Yin Yoga and TCM: Winter season- meridians and postures
(part 2)
In the depth of winter, I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer.
A. Camus
In the second part of the article dedicated to Winter Yin Yoga and Traditional Chinese Medicine, we will explore the postures and meridians that stand for this season of both introspection and insight, a season where slowing down and becoming in tune with our emotions and needs is most important.
Yin Yoga is a gentle flow of postures that activate and stretch the connective tissues of various target areas allowing the energy to flow through, but it is also the perfect time for a practice of stillness, surrender and silence. Yin Yoga is a quiet, still and inward practice that is meant to help us live more harmoniously by balancing our Chi, or energy. Each Yin pose focuses on specific meridians, or energy channels, associated with a specific organ. Also, it is a very individualized practice, where one pose will never look the same among the practitioners, the reason being our different muscular and skeletal variations. The focus of the practice is getting the feeling of the pose and modifying it to our benefit, using props, for better support and grounding. Yin Yoga is a way to begin to reconnect, first to the body, and then to our feelings and thoughts, listening to the wisdom of our being. By taking the time and staying present in the moment, we can connect and find a sense of safety and grounding.
TCM helps guide us toward optimal health and wellness by teaching us how to live harmoniously with each season. Each season, with its own energetic focus, invites us to shift our diets, activities and overall habits in order to create more balance between our bodies and the external environment. In general, Winter is the most yin of seasons, a time where everything sleeps and rests, creating space for new beginning and growth in Spring. In TCM, the state of nature reflects what quality our everyday life should have in order to be in harmony with the energies. Winter is therefore the perfect time for introspection and introversion, time to ask the right questions and find the real answers. Time to breathe more and create more space in our minds and hearts. It is a time for slower, gentler practices, where one can really go within. Yin Yoga offers the key to a profound relaxation, inviting us to embrace a slower pace and release deeply held tension, therefore complementing this season perfectly.
The organs and meridians associated with Winter, according to TCM are the kidney and the bladder. The meridians intersect with each other and they go from the base of the toes, up on the inner thighs and hips and all the way to the spine, chest and face, at the eyes and forehead level. Both kidney and bladder meridian are responsible for our vitality and energy levels, our immunity system, literally flushing away not only the physical impurities, but also negative emotions, fear or anxious thoughts. The kidney and urinary bladder meridians are associated with the element of water, both a powerful and soft one, symbolizing adaptability, fluidity, creativity, on the bright side, basically learning to flow with the rhythm of life. Some of the negative emotions around the target areas for this season that we are tackling are fatigue or exhaustion, fear or suppressed emotions as well as anxiety, so the reverse would be aiming to restore our energy levels, our creativity and capacity of focus and concentration, cultivating a sense of resilience and inner peace, knowing when to push and when to surrender. When our kidney Chi or life force is low, our inner vitality can be depleted, and this is a sign of needing more rest and more sleep in order to restore a natural state of wellbeing. Kidneys also have their own battery of energy that needs to be recharged now and then. Cultivating a sense of presence and rest will eventually help one get out of the winter season more refreshed and recharged and leave aside the pressure of the daily schedules, plans and to-do lists.
Some of the postures that can target and activate the kidneys and the bladder are mostly typical Yin Yoga postures, that target the inner hips and inner thighs’ lines as well as spinal extensions, for example: butterfly pose, child’s pose, happy baby, frog, saddle, dragon pose, reclining bound angle or saddle. By gently stretching and releasing these connective tissues, Yin Yoga promotes the smooth flow of energy along the kidney and urinary meridians. Self-massages for the face or upper body, centering poses as well as a simple exercise such as tapping, can also add to the benefits of activating and relaxing our tissues and fascia. To enhance this experience, it is beautiful to practice in a cozy, warm space, in a soothing and self-caring environment; think about candles, blankets, a journaling moment to capture any thoughts, intentions or insights and some soft music in the background. Yoga by candlelight is a great option, especially during these long and dark nights.
This is, in a nutshell, how Yin Yoga can transform the winter blues into a season of deep and profound transformation, a season of self-love and renewal. By applying the TCM principles into our practice, we can indeed nourish our bodies, minds, and spirits, growing stronger and more grounded and ready to embrace the vitality of next season, Spring.
**********************************************************************************
