We have all had moments of frustration. Perhaps this was when someone cut you off whilst driving, or that moment when you are just about to walk out of the door with your kids, after what feels like an eternity of trying to get them ready, then boom they decide they don't like the shoes they are wearing!
These slight frustrations are quite typical given the situation, but if you begin to notice you are very easily frustrated or start to get bursts of anger over little things, you may have disharmony within the Liver and Gall Bladder meridian.
This is the first of a three part series delving into a pair of meridians and how you can use Yin Yoga poses to release blockages and restore vitality to your Organs. You can find a brief introduction about the 6 lower body meridians and signs of imbalance on my previous blog post Yin Yoga To Help Inflammation.
Let's now take a look into how the Liver and Gall Bladder meridians can effect your emotions and towards the end of this blog post I will be sharing three Yin poses you can do at home that will help stimulate the energy through these channels.
Our Organs are the home of our emotions. Perhaps during a Yin Yoga practice you have noticed emotions arising? This is part of the magic of yin!
As much as you may think you just want the physical release in the tissues, you may also have emotional scar tissue to work through. Our Liver contains kindness and anger.
When emotionally imbalanced you may experience:
Intense feelings of frustration, rage and anger
Resentment
Jealousy
Depression
Physical imbalances include:
Health of your finger and toenails
Blurry vision
Achy knees
Jaundiced eyes
When emotionally balanced you may be more kind and compassionate. By spreading loving kindness you can help to heal your liver.
In order to stress the Liver and Gall Bladder meridians you could try some gentle hip openers which may help stimulate the energy along these lines. As you begin to notice sensations within a pose, you may also begin to notice some intense feelings pop up. If this does happen, see if you can just notice what you are feeling without needing to react.
Quick tip: Always listen to your body! If this feels uncomfortable for you and you aren't quite ready for an emotional release just yet, don't force it. Always play to your edge!
There are four ways you can stimulate energy flow in the body:
Acupuncture
Acupressure
Awareness
Directed breath
We use three of these during our Yin Yoga practice.
Acupressure
This is the compressing or stretching of the tissues that lie along the meridian lines. This can help stimulate energy flow and restore balance. For example, if you feel compression along the outside of your hips in full swan, you may be stimulating the Gall bladder whilst also benefiting the Liver.
Awareness
Pay attention to the sensations that you feel! By bringing your awareness to a particular area, you can stimulate energy to flow there. For example, bring awareness to your whole hand, really focus and feel it. You may begin to notice your hand getting warmer or feel slight sensations. By sending your energy to certain areas you can help your body heal.
Directed Breath
This is what I like to call our superpower! By using a nice deep yogic breath such as Ujjayi breath (ocean breath) you can really help cleanse and stimulate the flow of energy whilst dislodging any blockages.
As promised, here are three Yin Yoga poses you can try, using the techniques mentioned above.
Please remember to listen to your body and it's sensations and don't push beyond your edge!
Straddle
To begin sit on the ground in a comfortable position.
You may like to sit on a blanket or towel to prop up your hips allowing yourself more space.
From here begin to extend your legs apart, just as far as what feels good for you. Don't go past your edge.
Once you have found your edge you can begin to extend your hands out in front and slowly begin to fold forward. Again listening to your body and going only as far as what feels comfortable for you.
You may like to place a block under your forehead to support your neck.
Allowing gravity to do the work, find stillness and hold for 3-5 minutes.
To come out of the pose, slowly begin to rise back up by pushing into your hands.
Once you are back up, lean back slightly to release the hips and begin to bring your legs back together.
Swan to Sleeping Swan
Coming into Swan, begin on your hands and knees.
From here slide your knee in-between your hands, slightly leaning towards that side and bringing your foot towards your groin.
Begin to centre your hips so you aren't leaning too much to one side.
To protect your knee keep the front foot flexed.
Fully extend your back leg keeping the top of your foot flat on the ground.
Hold Full Swan for 1 minute.
Coming into Sleeping Swan begin to fold forward by walking your hands out in front of you and rest your forehead on the mat.
If you prefer you can rest your forehead on a block or bend your elbows placing your hands on top of one another and use your hands as a pillow.
Hold for 3 minutes.
To come out of the pose, slowly begin to rise up returning back to your hands and knees and repeating on the opposite side.
Bananasana (Banana Pose)
Lie on your back with your legs extended.
Begin to reach your arms up over head and clasp either your wrist or elbows.
From here begin to move your upper body to one side.
When you have gone as far as what feels good for you, begin to move your legs towards the outer side of the mat, coming into a banana shape.
Be careful not to go too far too soon. Find your edge, the longer you hold a pose the more your body begins to open.
Hold for 3-5 minutes.
To come out of the pose bring your upper body back to centre followed by your lower body.
Repeat on the opposite side.
I hope you enjoyed practicing these poses. Please feel free to email me at amy@believeyoga.com.au if you have any questions or would just like to chat.
Part two of this series will be all about the Kidney and Urinary Bladder meridians.
Sending loving kindness,
Amy. x
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