ENLIGHTEN UP! a blogSelf-awareness stories: lighting our way to clarity, contentment and resilience in a complicated world.
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 My last post on the five great elements explored Fire. In this post, we’ll explore the air element and how it can help us enlighten up. What is air? It’s mostly gas. It’s Earth’s atmosphere. It’s all around us. Air is existence without form. We can’t see it but we can feel its effects on us. Think of enjoying a refreshing breeze on a hot summer day or the revitalizing sensation of breathing in cool morning air through an open window. Because air is vital to life, it pays to take a moment to consider the physical, energetic and psychological aspects of this element. Physical: On planet earth air is the breeze that gently blows or the wind that howls. It can also be a powerful and destructive force like a hurricane or a tornado. Air is made of oxygen, nitrogen and smaller amounts of several other gases and particles. We associate the air element with breath. We need air to live. A lack of air will kill us faster than a lack of any other element. Energetic: Air represents all movement necessary in the process of creation. Dr. Vasant Lad in his book, Ayurveda, The Science of Self-Healing says, “Air is the element of movement. Air manifests in the larger movements of the muscles, the pulsations of the heart, the expansion and contractions of the lungs and the movements of the stomach wall and intestines. Under a microscope, even cells may be seen to move. The entire movements of the central nervous system are governed by bodily Air.” This subtle aspect of the air element is called prana, the vital universal energy that surrounds, circulates and regulates all bodily functions. We get much of this vital energy through breathing but can also take it in through sunlight, water, plants, trees and live foods. For example, recently I drove to the mountains for a retreat. When getting directions, I told Siri to avoid highways. She took me through a glorious sunlit, peaceful, tree filled backcountry drive. I swear I could feel the prana pouring into my entire being the whole time. Pure air element bliss! Psychologically our thoughts and emotions, like air, are changeable aspects of the mind reflecting back to us our ability to connect and flow with the ups and downs of life. When we move with lightness, balance, grace and ease; when we are creative and spontaneous; when sleep comes easily and digestion is good - this element is in balance. However, when we feel nervous, anxious, and have difficulty sleeping, completing projects, feel ‘spacey’ and unfocused, and have poor digestion – this element can be said to be excessive and out of balance. To create physical, mental and emotional balance using the air element, it can be helpful to ask yourself these questions:
When you are aware of the answers, especially to the last question, you can take steps to bring more balance to your day and to your life. Here are a few easy and accessible suggestions that work with the body, breath and pranic energy.  Quick Life Hacks for Balancing the Air Element To work with your body, try Child’s Pose to calm your nervous system and reduce the effects of anxiety and stress. Instructions
Variations
To work with your breath, try Relaxation Breathing. It brings awareness to the breath, slows the rate of breathing, lengthens the exhalation and calms the nervous system. Instructions 1. Sit with a comfortable relaxed spine. 2. Relax the chest and shoulders. 3. Close the eyes (optional). 4. Inhale. Exhale. Hold the breath out and silently count “one thousand one, one thousand two.’ 5. Repeat and continue for 2-3 minutes.  To work with pranic energy, try Adhi Mudra. This hand gesture is said to encourage stillness. Instructions 1. Sit with your spine comfortably aligned. 2. Soften your chest and shoulders. 3. Close your eyes or keep them slightly open and gaze at the floor. 4. Form soft fists by placing your thumbs across your palms and folding your fingers around your thumbs. 5. Rest your hands, knuckles down, on your knees or thighs. 6. Hold the mudra and sit quietly for 2 - 5 minutes as long as you are comfortable. 7. Focus on your natural breathing process. 8. When you are ready to come out, release the mudra and stretch your body in any way your body needs to stretch. In Mudras for Healing and Transformation, by Joseph and Lilian Le Page, Adhi Mudra should be practiced with caution if you have low blood pressure. On a personal note, I have low blood pressure but am able to practice Adhi Mudra regularly with no problems. As you work with your air element breathe in these wise words from Toni Morrison, “If you surrendered to the air, you could ride it.”
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 By Michaele P. White-Risbrook And Deborah Randolph Price Co-founders, Soulas Sisterhood “Sisterhood is a funny thing. It’s easy to recognize, but hard to define.” – Pearl Cleage Yes it is...and why? As the quote says, it is easy to recognize but hard to define. We hear that word - sisterhood - a lot more these days. Why? Has sisterhood taken on a new meaning? Sisterhood has sustained women and been a source of empowerment for a long time... think of the ancient African matriarchal societies; the 1800’s suffragettes; the 1960’s women’s liberation movement; today’s Me Too movement, sororities, church groups, etc. What’s the common thread?
We believe Sisterhood to be a deeper and a more intimate way to connect women to both their individual and collective power. Women need to be recognized, supported, and celebrated! To meet these needs, we founded the Soulas* Sisterhood in 2016. We are committed to helping women “birth the longings,” unapologetically manifest their dreams, and become the women they were meant to be. Sisterhood is one of the Soulas’ pillars. Soulas empower women to embrace their worth, their choices, and their joy. It also provides women with a safe sacred space where sisterhood thrives. The Power of the Soulas Sisterhood is: Connection Soulas Sisters connect to each other…even in Covid and in the new realities of ZOOM meetings. Powerful, enduring connections are made. Sisters connect across the globe. “We chat from 3 different time zones, to cheer each other on, inspire confidence and connectivity through our varied experiences. It has been wonderful to chat each week learning that we are never alone and even strangers can become friends in-kind.” [Erika, UK] Recognition Soulas Sisters are comfortable authentically sharing and being heard, seen, and recognized! Soulas embodies this quote: “Sister. She is your mirror, shining back at you with a world of possibilities...and you are so for her…” Support Soulas Sisters are surrounded by women who truly nourish each other, who entrust each other with helping each of us manifest our dreams. No ego-just support! Sisters gather monthly-to learn, to grow, AND to support our life's challenges-all without judgment. To call another woman a sister is to say, “I trust you,” “I have your back,” “Your feelings are valid,” and “I believe in you!”. Celebration Sisters celebrate self and each other’s wins, and courageous tries. Sisters are encouraged always to- G.L.O.W. -- Gratefully Live and Own Their Worth ©. The Soulas Sisterhood may be “easy to recognize, but hard to define.” We believe Sisterhood is a catalyst for personal and professional transformation. Imagine manifesting who you are, what you want, and who you choose to be! So…what is possible for you? *Soulas pronounced “soo-las” is created from the word doulas or birth coach. Soulas help women birth their longings. Join us at BirthTheLongings.com  Michaele P. White-Risbrook is a professional life coach, retired family nurse practitioner and former human services administrator. She received her M.P.H. from Columbia University, and has decades of experience specializing in serving women and adolescents. Life coaching is a natural outgrowth of her longtime passion, commitment and advocacy for others. She is experienced in designing and implementing empowerment, risk reduction and mentor programs, as well as rites of passage programs and ceremonies to celebrate life transitions; both domestically and internationally. Her coaching philosophy is based on her self-discoveries - to understand that you are a conduit for our own answers. She is here to provide support and to enhance the skills, resources and creativity you already have! Her ‘happy places’ are self-reflection, family, friends, and Aruba! Deborah Randolph Price is a Personal Development Coach with over 30 years of experience in education, leadership training, executive coaching, consulting, and TV production. As co-founder of Soulas Sisterhood, she is fulfilling her purpose in freetirement to empower women to realize their unlimited potential and to stretch into who they were created to be. A graduate of University of Connecticut’s School of Education, she received her master’s degrees from Columbia and Fordham Universities. Deborah considers herself to be a lifelong learner pursuing interests in traveling and spending time in her “happy place,” St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands. The Soulas Sisterhood is creating a powerful community offering opportunities for personal and professional transformation and for women to claim and birth their longings. |
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AuthorBETH GIBBS started her yoga practice in 1968, four months after her son was born and she’s been practicing ever since. She currently teaches all levels therapeutic yoga classes for adults, and specialty classes for seniors in the Hartford, Connecticut area. Beth is a certified yoga therapist through the International Association of Yoga Therapists and is guest faculty at the Kripalu School of Integrative Yoga Therapy. She writes for the blogs, Yoga for Healthy Aging, and Accessible Yoga. Her master’s degree from Lesley University in Cambridge, MA is in Yoga Therapy and Mind/Body Health. Categories |
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