Yin yoga is a style of yoga founded by Paulie Zink. It is a synthesis he created by combining Indian Hatha yoga and several disciplines from the Chinese Taoist tradition with yoga postures and variations, movements, vocalizations, visualization techniques, and insights he developed himself. The Taoist traditions of Yin yoga involves Tao Yin, Qigong, Kung fu, inner alchemy, philosophy, and mysticism. Some of the unique components Paulie Zink contributed to the amalgamation of Yin yoga include those he created independently, while other constituents include those he derived from Hatha yoga and Taoist disciplines by extrapolating upon certain aspects and principles they contain.
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Paulie Zink was born in 1954 and grew up in Hollywood, California. Following high school he worked as a sports car mechanic for many years. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from California State University of Los Angeles in 1983. Paulie Zink first began practicing yoga at the age of 14 by watching Richard Hittleman and Lilias Folan on public television. He took up martial arts at the age of 16 and studied at a local Kung fu school. Then while he was attending college he met Cho Chat Ling, a fellow classmate who was a Kung-fu and Qigong master from Hong Kong.
Eventually Master Cho chose Paulie to become his sole protege. For several years Master Cho came to Paulie’s home nearly every day and privately instructed him in Taoist yoga, Qigong, and Kung fu. Paulie would begin his daily training around ten o’clock at night and practice until dawn. Master Cho taught Paulie Zink three distinct Kung-fu styles collectively called Tai Shing Pek Kwar, otherwise known as Monkey Kung fu. Master Cho trained Paulie for a total of ten years. He never charged Paulie for his tutelage. Paulie began his yoga and Kung fu teaching career in the late 1970’s. Paulie Zink has co-authored two books on Monkey Kung fu. He was featured in the BBC series “Jerry Hall’s Gurus”, a documentary on spiritual teachers produced by Tiger Aspect Productions, UK.
Paulie Zink is the recipient of the following awards and honors:
Long Beach International Karate Championships, California, USA
(Non Combative Divisions)
Grand Champion Empty Hands, 1981, 1982
Grand Champion Weapons, 1981, 1982, 1983
Hall of Fame, Competitor of the Year
1983 Inside Kung Fu Magazine
Hall of Fame, Lifetime Achievement Award
1987 Martial Arts Magazine
Hall of Fame, Kung Fu Artist of the Year
1989 Black Belt Magazine
Hall of Fame
Paulie Zink continues to teach Yin yoga throughout the United States. He conducts teacher certification courses and workshops for both students and teachers.
Originally Paulie Zink identified his unique style of yoga as Taoist yoga. However, there are other forms of Tao Yin and Chi Kung that are called Taoist yoga in the west so this title did not distinguish Paulie’s unique style. Paul Grilley studied Taoist Yoga with Master Zink for about a year in the late 1980’s and learned a basic beginning level of Zink’s art of yoga. He also learned some of Zink's Kung fu exercises. Paul Grilley taught the Taoist Yoga he learned from Paulie Zink to Sarah Powers. In turn, Sarah Powers taught what she learned from Paul Grilley to her students and labeled it Yin Yoga. As a result, Grilley began calling it Yin yoga.[1]
In order to avoid confusion, Paulie Zink eventually adopted the name of Yin yoga for his style. He also refers to his style as Yin and Yang yoga because this designation more accurately describes the totality of the art. Therefore, the term “Yin” yoga is used to identify both the beginner level of Paulie Zink’s Taoist yoga that has been popularized by Paul Grilley and Sarah Powers that consist of a small number of postures and some basic philosophy, and the complete multifaceted system taught by Paulie Zink.
The complete art of Yin yoga encompasses the following components:
Yin yoga- Mostly sitting or lying postures for promoting growth, clearing energetic blockages, and enhancing circulation.
Yang Yoga- Standing or more strenuous postures for developing core strength and muscle tone, balance, and stamina.
Taoist Flow yoga- This includes both yin and yang yoga postures practiced in continuous, smooth and circular motions. The technique of transition from pose to pose is integral to the practice.
Chi Kung- These exercises involve very simple and gentle movement and breathing techniques.
Taoist alchemy- The principles of Taoist Alchemy are based upon the Taoist theory of the five elements that is used in Chinese medicine. As it is applied to Yin yoga, Taoist Alchemy is a method of embodying the energetic attributes of various animals and enlivening the five alchemical elements believed to be contained in the body’s energetic field. The five transforming energies of Earth, Metal, Water, Wood, and Fire animate distinct qualities in the body such as calm, strength, fluidity, springiness and lightness, respectively.
Paulie Zink views the body as a living growing organism in which new cells are being created to replace old and dying cells. He refrains from imposing a limiting belief system on students. He encourages students to believe that healing, growth and improvement are almost always possible. [2]
In the practice of Yin yoga postures are held for extended periods of time. This method of training fosters a state of relaxation in the body and can facilitate the development of flexibility.
Yin yoga targets connective tissue, specifically ligaments and tendons in the joints and spine. Over time, practice of yin yoga can lengthen these tissues, increasing range of motion. To give an idea of the role that connective tissue plays in determining range of motion: muscles account for about forty percent of the resistance against the body's flexibility, while connective tissue accounts for about fifty percent [1]. The intensity and physical benefits of the practice depend on two variables: duration of the asana, and the temperature of the muscle.
In order to lengthen the connective tissue, the practitioner holds an asana, engaging in static stretching. This applies stress, in the form of tension, to the muscle and connective tissue in the targeted region. The muscle, more elastic than the connective tissue, responds immediately, lengthening to its limit. When the muscle is fully stretched, the stress reaches the connective tissue, which is not elastic and does not immediately lengthen. In order to affect the connective tissue, stress must be applied for several minutes at a time. In yin yoga, asanas are usually held for three to five minutes, but can be held for as long as twenty minutes. Because of the long duration of asanas, one of the key values cultivated in the practice of yin yoga is patience.
If the muscles are cold, they will be less elastic, and more stress will be transferred to the connective tissue. For this reason, it is recommended that yin yoga be practiced earlier in the day, before physical activity that warms the muscles and increases their elasticity. However, some note that practicing yin yoga after a strenuous day is psychologically soothing.
Yin asanas are almost entirely passive and do not usually include what would usually be classified as standing asanas or balance poses. During the asana, muscles are relaxed to avoid tetany, or muscle spasming, which will result from engaging muscles for long periods of time. There are only about thirty-five asanas that are taught by most yin yoga teachers, though this number will vary from source to source, and most poses have one or more variations. However, Master Paulie Zink teaches hundreds of yin postures.
There are several books written on the beginning level of Yin Yoga as taught by Paul Grilley, they include:
(The original version of this book is titled Taoist Yoga: Outline Of A Quiet Practice by Paul Grilley)
Matthew Solan, 2003 “Talking Shop with Paul Grilley”, Yoga Journal May/June Issue 174 pg. 24 Paulie Zink, 2009 "The Art of Yin and Yang Yoga", Yoga Magazine September Issue 80 pg. 51