“To put everything in balance is good, to put everything in harmony is better.” ~ Victor Hugo
Are you ready to feel your most harmonious? One of the best ways to achieve harmony inside and out is to align with nature. We’ve recently celebrated the Summer or Winter Solstice, depending upon where you live on the planet. The word solstice comes from the Latin word sol meaning sun and sister meaning means “to stand still.” It’s the perfect time to check in and see just how balanced you are feeling, both internally and externally.
Whether you’re looking forward to longer days and more sunshine or savoring the crispness in the air as we move into Autumn, take a moment to reflect on how you are feeling. One of the beauties of practicing yoga is the ability to shift your practice on the mat to what is occurring in the world around you. Life is all about balance. Yin and Yang are opposites, just like masculine and feminine energy, light and dark, and waking and sleeping.
When we align ourselves with the transitions in the seasons, we can balance our energy more naturally. We step out of simple balance into a more harmonious, flowing state. One way to achieve this is to flow through balancing postures on the yoga mat. Balancing poses can be incorporated into mellow or strenuous classes. Balancing on one foot or on your hands requires you to quiet your mind and focus your gaze on a single focal point or you’ll fall. This intense focus calms your mind and relaxes your nervous system, creating a perfect environment for reflection and meditation.
Another way to pacify your parasympathetic (passive) nervous system is to practice Yin Yoga, which is characterized by holding a handful of postures, usually seated or supine, for several minutes apiece. Yin addresses the deeper layers of connective tissue in the body––ligaments, tendons, fascia, and benefits the internal organs. The more active practice of Yang yoga is dynamic, which is great for the sympathetic (active) nervous system. Both styles of yoga benefit your body, mind, and heart and combining the two will have you feeling blissful.
Whether you take a full Yin class, a Yin/Yang hybrid class, or a practice dedicated to mastering the art of balance, you are working with the power of Mother Earth and nature, which amplifies your internal and external rewards. It’s a great time to try one or all of this week’s classes!
Yin / Yang Balancing Flow - Claire Petretti Marti
The Art of Balance - Keith Allen
Yin Yang Yoga for the Upper Body - Elise Fabricant
Balance is a Life Skill - Kylie Larson
Want Balance? Cultivate Presence. - Kristin Gibowicz
Yin Yoga for Energy Balance - Annie Au