Seasonal transitions are my most favorite times of the year. Sharing the yoga practices infused with the seasonal symbolism and ancient traditions brings me tremendous joy. ⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Right now we are holding two seasons at the same time. We have a foot in Fall and a foot in Winter and ever day brings a bit more of that Winter quality forward.

The Winter Solstice is Monday, December 21st, which marks the beginning of the season as the sun moves through the sky in the northern hemisphere (and the Summer Solstice for the southern hemisphere).
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In traditional medicines, the few weeks leading up to the formal change of seasons is a liminal space were energy shifts are occurring. These thresholds serve as excellent times for us to consciously prepare our bodies, minds and spirits for what will unfold next in our lives. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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In Chinese medicine, the winter season is associated with the Kidneys and Urinary Bladder and the Spirit of the Water element. Psychologically, these energies assist us in moving with the flow of life, adapting to change, and getting in touch with our deep meaning, personal will, and drive for life. Rest, stillness and introspection are key for working with our shadows and fears, cultivating greater understanding of self and others, and thus filling our internal wellspring with insight and wisdom, which prepares us for more meaning in life ahead. ⠀⠀

Sharing these insights that I have gained through 23 years of formal study of traditional medicine, and seeing them play out in my own body, mind, and life as I move through the seasons, has been a fascinating journey. It infuses meaning into each season uniquely. I look forward to sharing more with you in these coming weeks, seasons and years!

~Machelle⠀

Preparing for Winter

Each weekend in December, I will lead the Saturday morning (Yin Yoga) and Sunday morning (Vinyasa and Yin Yoga) practices with a focus on the Winter, its associated organs of Kidneys and Urinary Bladder, and the element of water as taught in traditional medicine 5 Element Meridian Theory.

The theme will be the same for both the Saturday and Sunday morning classes, but because of the nature of the long, quiet holds of Yin Yoga, the Saturday morning practices will allow us to go that bit deeper into the material. Both classes will be sequenced with poses that offer acu-pressure and acu-tension for the meridian lines.

In Saturday, Dec 5th's Yin Yoga class and Sunday, Dec. 6th's Vinyasa and Yin practice, I offered an overview of the 5 elements, their organs and seasons. If you didn't attend but would like to post-register and receive a class recording, drop me an email at machelle@rootsandriveryoga.com.

Here our our schedule for the rest of the month

Saturday, December 12th Yin Yoga 9:00-10:30am
Sunday, December 13th Vinyasa and Yin Yoga 10:00-11:30am
We will examine the physical function of the Kidneys and Urinary Bladder and why Winter is an especially important time to support these organs in diet, lifestyle, and psycho-spiritual awareness.

Saturday, December 19th Yin Yoga 9:00-10:30am
Sunday, December 20th Vinyasa and Yin Yoga 10:00-11:30am
In these practices, we will dive into the more nuanced psychological associations and expressions of Kidney/Urinary Bladder and how to hone emotional care through the quiet season.

Saturday, December 26th Yin Yoga 9:00-10:30am
Sunday, December 27th Vinyasa and Yin Yoga 10:00-11:30am
I will read to you poems on the spirit of winter and speak about the archetypes we can reflect upon during the dark months. You can rest into the imagery and self-care within the meditative experiences.

Yin Yoga - Joint/Fascia Support
Vinyasa and Yin - Active flow practice with 30 minutes of Yin Yoga
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