“Playing the Edge”: Yin Yoga Overview

In an August 2017 post, Bernie Clark made this distinction on the vital topic of “playing the edge:”

Pain Is Never Good

Recently I have been hearing about Yin Yoga teachers who demand their students go to their final range of motion/deepest edge and stay there, even if sensations are painful or really uncomfortable. This is not my understanding of how to practice Yin Yoga! Pain is never good and being so uncomfortable that you can’t stay at the edge makes no sense either. Rather the edge should be played! We approach the edge, then back off and wait for it to move. If it doesn’t move, great! Stay…no need to go further… It is neither important nor essential to be at or close to any final edge. As long as there is some stress on the tissues we get benefit. – Bernie Clark