Fire & Healing with Yin Yoga in Summer 🔥
Fire is the element of summer season in Chinese medicine & acupuncture.
The fire element is connected with the organs of our heart and small intestine, the emotions of passion and love, the color red, the tongue, and a bitter taste which can be stimulated by eating or drinking bitter foods, such as: goat cheese, grapefruit, chocolate, coffee and using warming spices like turmeric, oregano, and rosemary.
Yin yoga is based on this ancient and magical wisdom of Chinese medicine and acupuncture.
When I studied Insight Yin yoga with founder Sarah Powers (2016) I learned that it works like acupuncture without needles. As we hold a pose for a longer period of time we stimulate the energy flow alongside so called “meridians” in our bodies with the use of gravity and contact pressure points of our bodies with the ground. It works in a holistic way of healing; mentally, emotionally, physically, energetically and spiritually.✨
This is how you can open your heart with Saddle Yin yoga pose:
🔥 Start by sitting on your knees and slowly bend backward while supporting yourself with your hands on each side of your body.
🔥 As we open the front of our body while bending backwards, we expand the tissues in the chest and abdomen. Thereby, we stimulate the meridians of the heart and small intestine. As such, this backbend is a powerful heart opener (see photo).
🔥 Hold Saddle pose for 3 - 5 mins.
🔥 Slowly come out of Saddle Yin yoga pose by using your stomach muscles (!) and hands to come up straight towards the front. Come to the side and lengthen your legs. Put your hands behind you and lean backwards for a moment. Feel the energy flow… ✨
🎵 Music to help open your Heart chakra:
While practicing Saddle pose you can listen to music to help open your heart chakra. My tip for you is “Heart Chakra” from Beautiful Chorus. It beautifully resonates with the heart chakra.
Softening variations:
❤️ Softening variation 1 - You can soften Saddle pose by resting your torso on a cushion (or more) which even helps to curve your back and open the heart. Use as many cushions as you need, and make sure to support your neck whole doing this.
❤️ Softening variation 2 - You can also soften Saddle pose by stretching the legs to the front, opening the knees to the side and placing the soles of the feet together as in Butterfly pose. Slowly come out of this pose by turning on your side while closing the legs, using your hands to push your torso up.
Heart openers like Saddle pose stimulate our feelings of love and passion. Naturally, this works in addition to doing the things we love and enjoy, such as: dancing, walking in nature, swimming, singing, painting, eating, and connecting with the people we love… ❤️✨
Enjoy your Yin yoga practice!
Does it taste for more?
In a Yin yoga Session you receive a series of Yin yoga postures attuned to your unique body, mind, emotions, heart and soul.
Discover what a Yin yoga Session can do for you.
— Maartje Stroeken
📸 - Practicing Saddle Yin yoga pose on the beach near the sea. 🥰 🌊
© 2022 Maartje Stroeken