Five Element Theory
The Five Element theory gives us a multi-dimensional view of life and a framework to help us identify where imbalances in body, mind and emotions occur. It is rooted in the ancient Eastern philosophy that the natural composition of our world can be attributed to the elements of Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).
Each element has multiple categories such as a season, a stage of growth and development, an emotion, an internal organ, a sensory organ, a colour, sound, direction, climate and many more.
There are five phases within the cycle of Yin and Yang representing natural energy in different stages of change. These are also descriptions of energy which are common sense when you consider them:
-
in Spring the energy is rising and growing;
-
in Summer the energy is active and dispersing;
-
in late Summer the energy is centering and grounding;
-
in Autumn the energy is consolidating
-
in Winter the energy is sinking
These patterns of energy can also be observed within the human body as in nature. Our body has a natural balance which is ordering, nourishing and cleansing internally, and protective externally. Our organs have a natural rhythm and cycle that keeps us healthy without us having to do anything actively however this delicate balance can become overloaded by the stresses and strains of modern life.
Our internal energy flows through channels in the body called Meridians or Nadis nourishing the body's organs, glands and their related systems. Some meridians store energy whilst others conduct energy to and from their associated organ.
Our seasonal yoga postures are specifically selected to unblock and re-charge the associated seasonal organ meridians with movement, stretching, breathing and mental focus . This corrects any deficiencies and activates the body's own healing responses.
The Seasonal Yoga system recognises an additional element of Ether (Space) in the short season of Early Summer in May/June. This is an important transitional season helping us to safely navigate the changing energies from Spring to Summer