certification as a physical therapist or PTA. Yoga therapy is a great complement to physical therapy, and using the two together can make you a highly competitive job candidate.

If you’re interested in being able to investigate different ways to get results for your clients, having a background in both physical therapy and yoga therapy gives you significantly more options. This combination is also attractive to those seeking a more holistic model of healing others.

For more examples of how a yoga therapist might work with a client who has already been to physical therapy, watch my video below.

How to Start with Yoga Therapy Training

Thinking about becoming a yoga therapist? I’m proud to be able to offer my students training at any stage of their education.

At Breathing Deeply Yoga Therapy, we’re committed to providing practical, flexible training programs that help make ethical yoga therapy more accessible to others. Unlike other yoga schools, our 200-hour yoga teacher training program takes a yoga therapist approach to better align with a career in yoga therapy. It can be easily combined with our Foundations Program and Advanced Program as needed, culminating in C-IAYT certification in as little as two years.

Often, the multidimensional nature of yoga therapy is the missing link that moves clients from “sort of better” to completely healed. Contact us today to learn more about getting started in this exciting field and helping others.

Benefits and Limitations of Yin Yoga for Trauma

January 10, 2023
A woman using a cushion while in Caterpillar Pose to stay comfortable. Holding poses for long periods can be a benefit and limitation to Yin Yoga for trauma.
A woman using a cushion while in Caterpillar Pose to stay comfortable. Holding poses for long periods can be a benefit and limitation to Yin Yoga for trauma.

Yoga can be an incredibly powerful, therapeutic, and healing force, especially when guided by a knowledgeable and ethical yoga therapist. It has even been shown to help trauma survivors, reshaping their responses to triggers and reducing their symptoms, stress, and anxiety. But there are several important considerations to take into account in order to provide a safe, healing experience for survivors, especially if you’re considering Yin Yoga for trauma.

I’m Brandt Passalacqua, the Founder, Director, and Lead Teacher at Breathing Deeply Yoga Therapy, where I train students to become certified yoga therapists. I’ve had the privilege of working with thousands of clients and have seen firsthand how yoga therapy can help those who have suffered trauma. Below I’ll share my thoughts about the benefits and limitations of Yin Yoga for trauma.

Table of Contents:

What Is Yin Yoga?

Introduced in the 1970s by Paulie Zink, Yin Yoga is a slower paced, more passive yoga practice. It focuses on stretching connective tissues (including ligaments, fascia, tendons, and joints), especially around your spine, sacrum, hips, pelvis, and knees. Guided meditation is also common in Yin Yoga, with a focus on deep breathing and reducing stress.

Poses are often performed on the floor as opposed to standing. They are usually held for 3 to 5 minutes or even longer to achieve a deeper stretch and stimulate the Pranas.

What Are the Limitations of Yin Yoga for Trauma?

Despite its potential benefits, there are several important limitations of Yin Yoga for trauma survivors to consider.

First, Yin Yoga is most often offered in group classes. In any yoga class, you run the risk of getting an instructor who is not trained in trauma-sensitive practices. Unless you are able to find a class specifically for trauma survivors, your needs will likely be different than those of others in the class.

If they don’t know better, your yoga instructor may use directive language, which can be triggering for trauma survivors. Trauma-informed yoga therapy relies on maintaining a survivor’s agency at all times, which is not how most yoga classes operate.

Another major potential issue for those who have experienced trauma is that Yin Yoga is based on holding poses for longer periods of time. This can also be triggering.

Some people may find that there are mental challenges to holding poses for longer periods of time or in certain positions. Survivors should have agency over their bodies at all times, repeatedly getting to make choices about their bodies to understand that they can feel safe in their bodies and have the agency to get out of anything uncomfortable that may occur. This can be at odds with the goal to stay in the same position for an extended period of time.

What Are the Benefits of Yin Yoga for Trauma?

Any style of yoga can potentially be helpful to someone who has experienced trauma, as long as it does not cause them harm or distress. There are some trauma survivors who swear by Yin Yoga.

With Yin Yoga, you have the opportunity to hold poses for longer periods of time. Slowly learning to tolerate certain sensations in your body can be helpful, and for some, Yin Yoga provides a safe place to do this. In addition, Yin Yoga often incorporates breathing exercises, which can be useful techniques for those who have experienced trauma.

At the same time, there are limitations to using Yin Yoga for trauma which make it not the right fit for every survivor. Be sure to consider the limitations of Yin Yoga for trauma survivors outlined above before practicing it.

Can You Heal Trauma Through Yoga?

As mentioned above, yoga can be an excellent avenue for releasing the stress that comes from trauma and healing your body and mind.

Studies have shown that yoga can offer relief from stress, anxiety, and depression. According to an article in the International Journal of Yoga, “The practice of yoga produces a physiological state opposite to that of the flight-or-fight stress response and with interruption in the stress response, a sense of balance and union between the mind and body can be achieved.”

In addition, a study by Dr. Bessel van der Kolk examined the effects of using gentle yoga for women with PTSD in healing classes. The women showed a 30% reduction in symptoms, and several women were no longer diagnosed as having PTSD after 10 weeks of practicing yoga.

What Type of Yoga Is Best for Trauma?

There is no single type of yoga that is universally best for treating trauma. In fact, there is no one best style of yoga for any health condition. Yoga therapy should be personalized to the client at hand whenever possible for best results.

With that said, however, I have seen the best results for trauma survivors come from holistic approaches that involve healing both body and mind. There are a variety of yoga styles that can help heal from trauma, such as yoga nidra, which has helped a number of my clients find healing and peace.

Does Yin Yoga Release Emotions?

Yin Yoga can lend itself well to physical as well as emotional release. It involves tensing, stretching, and releasing your connective tissues, which promotes mobility, flexibility, good breathing, and energy flow.

When someone is tensing their body as a result of emotional stress, anxiety, or fear, there can also be an emotional release associated with the physical release of the body or breath. Yin Yoga can help you engage and clean out several different meridians in your body, which can produce emotional release.

If negative emotions or stressful energy has been repressed, they may also become trapped deep in your connective tissues. Yin Yoga can gently release these emotions and energy, helping you to process them and heal from them. As difficult emotions arise, Yin Yoga can enable you to identify, observe, and accept them through stronger bodily awareness, deep breathing, and meditation.

However, emotional release is not the only factor to take into consideration when using yoga for trauma. Be sure to review the limitations of Yin Yoga as well.

Yin Yoga Poses for Trauma

Before using Yin Yoga for trauma, be sure to consider its limitations and determine if it’s the right style of yoga for you. For best results from any yoga practice for trauma, I recommend working with a certified yoga therapist who can use a trauma-informed approach.

In general, yoga therapy should be tailored to each individual, addressing their unique health conditions and needs. For this reason, it’s not possible to prescribe a one-size-fits-all list of yoga poses for trauma or any other condition. With trauma survivors, constantly providing the choice to do what feels right and decline what doesn’t is more important than any particular pose, reinforcing their agency in everything that they do.

That being said, there is only a limited number of Yin Yoga poses to begin with (somewhere between 16 and 26, depending on who you ask). If you want to get an idea of what Yin Yoga poses a trauma survivor might encounter, I’ve included a few common Yin Yoga poses below.

Caterpillar Pose

A person performing Caterpillar Pose, which you might encounter if you seek Yin Yoga for trauma

This pose can help stretch your spine, hamstrings, and backs of your legs. It can also stimulate your digestive system.

  1. If it feels right to you, start by sitting on your yoga mat. You may find it more comfortable to sit on a cushion or blanket for more support.
  2. If it feels right for you, stretch your legs straight out before you and lean forward from your hips, rounding your spine. You may find it more comfortable to rest your head against a cushion on your legs or use cushions or yoga blocks to support your arms.
  3. If it feels right, allow your legs and spine to relax, with your feet gently resting together or falling outward.
  4. If it feels right to you, hold this pose for 3 to 5 minutes.

Dragon Pose

A person holding Dragon Pose, one of the Yin Yoga poses for trauma you might see

There are actually a number of different variations of Dragon Pose, including Dragon Flying High, Dragon Flying Low, Winged Dragon, Overstepping Dragon, Dragon Splits, Twisted Dragon, and Fire-Breathing Dragon. All of these poses serve to help stretch and open your hips, hip flexors, and quadriceps. The general Dragon Pose, also known as Baby Dragon Pose, is the one described below.

  1. If it feels right to you, start on your hands and knees on your yoga mat, then bring your right foot forward between your hands. You may find it more comfortable to put your hands on yoga blocks rather than on the mat.
  2. If it feels right for you, keep your right knee directly above your right foot while moving your left knee back as far as you comfortably can, dropping your hips and keeping your shin flat on the floor. You may find it more comfortable to rest your left knee on a cushion or blanket.
  3. If it feels right to you, hold this pose for 3 to 5 minutes, rest for 1 minute, and then repeat on the other side.

Revolved Abdomen Pose

This pose engages the abdominal organs to promote circulation in the gut, while also improving strength and flexibility in your core muscles.

  1. If it feels right to you, start by laying on your back on your yoga mat with your knees drawn up to your chest.
  2. If it feels right for you, extend your arms straight out to the sides from your shoulders with your hands resting palms-up on the floor.
  3. If it feels right to you, pull both knees to the right as you exhale, bringing your knees toward your right elbow.
  4. If it feels right for you, breathe deeply and focus on the twist in your abdomen, pressing on your left shoulder blade and revolving your abdomen to the left as you exhale.
  5. If it feels right, hold this pose for 3 to 5 minutes, rest for 1 minute, and then repeat on the other side.

Shoelace Pose

A person demonstrating a forward fold in Shoelace Pose, a Yin Yoga pose

This pose can be great for improving flexibility in your hips. When folding forward, it can also stretch your back and help promote digestion.

  1. If it feels right to you, start by sitting on your yoga mat with your legs in front of you and your knees bent. You may find it more comfortable to sit on a cushion.
  2. If it feels right for you, slide your left foot underneath your right leg, bringing it out past your right hip.
  3. If it feels right, slide your right foot out past your left hip so your right knee is stacked on top of your left knee (or as close as you can comfortably get). You may find it more comfortable to use a cushion or blanket between your knees.
  4. If it feels right to you, you can hold the pose like this or fold forward from your hips. If you fold forward, you may find it more comfortable to rest your chest on a cushion or yoga block on top of your legs.
  5. If it feels right, hold this pose for 3 to 5 minutes, rest for 1 minute, and then repeat on the other side.

How to Get Trained in Yoga Therapy for Trauma

If you’re interested in helping others heal through yoga therapy, I would be honored to be a part of your journey. I’ve spent years practicing yoga therapy privately with clients as well as training aspiring yoga therapists. My personal mission is to make high-quality, ethical yoga therapy as widely accessible as possible, and it starts with each one of my yoga therapy students.

At Breathing Deeply, we offer programs for every level of skill and experience. If you still need to earn your initial 200-hour yoga teacher certification, a prerequisite for all yoga therapists, our program can get you certified while setting you up for success in becoming a yoga therapist, not just a yoga teacher. If you already have your prerequisites completed, you can join our 800-hour advanced yoga therapy program, which ends in yoga therapy certification.

Learn more about our yoga therapy training and apply now to get started.

Q&A – Working with parents & children, healing neuropathy & PTSD for the elderly

January 9, 2023

Welcome to episode 48 of The Breathing Deeply Yoga Therapy and Meditation podcast.

In today’s Q&A, Breathing Deeply founder and lead teacher, Brandt Passalacqua, sits down with his students to ask their yoga therapy questions. The floor is open for all kinds of questions! They can relate to their personal practice, the yoga therapy foundations program, their course practicum, clients and more.

In this Q&A Brandt offers advice on how to approach parents when working with their children as a yoga therapist, the best way to help heal neuropathy and how to work with an elderly person with PTSD in a trauma-informed way.

We hope you enjoy this Q&A. Let us know in the comments any key takeaways you had and share it with someone you think it may benefit!

Ready to train to become a yoga therapist and get in on these intimate Q&As with Brandt, where all of your yoga and yoga therapy questions are answered?

Apply for our next yoga therapy class starting on February 16, 2023.

Om Shanthi, Om Peace 

This episode covers: 

  • How can I approach issues at home when working with children in yoga therapy for mental health?
  • What are some tips to help a client struggling with Neuropathy & a loss of balance?
  • How can I ethically use language when working with an elderly client with PTSD?

Breathing Deeply is a Yoga Therapy and Meditation School, founded by lead teacher Brand Passalacqua in 2014. We hold online and in-person Yoga Therapy Foundations and IAYT accredited Advanced Programs and retreats along with Meditation Programs, including online meditation teacher training and certification and holistic weight loss with Being At Peace with Food.

Breathing Deeply is made up of an active and thriving community of yogis, caregivers, therapists, social workers, teachers, medical professionals, parents & children with the same intention—to serve others, lessen suffering, and co-create a new paradigm in wellness.

2022: A Year-end Message From Brandt

January 3, 2023
Friends in Yoga,

Sitting on a cushion, taking a yoga class, chanting a mantra before your morning coffee…no one would call these radical acts. They are small choices that we make to better ourselves. The motivation to practice often takes form by our desire to be healthier, to be more focused, to connect with our inner self. Each time we practice, the experience is the same and different offering new insights and familiar feelings simultaneously.

When we are practicing well, we expect nothing in particular. Even though we may be motivated by a desire, we know that this moment of practice is unique. If we follow the guidance of the great seers before us, we act without expecting. We simply practice without concern for the fruits of our actions. In this way, we find the present more fully and we are set up to receive what is needed.

When we work as a yoga therapist it is the same. Yoga therapy is a practice just like any other. We are motivated by the desire for an outcome. We listen to our client’s explanation of suffering and create a strategy for them to relieve it. We take the small action of teaching practice. We take our training, skill, and experience and become present. Once we decide on the practices to share with them, everything else fades into the background. We witness the person in front of us take the small action of practice. We do this week after week, month after month. We do our job perfectly by playing our role of educator and letting go of the results.

This is the open secret of yoga therapy. Present-centered practice creates a connection to the flow of nature. Our client’s movement, breath, and meditation connect them to the present moment. It is these small actions that create change. Brain wave states shift, stress levels plummet and spiritual connection becomes felt. The system moves toward balance and finds greater harmony with itself. The transformation they seek is now possible.

Throughout the year, I spend much of my time hearing case studies from our yoga therapy student community. Within them, there are hundreds, even thousands of small actions. Using breathwork, simple movement, guided meditation, chanting…and then…something amazing happens. People wake up, feel better, and suffer less. There is often the element of surprise and amazement that these small acts worked because holding the pieces and the whole at the same time is so very elusive.

So as the year comes to a close, I invite all of us to hold the awareness that no act that is present and in alignment with nature is too small or unimportant. Let us remember that every moment of practice—asana, pranayama, chanting, meditation, text study, yoga therapy study, sharing with clients and friends—contributes to the change we all desire.

May we know ourselves and the world we live in fully and experience the light, peace, and love that is our true nature.

With great respect and love,
Brandt

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