One of the styles of yoga I practice is Yin yoga. It is named after the yin energy that sits across from yang energy. The two energies balance each other and hold each other up. These two energies expand in all directions. Even as they expand outwardly, they move toward each other. Where they meet, they create a union of a balanced complete energy.
These two energies reside within every living thing. We generally experience Yin energy as passive, cool, soft, grounding into earth. It is the feminine energy. Yang, in contrast, is expereinced as, warm, active, expanding, strong, rising up. It is the masculine energy.
Initially, I thought that the practice of Yin yoga was to move all the way out to the edge of yin energy....which may still be a way of practicing.....but for me, I realized that becoming too loose in my joints was a looming possibility and as I serched for answers it became clear to me that I was headed toward the wrong edge.....
Another way to practice Yin yoga is to explore the edge of where these two energies meet. We can practice finding the edge of lax and taut; of holding and releasing; of stretching and drawing in; of grounding and rising within our bodies. In Yin practice we establish the yin side and approach the yang. Conversely, when we do a yang practice we approach the yin from the yang. In each practice, the challenge is approaching the energy that is not already present.
Discovering the middle edge had been transformative for me.
When we experience the outer edge of the Yin Yang circle we can recognize the imbalance of residing and even increasing the pure Yin or Yang energy.
There are times, for sure, when we all need to draw upon a predominantly yin or yang energy in order to get something done or to accept something that is not ours to change. But is taking up residence out on one of these sides going to take us where we really want to go?
Maybe we don't always know where we want to go specifically, but in general we may. As, for me, I have declared that I want to expand into limitless possibility......
This place of the meeting of the two sides surely has the potential to be demanding and even frightening. But the rewards of bravely moving toward the center edge are great. When we are balanced on this edge we have the ability to be kind and firm; to be available and not a doormat; to be still and creative; to care deeply and not grasp. This edge has the potential to be the place of integrated power and expansion of possibility whether we are on our mats, in our homes or workplaces.
Along this border resides the genesis of expansion of the outer boundary. This center edge is the gathering place of two complimentary forces that allow each of us to break free of the current and move out into possibility.....
...with the strength and stability of drawing in.
It is the edge of dark and light, intuition and logic, cool and hot, hard and soft.......
Here, on this edge, we find the string to our kite.
And soar with connection.
These two energies reside within every living thing. We generally experience Yin energy as passive, cool, soft, grounding into earth. It is the feminine energy. Yang, in contrast, is expereinced as, warm, active, expanding, strong, rising up. It is the masculine energy.
Initially, I thought that the practice of Yin yoga was to move all the way out to the edge of yin energy....which may still be a way of practicing.....but for me, I realized that becoming too loose in my joints was a looming possibility and as I serched for answers it became clear to me that I was headed toward the wrong edge.....
Another way to practice Yin yoga is to explore the edge of where these two energies meet. We can practice finding the edge of lax and taut; of holding and releasing; of stretching and drawing in; of grounding and rising within our bodies. In Yin practice we establish the yin side and approach the yang. Conversely, when we do a yang practice we approach the yin from the yang. In each practice, the challenge is approaching the energy that is not already present.
Discovering the middle edge had been transformative for me.
When we experience the outer edge of the Yin Yang circle we can recognize the imbalance of residing and even increasing the pure Yin or Yang energy.
There are times, for sure, when we all need to draw upon a predominantly yin or yang energy in order to get something done or to accept something that is not ours to change. But is taking up residence out on one of these sides going to take us where we really want to go?
Maybe we don't always know where we want to go specifically, but in general we may. As, for me, I have declared that I want to expand into limitless possibility......
This place of the meeting of the two sides surely has the potential to be demanding and even frightening. But the rewards of bravely moving toward the center edge are great. When we are balanced on this edge we have the ability to be kind and firm; to be available and not a doormat; to be still and creative; to care deeply and not grasp. This edge has the potential to be the place of integrated power and expansion of possibility whether we are on our mats, in our homes or workplaces.
Along this border resides the genesis of expansion of the outer boundary. This center edge is the gathering place of two complimentary forces that allow each of us to break free of the current and move out into possibility.....
...with the strength and stability of drawing in.
It is the edge of dark and light, intuition and logic, cool and hot, hard and soft.......
Here, on this edge, we find the string to our kite.
And soar with connection.
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