Life balance ~ finding flow with our Yin & Yang!
BALANCING LIFE WITH YIN & YANG
Living with an awareness of our yin and yang energy can help improve balance in our work vs play time, our taking action vs time to rest. Have you experienced an inability to relax, anxious, quick to anger or feel frustrated, find you need constant stimulation and can’t sit still? …….perhaps a bit too much Yang energy OR maybe can’t make things happen, heavy moods, feel a bit stuck no idea what your next step is? …….. perhaps a bit too much Yin energy. When we recognise these Yin Yang energies in ourselves it can be as simple as ‘treat with opposites’ to remedy any conditions that might be arising.
WHAT ARE YIN & YANG
The infamous symbol of the two curved teardrops within a circle, one white, one black, with an inner circle in each with the opposite colour – symbolising the ‘way of life’. Think of yin and yang as two polarising yet complementary energies. One cannot exist without the other, if we exist with too much of one over prolonged time we can develop disharmony which may lead to symptoms of dis-ease in the body and mind.
Yang is an energy of external focus, sun, masculine, active, driven, ambitious, logical analytical thinking. When we’re with too much Yang we can feel overstimulated, overwhelmed, restless, unsettled, anxious, high blood pressure, insomnia ie symptoms of ‘over-active’ or ‘hyper’ conditions. Yin is an energy of internal focus, moon, feminine, nurturing, passive, calm, creative, intuitive. When we’re with too much Yin we can feel procrastination, stuck, stagnant, depressed, sluggish, low blood pressure, unmotivated ie symptoms of ‘under-active’ or ‘hypo’ conditions.
We don’t need to live in the perfect balance of the two, instead aim to maintain a state of equilibrium in motion by mastering your ‘choosing’ between Yin & Yang depending which state of being would be more beneficial for you at any given time. Simply assess your symptoms and choose the remedy ~ my moto is ‘treat with opposites’.
If you’re wanting to achieve or create something in your life but you’re experiencing procrastination ~ introduce a form of steady movement into your day, connect with the external, choose practices to uplift ~ in other words bring in a bit of Yang (see suggestions below). If you are wanting to slow down the circus ride, be more in the ‘being’ less in the ‘doing’, spend more time doing what or with who you love ~ add a form of stillness into your day connecting with the internal, choose practices to release, calm and slow down ~ in other words bring in a bit of Yin (see suggestions below).
If your job is very demanding, excess people or technology focussed, you choose forms of cardio exercise, juggle parenting and work, there may well be an overdrive of Yang energy in your life. A glass of wine on the couch watching TV may seem like the ultimate remedy BUT it won’t be as beneficial in reducing symptoms as choosing a Yin activity would be. If you’re finding it difficult to get motivated, take action, making decisions, feeling lethargic, everything is feeling like too much effort this can be a sign there is too much Yin energy we need to bring more Yang into our routine.
Life doesn’t have to be hard work, we still get a lot done with calm and ease, if not more! Plus having the ability to do nothing at all guilt-free can be the most beneficial time spent! THIS is Yin and Yang in balance ~ try one of my 3 x Yin Yang Classes online in the FREE Practice Sample until 16th May.
Need a lil more YIN?
Slow down your day from the get-go, first thing in the morning focus on the breath in and out for 5mins ~ become more aware of your EXHAAAAAALE to find your calm (choose a breathing practice that emphasises the exhale)
Do 5 mins of writing and ‘releasing’ what is on your busy mind ie mind-dumping
Reduce your cardio activity with slow steady weights AND try a Yin or Restorative Yoga ~ see my Yin Me Out! playlist in my Breathe + Move with Nic online studio - 7 Day FREE Trial (you’ll be blown away by learning how reducing your body’s cortisol levels improves the condition of your body including weight gain, body stiffness, organ function etc)
When you notice something needs to be done around the house, for business, for someone else - avoid the need to rush, close your eyes take 5 x slow smooth breaths. By choosing YOU first, rather than the external, the external will get a better version of you ….more importantly YOU will get a better version of you.
Do something creative once a week - write, draw, paint, find a hobby, design, colour in a mandala
Keep temperatures moderate and do not overheat, choose cooling colours, turn down the lights and screen time, spend time in the moonlight
Connect with the earth - garden, walk in nature (bare foot!)
Remove excess external stimulation especially before bed ie researching, lighting, technology
Need a lil more Yang;
First thing in the morning, 5 mins to start with, focus on the breath in and out ~ become more aware of your INHALE throughout the day to give yourself a boost (choose breathing practices that emphasise the inhale)
Start with 5 mins of gentle movement limbering the body, build up to brisk walking or whole-body movement to move the digestive, lymph and cardiovascular systems ~ try my Boost Your Mood playlist in my Breathe + Move with Nic online studio - 7 Day FREE Trial
Write out a daily routine of habits that you need to action to achieve what it is you want. Keeping it really simple and check it off each day as you do them (it can be really a satisfying sense of accomplishment that makes you want to do it more)
When you need to take action on something don’t make time for excuses, place yourself into how it will feel when its done attaching your energy to the end result because your why is what will motivate you.
Choose to keep warm, eat warming foods, colours that uplift, spend time in daylight
Limit your sleep to 8hrs or less, set your alarm so you don’t go over (ensure you are getting good quality sleep as this could be a reason for feeling too Yin)
Enjoy the process of harmonsing you.
Namaste
Nic Dorsch xx
