Welcome to Summer 2016!June 20th marks the Summer Solstice for 2016; the longest day of the year. In addition, this year's solstice is joined by a full moon! The perfect balance of yin and yang energy. I encourage you to find a way to honor this change of season and acknowledge Mother Earth and all her gifts. It could be as simple as sitting outside and being fully present with your surroundings. Or perhaps engaging in a short metta (loving-kindness) meditation.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the heart is the organ associated with summer and is paired with the small intestine. The element associated with the season is fire and the emotion is joy.

We can use Yin poses to stimulate the heart meridian or as a way to counter the heat of summer. The seated forward folding yin poses are cooling and calming to the body. Great to use when we feel over stimulated by the busyness of Summer. 

Yin yoga does not traditionally focus on the upper body organs/meridians but there are ways to stimulate the upper meridians through the yin poses. One of the easiest ways is to incorporate the arms into the poses. For example, extending the arms out in front of the body in butterfly pose or up by the ear in a reclining twist.  Another great pose is melting heart (aka quarter dog). In melting heart, we are stimulating the heart meridian through the pressure placed on the arms. You can do this pose by extending both arms at one time or just one arm at time; making sure to do both sides.

Tips for Summer

• Eat lighter, cooling foods such as salads and fresh fruit, like watermelon.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Incorporate activities into each day that bring you joy.
• Practice compassion with yourself and others.
• Take long, calming breaths when feelings of agitation arise.
• Pay attention to when you are feeling tired and take time to rest.
• Take advantage of the warmer weather by walking barefoot outside and absorbing the energy from the earth.

As explained in last month's article, the Fall equinox on September 23rd marked the beginning of the Yin season; a time when we begin to slow down a little after all the activities of the more active summer (Yang) season due to shorter days and cooler temperatures. Both are characteristics of the Yin season. 

Letting go of the summer season can be difficult for some people. There can be feelings of grief over what appears to be a loss during this transition time as we move more inward both physically and mentally. I encourage you to embrace whatever feelings the season brings and be open to exploring what this time means to you. It's important to acknowledge and process our emotions as they arise so we can let go of them and continue to move forward. A meditation practice that incorporates a time of checking in with your emotional self can be useful. It can also be helpful to set an intention for the season that you remind yourself of each day. Perhaps acceptance of things as they are or compassion for yourself in a particular area of life or maybe practicing compassion with others. 

 A Yin routine that incorporates some back-bending poses such as Sphinx/Seal, Swan, Saddle, or Cat Tilt (pictured above) is a good way to stimulate your lung chi which will help you move through any feelings of loss you may be experiencing at this time. Below is a suggested routine for this time of year. 

• Easy sit - check-in with your emotional self and set an intention for your practice 
  
• Child's pose with knees wide and arms extended 
  
• Dragon (low lunge) on each side with a twist 
  
• Sphnix/seal with child's pose after 
  
• Cat Tail either staying with the head in the hand or reclining back into a twisting backbend - take a few moments flat on your back between sides 
  
• Shavasana 

One of the reasons I fell in love with the Yin practice is because of the ability to be still in a pose long enough to settle and connect with the deeper level of this practice we call yoga. The ability to let go of the surface level and go deeper into the unconscious is a profound experience in letting go of the stress and tension that accumulate in the physical body. Once there, I can begin to let go of the stress and tension in my mind. I love the Yin practice for allowing me to be in a pose long enough to be able to connect with the breath and really feel it in my body. It's such a great opportunity to practice mindful being. When my mind is too busy to stay with the breath, I can practice mindfulness by focusing on the physical sensations brought about by being in the pose. Noticing what I feel and where I feel it; trying to direct the breath into the spaces that feel restricted or blocked in some way; and consciously relaxing the muscles are all ways to keep the mind in the present moment which is all meditation is really about anyway. 

If you've always wanted to practice meditation more at home but have a difficult time getting started, I now have an audio file that will guide you into a settled place. You can do this while seated, lying down, or in your favorite yin pose. You can stay and meditate beyond the length of the audio file or you can end with it.  Meditation doesn't have to be for an extended period of time. Start where you are and work from there knowing each day will be different. Some days I sit, some days I meditate while lying down, some days I'm in butterfly pose. Some times it's just a few minutes. Some times it's longer. In the end, it's really about just taking the action. You'll be amazed at how much you can benefit from even a few minutes each day or perhaps a few minutes multiple times a day. 

Recently I've had conversations with several people about how to practice at home when you aren't able to get to class.  There are basically two options.  One is to create your own home practice (which I'm more than happy to help you with) or to purchase DVDs to practice with that will guide you through a  sequence of poses with appropriate hold times.  I am flattered and encouraged by those who have asked if I have a video of my own.  I hope to one day have something you can use but until then I recommend the following DVDs that I have in my own collection.  I am sure there are others that are just as good but I do not have personal experience with those DVDs or the instructors.  Not only do I have Sarah and Paul's DVDs but I have studied with both of them in person.

Sarah Powers has several DVDs out.  The ones that include Yin sessions are "Yin and Vinyasa Yoga DVD" and "Insight Yoga DVD".  Both also include yang/flow sessions for a balanced practice.

Paul Grilley also has several DVDs.  The one with Yin practices is "Yin Yoga".  I also highly recommend his "Anatomy for Yoga" DVD.  Great way to learn about the structure of your own body and why some poses may be more challenging for you to do.

As I mentioned in last month's post, Spring is associated with the liver and gallbladder in Traditional Chinese Medicine with the liver being the yin organ and the gallbladder being the yang organ.  Sarah Power's explains in her book, "Insight Yoga," that when our liver chi is out of balance, we can experience a wide range of unbalanced emotions such as chronic anger, strong resistance, and defensiveness or timidity and hesitation when liver chi is depleted.

We can affect the health of these organs and balance the liver chi by targeting the associated meridian with long-held yin poses.  The liver meridian runs up the inside of the legs so poses such as butterfly, dragonfly, and wide-knee child's pose are great for stimulating chi flow there.  Both butterfly and dragonfly can be done seated or against a wall.  Butterfly can also be done while lying down.  While in the poses, focus on offering yourself compassion to help counterbalance any emotional disturbances caused by a liver chi imbalance.

The Fall equinox (September 22nd) will mark the beginning of the Yin season.  A time when we begin to slow down a little after all the activities of the summer/Yang season.  The days start to get a little shorter and the temperature a little cooler; both characteristics of Yin. 

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) associates the season with letting go. It is a time of reflection. A time to ask yourself what emotional baggage are you holding onto that you would benefit from letting go? Letting go of this baggage will make space for more positive energy to flow in.

TCM also associates the season with the lung/large intestine organ pair; with the lungs being the Yin organ of the pair and the skin being considered the third lung.  If you notice a rash or a cold coming on it's possible that your lung Chi is out of balance.  A Yin routine that incorporates some back-bending poses (Sphinx/Seal, upright Swan, Saddle) is a good way to stimulate your lung chi. In addition, consider using a Netti pot to clean out the nose; the opening to the lungs. 

With temperatures varying from day to day, even hour to hour some days, it's a good idea to carry a sweater to protect you from the instability of the season.  It's also a good idea to watch how much dairy you consume as dairy is known to cause excess phlegm in the lungs.  Cora Wen suggests eating cooler foods such as whole grains, squashes, pumpkins, root vegetables, apples, pears, kidney beans and tofu to help keep the body in balance. She also suggests using honey, cinnamon and ginger to warm the internal body.

It's important to take care of yourself during this time of transition so your body is prepared for the winter season. Practicing Ahisma (nonviolence/compassion) with yourself during the yin seasons (fall and winter) is very important to your overall health and well being. Don't push yourself too hard; take time to rest and relax and laugh with friends. A meditation practice focused on watching the breath could also be helpful as the breath is the link between the body and the mind and helps to regulate the nervous system.

One of the many benefits of a regular yoga practice of any type is the way it can affect your life off the mat.  The benefit I first noticed was the physical state of relaxation after a class.  This relaxed state of being helped to reduce feelings of anxiety and helped me to sleep better at night.  These benefits kept me coming back to my yoga mat day after day.

Something unique to Yin Yoga is the way poses are held for several minutes at a time.  Through this holding, I learned how to feel okay in my body while experiencing sensations that are uncomfortable   This translates into everyday life as the ability to handle uncomfortable life situations.  Maybe it's a confrontation with someone or dealing with the ramifications of a family member's disease or making a life transition.  All of these situations can bring on feelings of discomfort but because of a Yin practice, I can be okay being uncomfortable today.  

Something unique about the Yin classes I teach is the incorporation of mindfulness meditation techniques.  I found that by learning to use these techniques in all the various poses, I could translate these techniques into all my daily experiences.  No matter what I'm doing, I can always stop and focus on my breath and the way that it feels in my body and take a break from the chatter in my mind.  By relaxing my mind, I can relax my body by triggering the physical relaxation response.

A third benefit of a Yin practice is the ability to take the attention inward and let go of the outer world.  Through this practice, I can connect with what's going on below the surface.  I can take time to notice the emotions I'm holding in my body.  By doing this on a regular basis, I've learned to be more attune to my feelings and emotions.  I believe this type of practice has helped me be less emotionally reactive through giving me the ability to pause and breathe.

To reap more of the benefits of this type of practice, I encourage you to try to practice a little every day.  Even doing just one pose can be beneficial.  Do whatever pose is your favorite or try Butterfly pose (below).  It's a great one to stimulate all the meridians.

Yin yoga is a great way to balance the heat that summer brings as yin poses, particularly forward bending poses, are cooling and can also help calm the body.  Summer can be a busy and exhilarating time with all the activities that nice weather and long days can bring.  A yin practice is a nice complement to the yang energy of summer; keeping the mind and body in a healthy balance. 

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the heart is the organ associated with summer and is paired with the small intestine.  Yin yoga does not traditionally focus on the upper body organs/meridians but there are ways to stimulate the upper body meridians through the yin poses.  One of the easiest ways is to incorporate the arms into the poses.  For example, extending the arms out in front of the body in butterfly pose or up by the ear in a reclining twist.  Another great pose is melting heart; as demonstrated in the picture above (courtesy of yinyoga.com).  In melting heart, we are stimulating the heart meridian through the pressure placed on the arms.  You can also do this pose by extending just one arm at a time; making sure to do both sides.


Tips for Summer

• Eat lighter, cooling foods such as salads and fresh fruit, like watermelon
• Take it easy with the heavier foods such as meat and dairy as well as spicy foods
• Drink plenty of water
  
• Incorporate activities into each day that bring you joy
• Practice compassion with yourself and others
• Take long, calming breaths when feelings of agitation arise
• Pay attention to when you are feeling tired and take time to rest
• Take advantage of the warmer weather by walking barefoot outside and absorbing the energy from the earth