ENLIGHTEN UP! a blogSelf-awareness stories: lighting our way to clarity, contentment and resilience in a complicated world.
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 Star Trek fans (myself included) consider space to be the final frontier but is it? According to yoga philosophy, space is a manifestation of a mysterious substance called ether. Science defines space as a boundless substance in which objects and events have relative position and direction. Most of us think of space as the empty stuff separating planets from stars in the cosmos, one continent from another on earth and us from each other in many ways such as race, culture and politics. However, science has shown us that space is never truly empty. It is full of potential, energy and vibration. It’s the vibration, which creates the perception that everything we see, hear, taste, touch, smell and experience is material and solid. This vibration emanating from space is the energy glue holding everything together. This may seem mind-bending and woo-woo so here’s a metaphor to help you visualize this relationship. Remember those portable electric fans with rotating blades? When the fan is off, you can safely put your hand into the space between the blades and wiggle your fingers. But hit the ‘on’ button, get those blades spinning and it's a different story. The distinction between the blades and the space between them is erased. Try to put your hand into the space between spinning blades and you’ll end up with flesh and blood issues in your tissues. Like the spinning blades of the fan, our solid-appearing physical bodies are, according to science, 99.999% space. Space is present in all of our cells and cavities like nostrils, mouth, ears, throat, lungs, and stomach. Our minds are like an ocean of space on which thoughts and emotions ride like waves. Scientifically and philosophically we are a spinning, vibrating material reality of space. We are the fans. To hit your ‘on’ button and get space, air, fire, water and earth to spin, balance and work together, we can ask: How do I know when the elements are balanced? How do I know when they are unbalanced? What can I do about it? When we move through our day with ease, comfort and confidence, when our minds are calm and clear, when we are able to witness our five layers of self-awareness and how they relate to each other, our elements are thought to be in balance.. When our bodies deal with illness, pain or discomfort, when the mind and spirit are in chaos from misunderstanding our situation, lacking awareness about our reactions or responses to what we face such as trauma, unresolved emotional issues, or denial of those issues, our elements can be thought of as imbalanced. Spoiler alert! We never stay fixed in a balanced or unbalanced state and even when we deal with a serious or difficult situation we can find balance through resilience, acceptance and peace of mind. Self-care is step one to finding and experiencing a measure of balance. Proper nourishment, regular exercise and emotional support are said to act as containers for space and the other elements. For example, satisfying foods can pacify our digestive system. Clarity of thought and resilience can calm our thoughts and emotions. Contentment may be the best form of nourishment for self-awareness and all five elements. We can work with space by first sensing and becoming aware of its presence and then choose practices to balance it along with the other four elements. Here is a practice for sensing the space element.  Five-Pointed Star - this posture holds the element of space in its shape and its feeling of expansiveness. As you practice the pose, sense and feel the space under your arms, between your legs and in all the parts of your body. Sense the spaces between your inhalations and exhalations as well as the spaces between your thoughts. Know that the other four elements can also be sensed and felt. Your feet connect with the earth. Water in the form of blood and lymph flow through your body. The element of fire gives you the energy and power to hold the pose and the element of air is always present in your breath. Instructions 1. Step the legs wide and point the toes forward. 2. Breathe in, lift your arms out to the side and lengthen through the fingertips. 3. Soften your knees and feel connected to the earth through your feet. 4. Lengthen up through the head, allowing your spine to elongate. 5. Hold the pose for 5 to 10 breaths or longer if you are comfortable. 6. To come out, step the feet in and lower the arms to the sides of your body.  Here’s a practice for balancing the five elements. In Mudras for Healing and Transformation by Joseph and Lilian Le Page, the Gesture for Balancing the Five Elements is called Dharma Pravartana Mudra. You can think of mudras as a global positioning system (GPS) for your energy; providing direction to help you tune into the specific goal you are working with. Instructions
Working with the five elements is another way to think about what it means to be human. Here’s a quote from Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche that reinforces our relationship with space, the other elements, with each other and the universe: “External phenomena appear within space, remain within space and disappear within space again. Is there any place where earth, water, fire and wind can go that is outside space? ”
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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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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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