01/17/2026
Hot Yin through the lens of a person managing 🖤
(📷: Hot Yin class April attended)
Walking through the door, the heat hit me immediately. I wasn’t sure how I was going to handle it. As I placed my mat and settled in, I kept checking in with myself: How am I feeling? Am I going to be able to handle this? Can I breathe in this heat?
I lay down on the floor because everyone else was, even though part of me wondered if I’d be able to get back up. The fan above me pushed hot air through the room, but it wasn’t suffocating. I realize, I could breathe, and that I might be okay.
As we began to move, I tried to listen to your cues while also having this inner dialogue of clearing my mind and focusing on my breath. Then suddenly… sweat. More movement, more sweat. My body wasn’t moving the way I thought it should, and emotions came up around that. I had to keep bringing myself back this was about energy flowing, through the music, the heat, the movement, not about perfection.
Some positions hurt more than others. My hip has been bothering me for days, so I moved slowly and did what felt good. I didn’t always understand the terms or the exact positioning, but I trusted myself to move gently and stay aware of my limits. And yes, I was definitely sweating. I even caught myself thinking about what I’ll wear next time, which surprised me because it meant I had already decided there would be a next time.
I kept returning to my breath, trying to relax, and realizing how much my body doesn’t actually know how to relax. That alone is something I want to practice. There were movements I wasn’t sure I could do — my core isn’t strong, and my balance needs work, but I mentally took notes of the things I want to improve.
At one point, I felt a trickle of sweat slide down my neck from my hairline. My body started shaking, and I wasn’t sure if it was my blood sugar or just the intensity of the pose. I adjusted, focused on relaxing, and eventually the shaking eased as we finished.
When I placed the lavender cloth on my face at the end of class, it felt like a gentle, refreshing way to wake up — calm, grounding, and soothing.
Conclusion in comments 🪬🖤🔥