Yin yoga & embodiment of the metal element
This gathering is an interlude – to pause from busyness, our embodied universes of thought and feeling huddled together in a finite space.
Autumn is a time for appreciation and nourishment of our spirits, when people and cultures enjoy bountiful harvests, and ooze gratitude and generosity. It’s a time for holding on to the goodness and letting go of the unnecessary, finding space to be without unwanted distraction, making space for comfort and rest.
Indulge yourself in a grounding, softening three-hour practice filled with gentle movement, deep breathing, and long steady restful poses to rebalance. We’ll take some time to focus on the qualities of this time of year, considering and being thoughtful about what we need to keep within us.
Formed from the earth's fiery core, the metal element is glowing and transformative, with qualities of strength, power, and resilience. To ease ourselves into our season of harvesting, we work a little more with breathing this time, focusing on our lungs, and the body’s process of letting go. Deep release!
Where spring is the time to grow, autumn is the time to cut back and consolidate, closing in, like the flower closing its petals for the night. Yin energies are ascending, the days grow shorter and cooler, and everything prepares to rest. We nurture our ability to see what's of true value and importance in life.
Yin yoga & the five elements
Like a network of rivers nourishing a landscape, the meridians are the channels through which qi (chi) flows, to nourish and energise the human body like rivers nourish the Earth. Collectively, the meridians form the matrix within which the physical body functions and communicates with the energetic body. The positions of Yin Yoga affect our meridian orbits in a positive direction, and gives us a deeper understanding of our inner workings, so we learn to self-regulate more efficiently. We can embody the qualities and feelings that we find, using mindful movement to embrace what we encounter in these elemental practices, creating a more intimate relationship with ourselves and whats around us, moving through emotions and regenerating as needed.
Taoism believes that each of the five elements has the ability to draw us towards stronger emotions, behaviors (reaction/action – situation-led), tendencies (frequency of behaviour), attitudes (thoughts/feelings - experience-led), activities, moods, energies and overall health.
Miz - @natarajayogauk
Miz has practiced and studied yoga for almost 20 years, qualifying in various aspects of the practice; Ashtanga, Vinyasa, Sequencing, Embodied Yin & Functional Yin, as well as Tantric Philosophy, Qigong, and Somatics & Restorative Practices. Her classes are about connection, within and from the practitioner, embracing flow and the natural world through steady vibrational energy.
