Workshop | Yoga of elements

by | 17 Nov 2023 | Workshops

A short summary…

of our “Yoga of the Elements” workshop

The higher you go, the more you need to have your feet on the ground, every tree tells you that.”

Michel Tournier

 

« L’automne c’est le subtil, le léger qui vole au vent, les feuilles comme nos pensées sont emportées et tourbillonnent. La terre paisible va les recevoir ». Extrait du livre Yoga au fil des saisons.

From an Ayurvedic perspective…

The Vata dosha, composed of the elements air and ether, is at its most powerful here. Like nature shedding its excess, Vata dries out the body and mind. If we were to represent the cycle of life by the seasons, autumn, like Vata, would represent the time of old age, when strength dwindles. I invite you to read this article to learn more about the impact of autumn on our bodies, and to discover the routines we can adopt to stay in a state of balance.

From a yoga perspective…

Muladhara Chakra

The chakra in the spotlight this season is Muladhara, the root chakra. It corresponds to the Earth element. In ayurveda, the Earth element has a heavy nature, and its qualities are cohesion, density and stability. The square inside represents the 4 directions. In our body, it corresponds to everything that is dense (bones, hair, nails). Its sense organ is the nose, and the sense of smell. Its motor organ is the anus, and its function is excretion. It is located at the “root” of the spinal column, at the level of the perineum. It corresponds to our survival instinct and immune defenses.

It helps us manage the way we take our place in the world, both intimately and socially. It also concerns our relationship with reality, and how we manifest our dreams and creativity in this world.

Muladhara helps cultivate patience and emotional stability. When you set your intention (sankalpa) at the beginning of your yoga practice, ask to connect with the Earth and its qualities (strength, stability, balance, ability to recycle the negative into the positive, security).

Worship your feet

In ayurveda, we come to seek the opposite of what the season presents to us in order to remain in that state of serene balance. In your autumn yoga practice, choose mostly anchoring postures, all postures requiring the activation of pada bandha (foot lock, the weight of the body distributed between the 3 points under the feet: big toe, little finger and center of the heel).

In the West, feet are not highly regarded, as the saying “as stupid as your feet” reveals! For Indians, feet are noble. All body posture depends on the placement of the feet in the ground. We use corrective insoles in our shoes to alleviate back pain and help correct our posture. In foot reflexology, the arch of the foot corresponds to the spinal column.

Ganesh, the elephant god

The elephant is a symbol in both East and West of wisdom, quiet strength, memory and longevity. Ganesh is the elephant god of fortune, wisdom and education in Indian mythology, son of the god Shiva and the goddess Parvati. He is also known as Ganapati.

“Ganapati, it is you who, by giving immortality, makes the fear inherent in time and duration disappear”. Âdi Shankara.

Ganesha’s form and powers are a reminder that “ the divine must be present in our minds whenever we undertake something. That’s why he’s greeted first in rituals”.

In the energetic body, the elephant is associated with Muladhara Chakra, the root center, symbolizing letting go of our fears and acknowledging our right to exist. Ganesha’s vehicle is a mouse or rat. The vehicle is both the emblem of the God and the forces he dominates by riding them, in this case the futile thoughts that swarm like rats in an attic.

These two opposing but complementary animals – the massive, powerful and thoughtful elephant, and the small, mobile and mischievous mouse – have everything it takes to solve the world’s problems. They teach us that no obstacle, be it colossal or devious, is insurmountable. It’s all a question of trust, patience and skill, in order to find the most appropriate strategy for the given situation: confronting, circumventing or changing direction.

Yoga of the elements

Yoga is a philosophy that offers a range of techniques. These practices act on the different dimensions of our being (physical, emotional, mental, energetic and spiritual). They aim to achieve balance and restore a sense of coherence and unity.

According to Ayurveda, it’s thanks to the balance of the 5 elements (ether, air, fire, water, earth) that we can maintain physical, but also emotional and mental equilibrium, which will of course modify our behavior and our relationships with others, the world and ourselves.

The air element is strongly present during autumn. To counterbalance the qualities of the Vata dosha (light, dry, cold, subtle, unstable, shifting and rough), we’re going to use the elements of water, fire and earth in our practice.

During this workshop, we alternated a dynamic yang phase, activating the elements of earth and fire, with a yin phase, static and gentle around the elements of earth and water.

The water chakra, Swadisthana

Also known as the sacral chakra, Swadisthana is connected to our waters. Located in the lower abdomen, it corresponds to our genital organs and its function is procreation. Its qualities are those of water: softness, freshness, smoothness and instability. Its sense organ is the tongue and the sense of taste.

The sacral chakra allows us to “belong”. It is the place of creativity, pleasure, sexuality, imagination and procreation.

Water animals such as the crocodile (whose open mouth symbolizes our desires), snake, fish and other sea creatures are associated with this chakra.

It’s a chakra that augurs work on oneself. In order to know one’s limits, find one’s place and find peace, we must learn to distinguish between the tyranny of desires and the small voice of intuition, which guides us out of confusion.

Autumn in TCM (traditional Chinese medicine)

In TCM, the elements are not quite identical. We also have 5, but they break down as follows:

  • Water = winter = kidneys (yin) and bladder (yang). Climatic energy is cold. In Ayurveda, this is a Kapha season, the season of introspection.
  • Wood = spring = liver (yin) and gall bladder (yang). The climatic energy of spring is wind, hence the parallel with the Vata season in Ayurveda, the season of expansion.
  • Fire = summer = heart (yin) and small intestine (yang). Summer’s climatic energy is heat, hence the parallel with Pitta dosha in Ayurveda, the season of externalization.
  • Earth element = Indian summer (shoulder season) = spleen (yin) and stomach (yang). The climatic energy is humidity, with an abrupt change from hot to cold. In Ayurveda, this is a season that can disrupt both the Vata and Kapha doshas. It’s the season of transformation.
  • Metal element = autumn = lungs (yin) and large intestine (yang). The climatic energy of autumn is drought. Vata dosha is at its peak in Ayurveda, a season of decline and transition.
To conclude, this workshop aims to call upon the different elements in our yoga practice according to the season and our dosha. Observing ourselves and nature is common sense. It’s also about honoring our sacred dimension by respecting the laws of nature to maintain that precious, life-saving balance.

Workshop recipe

Blueberry, lemon and almond cake by Otto Lenghi (Simple book highly recommended!)

Ingredients for 8 people:
  • 150 gr soft butter, at room temperature, plus a hazelnut for the mold
  • 190g caster sugar (I substituted coconut sugar)
  • 2 lemons: 2 tsp zest and 2 tbsp juice
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 large eggs, beaten
  • 90g sifted flour with baking powder incorporated
  • 1 good pinch salt
  • 110 g almond powder
  • 200 g blueberries
  • 70g powdered sugar
Recipe:
  • Preheat the oven to 180° (fan oven). Butter and line an 11 x 21 cm cake tin and set aside.
  • In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a leaf, cream the butter for 3 to 4 minutes on high speed with the sugar, lemon zest, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and vanilla extract. Switch to medium speed, then add the eggs a little at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Add the flour, salt and almond powder in 3 batches, then stop the processor and fold in 150g of blueberries with a spatula before pouring the dough into the tin.
  • Bake for 15 minutes, then sprinkle with the remaining 50g blueberries. Continue baking for a further 15 minutes, until the cake is golden on the outside but still uncooked on the inside. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the cake has puffed up.
  • Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.
  • For the glaze, whisk the remaining lemon juice (1 tbsp) with the powdered sugar until smooth. Pour over the cooled cake.

Sources: Yoga of the elements / Yoga through the seasons / Wikipedia / Otto Lenghi Simple