Yin & Release Class 1 | Lakeside Yin

Yin & Release: Science, Stillness, and Self-Awareness

June 14 Class

A guided exploration in fascia, nervous system care, and embodied rest

What Is Yin & Release?

Yin & Release combines two powerful modalities—Yin Yoga and Self-Myofascial Release (SMFR)—to support nervous system regulation, fascial health, and somatic awareness. These practices complement one another: SMFR prepares the body’s connective tissue for stillness, while Yin yoga deepens the release through sustained, supported postures.

Whether you're recovering from high-intensity training, managing chronic stress or pain, or simply curious about slowing down, this practice meets you where you are.

CLASS OUTLINE

The Value of Combining Yin Yoga and SMFR

Modern movement science and traditional healing systems agree: the nervous system and connective tissue (fascia) are intimately linked. By working with both in tandem, we create space for profound, whole-body shifts.

Here's how it works:

SMFR (Self-Myofascial Release) uses gentle pressure—often with therapy balls or blocks—to stimulate local areas of tension and encourage hydration, circulation, and proprioceptive feedback through the fascial network. Research suggests this can reduce neuromuscular guarding and enhance range of motion.¹
Yin Yoga follows with long-held, passive postures that target the same fascial planes. These shapes apply time-based tensile stress to the tissue, inviting deeper access, sensory awareness, and rest-and-digest activation via the parasympathetic nervous system.²

This layered approach supports:

Greater fascial elasticity and glide
Reduction in protective muscle holding
Improved mobility and joint space
Enhanced interoception and emotional regulation
Sleep readiness and long-term recovery

The Science of Fascia & Stillness

Fascia is not just structural—it’s neurologically rich tissue that influences how we feel, move, and heal. Studies show that fascia contains more sensory nerve endings than muscle, making it central to body awareness and pain perception.³

When we release fascial restrictions, we don't just gain flexibility—we create better internal communication, helping the brain map the body more clearly. This supports nervous system downregulation and increased feelings of safety, presence, and ease.

In Yin + Release, we honor this connection by pairing gentle myofascial input with still, meditative shapes that invite integration—not just activation.

What You'll Find in This Practice

This page is a follow-up to our June 14 Yin & Release class at Chi-Town Shakti. Whether you’re looking to revisit the sequence or deepen your understanding of the work, this resource supports continued exploration and integration.

A breakdown of the class structure and sequence, including:

Specific areas targeted through self-myofascial release
Corresponding Yin yoga postures that support those regions
Suggested props and modifications
Recommended hold times and transitions
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This outline is designed to help you revisit the practice at your own pace—or integrate elements of it into your regular movement or mindfulness routine.

CLASS OUTLINE

Thank you for joining Yin & Release. This practice is about more than mobility—it’s about creating the internal conditions for release, rest, and reconnection. We’re not forcing change, we’re inviting it--that’s the power of Yin & Release.

Please feel welcome to reach out and connect with me if you have any questions or requests for our next class or workshop together.

Warmly, Kathryn

If you have questions or reflections, I’d love to hear from you.