Harness the transformative power of the 5 elements to elevate your consciousness and move beyond your limitations.
Welcome to our continuing journey of exploring the ancient wisdom of Taoist 5 Element philosophy and its relevance to our modern yoga practice.
As we delve into the teachings of the Taoist 5 Elements season by season, we will discover how they reveal patterns in our behavior, emotions, and even our yoga practice. By understanding these patterns, we can find ways to enhance our practice, find balance, and connect to the universal consciousness within us. Join me on this journey of self-discovery and growth, as we unlock the secrets of the 5 Elements and apply them to our yoga practice.
The Power in Patterns
Pattens abound in the natural world, including in our own human nature. Ancient sages studied these patterns to understand how we fit into the world around us. Using their skills of observation and intuition, they created the wisdom of the Taoist 5 Elements to express how universal consciousness is manifested and expressed.
This blog applies ancient Elemental wisdom to help us understand our modern yoga journey so that we can maximize results, minimize burnout, and nurture the universal consciousness within us. If we apply the methods of Elemental observation to our yoga practice, we can gain insight to where and why we get stuck in our yoga journeys and use the knowledge to help us move forward again.
We start with a quick overview of the Taoist vs Ayurvedic 5 Elements,
then move on to unwrap the elemental characteristics of springtime,
then conclude with 2 personal quizzes to discover how Wood, the element of spring, manifests in our psyche and on the yoga mat!
Mini-Lesson on the Ayurvedic Elements vs Taoist 5 Elements
Most yogis are more familiar with the Ayurvedic Elements of Ether, Fire, Earth, Air and Water. Since my personal principal background of study is the Taoist 5 Elements, I focus my teaching on those, which are Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water.
For reference, the Ayurvedic 5 Elements replace Wood with Ether and Metal with Air. The reason for this is the Taoist 5 Elements are known as the post-Heaven 5 Elements which means they are in the world of form, when consciousness wanted to experience itself through form. They replace the pre-Heaven Elements of Ether and Air which are more ethereal, with the more tangible Wood and Metal.
These two ancient sciences evolved side by side, primarily in India and China. The ancient sages traversed the Himalayas to share information, find worthy disciples, and spread their teachings.
In short, the simplest way I can explain the difference is that the Ayurvedic 5 Elements consider Earth, Fire, Water, Air and Ether as the building blocks of creation. They are the ideas of creation and therefore, less solid, like air and ether. The Taoist 5 Elements replace Air with Metal and Ether with Wood because the Taoist 5 Elements exist in the world of form, not as ideas of creation, but as the physical manifestation of creative consciousness. The Taoist 5 Elements have measurable shape and form. They clarify the Ayurvedic Elements as pre-heaven, or before form, and the Taoist Elements as post-heaven, or after form.
Don't worry, that's as much as you need to grasp for the purpose of this blog!
Today's blog focuses on recognizing the element for spring, Wood, and what it can reveal about our yoga practice and our elemental personality!
Stalled out in Spring?
The Wood element is synonymous with new beginnings, rebirth, and all things spring, like the color of spring green, the tangy flavor of non yet ripe fruit, the healing sounds of wind through the trees, and even the instinctual habits of wildlife waking up after hibernation.
So in our yoga practice, the spring season may be waking us up again, ready to embrace a practice lost to winter hibernation. Maybe this season we are inspired to dip our toes into new waters, seeking out new beginnings on the mat.
I personally felt the pull to try out an aerial yoga practice just to experience something new and unfamiliar. Any you know what? It was super uncomfortable and I didn't really want to go back after that first class. And that fits right into the nature of the Wood element and this week's blog lesson!
When starting something new, one of two things happens. The first is that we drop it before it has opportunity to take off because it's hard, unfamiliar, and uncomfortable. No one really enjoys being the new kid in class or carving out a new routine.
I see this in yoga mostly when friends drag friends to yoga for the first time. Boy did I dread that as a studio owner and teacher! Some people naturally really resist the Wood phase of living. And this tendency makes them super miserable in their first yoga class! An excited referral is great, but anytime I heard, "I finally convinced so-and-so to come to class with me!" and I looked next to them and saw so-and-so's miserable face staring wordlessly back at me, I knew my teaching skills would be tested to help acclimate this Wood resistant personality into the practice as best as I could. (Did I mention emotions for the Wood element include anger and irritability? Remember that before you drag your next friend to class!)
But while some of us loathe a new start, others LOVE it! Which are you? Sure, some of us are hardwired for a harder time with change than others, depending on how deeply and how balanced the Wood element shows up in our unique physical construct. But rising up to a challenge is another facet of the Wood element that shines brightly in some individuals. Knowing our elemental nature can help us find balance, especially when we are challenged to choose outside of our comfort zone, against our natural tendencies.
Harnessing this power of recognition allows the second possibility to take shape - we learn how to stick through a new start and embrace the challenge. We learn to trust the new beginning and cultivate patience, also an emotional characteristic of the Wood phase.
Yoga is so helpful for this because the practice conditions us to almost always be at the forefront of something new, which means we continuously condition ourselves to find stillness in discomfort and step with grace into the unknown. First, we learn to observe our feelings on the mat, next we start to recognize the same feelings off the mat. That awareness is a step toward regulating our emotions and freeing ourselves from misery. From there, we trust ourselves to make new choices and ultimately, find a new outcome.
Understanding our own elemental nature brings us closer to living a more mindful, happier lifestyle.
Take the Wood Element Quiz!
How Strongly Does the Wood Element Show Up in Your Nature?
Answer Five Yes or No Questions:
Do you often feel restless or impulsive?
Do you prefer to be in charge and make decisions?
Do you have a competitive spirit and enjoy taking risks?
Are you goal-oriented and determined to succeed?
Do you feel rejuvenated when spending time in nature?
If you answered "yes" to most of these questions, then you may have a dominant Wood element driving your nature. In balance, Wood represents growth, expansion, and creativity. People with a strong Wood element tend to be assertive, visionary, and confident leaders.
How Does the Wood Element Manifest on Your Yoga Mat?
Answer Five Yes or No Questions:
Do you often feel energized and enthusiastic when practicing yoga?
Do you enjoy practicing challenging poses that require strength and determination?
Do you tend to push yourself to your limits in your yoga practice?
Are you able to adapt and flow with your yoga practice when obstacles arise?
Do you feel a sense of accomplishment when you achieve new goals in your yoga practice?
If you answered "yes" to most of these questions, then the Wood element is quite balanced in your yoga practice, helping you tap into inner strength, perseverance, and the challenge to achieve new goals.
If you answered "no" to most of these questions, your elemental nature shies away from the new beginnings the Wood element represents. Your comfort zone and natural response to learning something new may be feelings of discomfort, rather than excitement. Recognizing this can help you stick with a new start because you know what to expect from yourself.
For example, let's revisit my aerial yoga adventures! I already know from years my Taoist studies that I don't usually love new things right away. I need time to try try out changes, grow into the newness until it's less uncomfortable. This has always shown up in my yoga practice. My natural first impression of new postures, new teachers, even new playlists or yoga sequences is "no." So I've learned to allow my first impressions second cand third chances before I formulate an opinion.
However, in contrast, my friend I attended class with, who was also trying aerial yoga for the first time, felt excited and energized after class and couldn't wait to go back! Unlike me, his personal embodiment of the Wood element welcomes change and new beginnings. He LOVES new things.
Seeing this contrast helps remind me to be more reflective about my own nature and more open to the discomfort of being "green." And that helps me navigate the world in greater harmony. I hope this quiz and example helps you the same way.
In Conclusion
Each of the Five Elements - Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water - represent different aspects of our physical and emotional lives. By identifying our dominant element, we can gain insight into our personality, strengths, and weaknesses, knowledge we can apply to create a more balanced life.
As each new season approaches, we will explore how the element shows up in our psyche and in our yoga pracitce. These insights will help us lead a more mindful and balance life through understanding different expressions of our nature.
Thanks for reading. If you enjoyed this week's blog, please comment and share!
Namaste,
Lara
In addition to being an extraordinary yoga teacher, Lara is a spiritual leader who inspires all who come in contact with her.
Bob Levant , Author and Founder of Iron Advocate Mindset
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