I’m reviewing this workout after doing the yang routines and meditation 1-2 times each, the yin routines 3-4 times each, and the savasana at least a dozen times.

General workout breakdown: Christine, Denise, and Beth have already described this DVD so well there’s little left for me to do but flesh out the descriptions of the yin practices a little more. Yin yoga has its own nomenclature, so I’ve added other common names in parentheses, many of which Sarah herself uses.
- Yin Kidney targets the kidney and urinary bladder channels. The postures are butterfly (a wide baddha konasana), saddle (a reclined vajrasana; alternative = sphinx), sphinx, seal (sort of a straight-armed cobra, with the arms a little farther out), twisting dragonfly (upavista konasana), reclined twist w/ legs crossed, and savasana. Staff pose, forward-facing savasana, child’s pose, on back with knees towards each other, and knees to chest are the in between poses.
- Yin Liver focuses on the liver and gall bladder meridians. The postures are a wide knee child’s pose, seal (alternative = sphinx), swan (pigeon; alternative = eye of the needle), shoelace (the bottom of gomukhasana; alternatives = eye of the needle or square, aka double pigeon or firelog), half shoelace, seated twist, dragonfly, and savasana. In between poses include child’s pose and forward-facing savasana.
As mentioned, Sarah holds yin poses for 5 minutes each, although the ending twists are held for 2.5 minutes on each side. Sarah moves deliberately in and out of poses, with pauses in counter poses between the yin shapes.

Level: I’d recommend this to people with some prior yoga experiences. Although Sarah does include some helpful form tips and reminders in some poses, particularly in the vinyasa flows, where she is more focused on alignment, she assumes you’re already familiar with basic yoga. You don’t need to be particularly advanced in your practice, however, as modifications or substitutions are often given, but pre-existing strength and flexibility is helpful for getting more out of the postures. I’d approach this with some caution if you have a physical issue, particularly in the knee, hip, or spine.
I’ve been practicing yoga for 7 years or so now, although I’ve never gotten past into intermediate postures like headstands and simple arm balances, but that’s not an issue here since there aren’t any. Some flexibility limitations present a challenge in the long-held yin postures, and my particular elbow issue makes the chaturanga series difficult, but that’s just me.

Class: Sarah’s class includes both men (including her husband, Ty Powers) and women with varying abilities and ages, so modifications are visible during relevant poses.

Music: none. The only exceptions are the single gong that begins and/or closes practices and the “Om Mane Padme Om” chant that runs for the second part of the savasana.

Set: uncluttered, clean interior studio (Sarah’s usual?), with Buddhist and related objects in the one corner.

Production: clear picture and sound (although the microphone picks up shifting in poses and other ambient sounds), with non-distracting camera angles.

Equipment: Sarah’s class uses a yoga mat for all sessions; they have a thick pillow-like pad (kind of looks like those large square dog beds, but not as squishy) over their mats for the yin portions, and many of them also use what I think is a zafu (round meditation pillow). For the meditation and savasana practice some cover themselves with a (wool) blanket.
I use my mat, 2 blankets, and a block; I also keep my bolster and an additional block nearby. (I need extra propping for seated poses.)

Space Requirements: enough room to do a full sun salutation and to lie down with limbs extended.

DVD Notes: After the disclaimers comes the Insight Yoga logo, followed by a 2 min. introduction from Sarah, which you can skip to get right to the main menu. The main menu has these options: Vinyasa Practices, Yin Practices, Savasana & Meditation, Guided Sequences (these are the 10 premixes Beth mentioned), and Special Features (Sarah’s Biography; Sarah’s Teachers – VFers may recognize among her yoga teachers such names as Paul Grilley, Erich Schiffmann, Richard Freeman, Gary Kraftsow, Ana Forrest, B.K.S. Iyengar, and Ganga White & Tracy Rich; Further Study & Recommended Reading; Suggested Websites; Other Pranamaya DVDs; Insight Yoga Credits). There are chapters within the practices.
As noted, there is an option for cues only for the two yin practices. (I won’t give anything away, but Sarah includes some incredible stories in there, two of which involve a major event that had just happened before the DVD’s filming. The intention was to be inspiring as well as to drive home the topic at hand, but the first time or two the mention startled, almost upset me, because the images from TV and such were still very vivid in my mind.)

Comments: This is my first experience with yin yoga, and I have to say that I’m still not sure what to make of this style. This is a personal thing, however, and is not a reflection of the high quality of this DVD’s production and instruction (as always, Pranamaya makes the instructor and the yoga the true stars). Sarah has a new book out with the same title, Insight Yoga, which I haven’t yet checked out but have been meaning to because I’m not sure if I’m approaching the yin portions correctly. I know it’s supposed to be a passive practice, but I’m having a hard time processing that. I guess I just lean towards more Iyengar-influenced restorative when I want passive yoga, as I find it hard to sit in the yin postures for such a long period of time, especially with a recent back strain, and feel more comfortable with the restorative style of propping.

Sarah mixes Buddhist philosophy (during the yin practices she discusses Buddhist teachings on the human condition, namely the suffering of suffering, the suffering of change, and all-pervasive suffering), Chinese traditional medicine (namely the meridians running through the body that affect the health of different organs), reflections on Tao and dharma, a hint of Zen, and a deep understanding of yoga’s traditions. The concepts of prana and chi influence her distinctive breathing pattern, which sends the breath down to the mula (root) bandha on the inhale and up to the heart center on the exhale (not unlike the viniyoga style of breathing, but without the abdominal lifting focus). All of this sets her approach apart from many others that I know of; most people will find the yoga poses familiar, but the presentation brings new ideas to the picture. In a way the idea that the health of organs can be affected by yoga postures is kind of sort of similar to kundalini yoga, although Sarah prefers a more classical hatha style and a slower paced practice.

I’ve actually read about a few people who use this DVD primarily or almost exclusively for the slow vinyasa sequences. The amount and variety of material on here – plus the quality – goes a long way towards offsetting what is a higher than average price.

Instructor Comments:
Sarah has a very calm presence and speaks in a measured, deliberate manner, with pauses between phrases. Everything she does is measured and deliberate, really. She seems to have a real wealth of knowledge and experience. The Yoga Journal blurb on the back focuses on her intelligent delivery, and I’d agree, especially since her words are more erudite than those usually uttered on workout DVDs. Sarah generally walks around to instruct during the yang practices, stopping to correct or point something out in a student. She remains seated at the front of the class for the yin, savasana, and meditation portions. She cues for her class’s right and left.

KathAL79