Root to Rise - earth

The way our modern, Western society prioritises ways of being has come to affect how we perceive life, our place in the world and is therefore having an effect on our health. It’s put on us that working really hard, earning more, living faster and flashier is better, whereas taking time to reflect, pause, rest and just ‘be’ can be seen as being selfish, or not important. 

But in the ancient model and yin and yang, the opposing and complementary forces are both as important as the other in this creation. As natural as the transition from winter to summer, warm yang energy emerges from quiet yin energy - and vice versa. Similarly, how well rested your body determines how dynamically active it can be. This basically means, how well you are able to rest and recharge determines how much you can give back to the world. Rather than always running on half charge and hence running yourself into the ground, I invite you to make clear choices about when you are actively giving to the world, and when you are giving to yourself. 

In this class, we’ll be starting with some long hold yin poses to bring deep rest and strength to the body, and then use that steadiness as a foundation to bring some yang energy to the body. Finally, we’ll end with some more quiet yin postures so that you end this class feeling in perfect harmony, ready to start your day with quiet inner strength and clarity.

As this class focuses on the element of the earth, you will recognise the Dru Prithvi Namaskara (Earth Sequence) as a basis for the flowing/ dynamic section of this class. Nourish your roots and re-establish your connection to the earth in this beautiful class.

This class contains postures such as:
Sitting forward bend
Cat
Dog
Earth Sequence flow with Warrior 1 and 2, Bhima and extended runner

"Yang is known to be more will-oriented, and dynamic in nature. It is eternal motion and cosmic action. Yin on the other hand is receptive, supportive and magnetic. It is eternally stabilizing and of cosmic potentiality. Both Yin and yang possess the needed qualities for creation and evolution.” (S.K. Paul)