Ava McBride, MSW, CSW
A month ago, I had the opportunity to go to a yoga festival. I am beyond grateful for the time I was able to spend in nature and the new techniques I picked up on this 3-day weekend. The first workshop I attended was about Yoga and the Elements. The instructor taught the attendees and me how to utilize earth, air, fire, and water in our yoga practice. Post festival, I have already been able to utilize these techniques at our new Wellness Studio. Bringing in the earth element in Tadasana, or Mountain Pose, allows the student to feel completely grounded, focusing all their energy into the ground, almost as if the student is pushing the earth away. That grounding energy allows us to feel supported and safe. Air allows us to focus on the breath; each breath inhaling a little deeper and exhaling a little longer. A few deep breaths can allow us to detach from emotions and brings us to the present moment. Fire brings the heat, which teaches the student how to engage all muscles even in simple poses. With enough fire, physical transformation will manifest. Last, but not least, water brings more fluid movement into each pose and allows flexibility and cleansing energy to move through the body.
The instructor mentioned how even though water is fluid and changeable, it is still strong, referencing how the Grand Canyon was carved from water over time. This took place slowly but surely, reminding our class that an element known to take the path of least resistance can make unbelievable changes quietly before our eyes. As I experienced the workshop, I realized how the same yoga sequence can be experienced differently depending on what the student’s focus is on and how the elements can be incorporated into day-to-day life. It had me asking myself how many times I approached a situation with fire, and in hindsight, the situation required flexibility like water, maybe a cleansing breath, or perhaps a single moment to ground myself? I can think of more than one occasion in my life that I moved too quickly out of fear or hurt when a better outcome was possible if I would have taken some deep breaths or a few moments outside barefoot grounding in my garden. Fire is a transformative energy and is great in moments where quick decisions, creativity, and change is needed. On the flip side, fire can also cause lasting damage if inspired from a place of difficult emotions. Interesting enough, cooling water comes in the presence of heat. Just like the sweat on our foreheads or on the outside of the glass of a cold beverage on hot day, beads of water manifest to show us that heat rarely exists on its own for long. Tears often follow moments of rage, and the sigh of relief comes after the wheels of the plane touch the ground. All elements are necessary to find balance in our lives. Wisdom allows us to know when and how much of each element any given situation calls for, and with grace, we can dance through the shifts without causing any storms.
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