Yoga Revealed
Have you noticed that even if you practice the same yoga sequence or system almost daily, you never quite experience a posture the same way twice? This is remarkable! We experience so many continuous subtle changes in body, mindset, and energetics, that a yoga practice constantly renews itself as much as it renews us in the process.
In certain seasons, our unique composition of energy flourishes; during others, it recedes. Yoga reveals these immensely personal patterns to us in a tangible way.
Understanding the Taoist Elements as 5 Phases, a cycle of energy that ebbs and flows, combined with understanding that we each embody a unique combination of these 5 distinct universal energies, provides a gentle reminder that like all manifestations of creation, we too constantly change, grow, expand, wilt, shed, transform, and renew.
What begins through yoga as mindful movement and meditation becomes inner wisdom to find our balance, unity, and harmony no matter the season or our elemental constitution.
Use today's seasonal quiz below to welcome our next seasonal element, EARTH, in your yoga personality, practice, and lifestyle!
Grounding into the Earth Element
In the northern hemisphere, we've just entered late summer, where the Earth element or phase, prevails. The outer word announces the subtle shift from early to late summer when the initial promise of summertime turns heavy with the fragrance of ripe fruit and damp heat. "The carefree days of summer" morph into something slightly more deliberate and practical, attributes associated with the Earth element.
Internally, the spleen, stomach, and large muscles groups step up for their turn as the ruling organs. Poor digestion, from constipation to IBS, are signs of an imbalanced Earth element in TCM. An abundance of physical muscular strength is attributed to a strong Earth element.
Emotionally, the Fire element, dominant in early summer, full of love, excitement, passion, heat, and movement, is overtaken by the stable, practical, and comforting warmth of the Earth element. If the energy of early summer is a carnal embrace, then late summer is a great big bear hug.
Whether for our physical, emotional, or spiritual body, the Earth element embodies balance, support, comfort, and grounding. When in balance, it manifests great strength for the body, mind, and soul in all aspects of daily living. Imbalanced, we can feel overrun with worry, resulting in a stagnation and paralysis of forward momentum in our lives. Tummy troubles can arise. Loving support can distort into suffocating, overbearing, control and suspicion.
Earth Element Seasonal Yoga Personality Quiz!
Read on to discover more about how Earth element attributes manifest
in your personality, yoga practice, and lifestyle!
How Dominant is the Earth Element in Your Personality?
5 Yes or No Self-discovery Questions:
Here are five questions to answer with yes or no to help you discover how that element shows up in your personality:
Does having a depth of knowledge about a situation help you feel in control?
Do you value stability and routine in your life?
Do you enjoy creating nurturing environments?
Do you have a strong sense of responsibility?
Do you often put other people's needs before your own?
If you answered "yes" to most of these questions, then you may have a dominant Earth element nature. Earth rules the personality attributes of comfort, stability, devotion, and balance. Individuals with a strong and balanced Earth element tend to be caring, dependable, and grounded. The are good-natured, practical, adept planners, and essential in a crisis.
Does the Earth Element Rule Over Your Yoga Practice?
5 Yes or No Questions to Find Out:
Do you feel grounded and stable when practicing yoga?
Do you prefer yoga practice that is consistent and intentional, such as knowing the teacher or what comes next, over attending different types of classes with unfamiliar teachers, unpredictable postures, and varying expectations?
Do you enjoy a yoga practice focused on building strength, endurance, and stability?
Do you appreciate and participate in the nurturing and supportive aspects of your yoga community?
Do you prefer a slower paced yoga sequence over a faster paced, active, yoga flow?
If you answered "yes" to most of these questions, then the Earth element guides your practice style.
Yoga as an Earth element practice is energetically grounding, supportive, and self-nourishing, building inner and outer strength. Physical balance and muscular strength are tangible physical expressions of the Earth element in our bodies. The Earth element is responsible for why our balance in yoga can vary so much from day to day, impacted by factors outside the yoga room. Earth energies help us remain present and clear-minded in trying times, Earth element traits that yoga practice empowers over time, no matter our elemental make-up.
If your Elemental personality or lifestyle lacks a balance Earth element energy, a yoga practice can help fill the energetic void by providing a daily dose of grounding, stability, and self-nourishment. Any one of us can benefit from yoga because we all expend energy outside of ourselves on a daily basis. Yoga refills our own cup, feeding the Earth element in all of us.
In Conclusion
In the coming weeks, we will explore
how to maximize the large muscle groups which are ready for action this time of year,
tips for creating stability (physical and emotional) on and off the yoga mat,
the art of setting and maintaining healthy boundaries, to strengthen your personal Earth element attributes
the Earth element's influence on our third charka and personal power.
Together, let's step into the late summer season empowered with the grounding stability and strength of Earth element.
Namaste,
Lara
PS:
We each embody aspects of all 5 Elements:
For a comprehensive catalog on Fire element yoga, click here.
Find the Summer Yoga FIRE Element Personality Quiz Here and the Spring Yoga WOOD Element Personality Quiz Here.
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