Sunday, February 6, 2011

Yin yoga swans

No man is free who is not master of himself.
-Epictetus

A swan is a bird that is a symbol of gracefulness and calmness. In yin yoga we use our bodies like swans. Connecting with the earth and gracefully moving from one pose to the other with a magnificent elegance. In contrary to the fast, dynamic and active yang movement, yin stands for slowness, patience and passivity.

When your heart is calm you become more sensitive and observe yourself. No wonder that the swan is also a symbol of love.


In todays yin yoga class I had many harmonious "swans". Stimulating their flow of prana by putting a great effrot in relaxing their muscles to gently stretch their connective tissues. Using gravity to intensify the body to make the tissues longer and stronger.

The Sleeping Swan is a yin forward bend that in a gentle way helps you to open the hips and affect the joints. In the meantime affecting the liver, kidney, stomach, spleen and the gall bladder.

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