Venus Rising

Yoga for LivingIssue: Taurus 09 - The Garden Issue

Tend Your Inner Garden

Yoga teaches that everything that exists in the universe also exists within us. Therefore, when you learn to master yourself, you also master the universe. Among that which exists in the universe are the five elements: earth, air, water, fire and space. Each yoga pose cultivates one or more of these elements. For example, seated and supine poses, which are close to the ground, cultivate the earth element. Backbends open our chests and cultivate air, the element of the heart center. Flowing sequences wake up the cooling element water. Twists, abdominals and heating poses like headstand cultivate fire. When we sit still and meditate we cultivate space. 

All five elements work together to create a healthy garden. The earth offers soil for plants to grow in. Air nurtures the soil. The sun provides heat and light to help the plant grow. Water feeds the roots. The space element controls the cycle of light and dark, allowing for rest and activity. Getting outside and understanding these cycles as they apply to our gardens informs our understanding of our own cycles and reliance on nature. We, too, require energy from the sun and water moving through our bodies to stay healthy. We walk on the earth and breathe air. We are part of a greater whole, the universe.

Depending on where your garden needs help, you will focus your work. Nourish the soil where it is deplete of minerals. Water the plants when they are thirsty. Find a space where there is lots of sunlight. Remember that you can do the same for yourself. When you are in need of grounding, practice a forward fold. When you are hot and want to cool down, try some flowing sequences. When you are cold and stagnant, try some heating poses like sun salutations or warrior 2. When you are lethargic and dull, do some backbends. When you forget your connection with the universe, meditate.

To learn more about how to tailor a yoga practice to the elements, read "Yoga for Your Type" by David Frawley and Sandra Summerfield Kozak.