In falling for the slow practice of Yin Yoga I developed a deep fascination for Traditional Chinese Medicine, or as it’s often called TCM. I started off by going to see an acupuncturist in Brighton (Dragon Acupuncture) for help for my digestion. I was expecting to come out on some kind of high as I often do when I have a Reiki session or some other kind of energy work but I felt kind of flat. What I realised later was that I felt balanced.
Over my life I have always chased the next exciting thing, the next stimulation, my mind felt scattered and I was often in a loop over over excitement or extreme tiredness. In TCM this might relate to the Fire element, which is all about Joy……that saying you can have too much joy and it can tip over into mania!! I have learnt that the heart actually wants you to be gentle with it. Finding the beauty in each moment, like watching the sun sparking on the sea helps to connect with the natural joy we all have within us already.
When I am busy and my head is spinning this is often when my digestion plays up, this relates to the Earth Element. When I feel grounded and settled, it feels easier to process not only my food but also what is going on in life. TCM has reminded me of the importance of being barefoot on the earth, eating easy to digest slow cooked food and doing practices that help to bring me back into my body.
I grew up with asthma, and whilst it doesn’t affect me as much as it used to it is still lingering there in the background. The lungs are part of the Metal element which relates to the Autumn season. They are paired with the Large Intestines, and are all about being able to flow with change and let things go. If you think about it the lungs take in oxygen and let go of carbon dioxide, the large intestines, (the colon) releases what we don’t need from our food. Conscious breathwork is of course one way to look after this element and is a daily practice of mine. Something recently I have learned from Ben Wolff and James Nestor’s Book “Breathe” is the importance of nasal breathing, all the time not just in Yoga. It helps us to breathe more deeply, to take in more oxygen and it helps to create a molecule called Nitric Oxide which is anti viral, anti bacterial and anti microbial…..so pretty helpful with Covid going around!
In TCM it is taught to look after each element for each season, so right now the focus is the Metal element, as above, with the intention that if you do this you will be best prepared for the next season. This has given me tools such as food ideas for each season, activities, acupressure points to encourage the energy and movement practices to help. As I am also a teacher it’s also provided me with a wealth of ideas for theming classes through out the year.
The beauty of living in this way is that I am mindful of each transition of season, I take time to journal, reflect and learn. I see there are benefits and opportunity for each season. I used to try to escape the Winter but now I see the benefit of the darkness, time to slow down and draw inward. Plus it makes the rising energy of Spring and the fun of the Summer all the more joyful! It helps me to see the year as a whole cycle rather than just living for the warmer days.
One of my main teachers on this journey has been Kate Henley, an acupuncturist and teacher based in Harpenden. I met her through the courses she runs with Norman Blair and I have had seasonal mentoring with her over the past couple of years. I am really excited to be part her online course coming up in November where she will be taking you on a journey through each element, one per day. I will be sharing Yoga practices to compliment this. If you would like to find out more please visit this page.
