Summer, the Fire Element and Oriental Yoga…by Mike Hetherington

Summer has arrived here in Brisbane and with it, more sun, more heat and more fire element. This excess of fire can have an effect on our overall health as it adds heat to our body’s organs, tissues and it can also affect our moods and state of mind.

Fire Element
The fire element in Oriental Medicine is the only element that contains 4 organs (or rather 3 organs and a heat regulator). The fire element houses the heart which potentially the most important of all as it houses the mind, or also translated as housing ‘consciousness’. Interestingly in Oriental medicine the brain is not considered an organ of great importance, rather the importance lays more on the heart and the kidneys. The heart is considered important because it is considered to be the ‘Emperor’ of the whole bodily system.

When the Emperor is happy and content, the mind is calm, clear and spiritually connected. When the heart is unhappy or disturbed, the mind is troubled and one feels spiritually disconnected. Therefore the heart is connected to our life’s path, our soul’s purpose if you like, this is why it is so important to listen to and nourish the heart.

How do we cherish and nourish the heart?
Through balancing strong and ‘soft’ exercises like yoga and/or tai chi with a supportive alkalizing diet and the cultivation of meditation, contemplation and stillness. We will be working on these ideas and skills in the workshop.

The other organs in the fire element are the pericardium and the small intestine. The pericardium is a strong connective tissue that surrounds the heart and provides lubrication, support and protection to the heart. The small intestine is more about digestion and having good ‘fire’ in the belly to help break down foods for assimilation or elimination.

The fourth organ (not an actual organ in western terms) is called the San Jiao, or triple warmer or triple burner. It is strongly connected to overall metabolism and heat regulation of the body’s internal energies. When the metabolism is healthy and has a warm fire burning, the body’s ability to digest and transport foods and nutrients is greatly increased. This then helps to regulate body weight and reduce any excess weight one may be carrying.

During summer it’s easy to ‘overload’ our system with too much fire. Getting overloaded with heat and fire can lead to conditions like heatstroke, sunburn, headaches, anger, irrationality, psychosis, feelings of being overwhelmed and anxiety attacks, to name a few. If we can learn to work with the fire element and keep it balanced and nourished, it can lead to more joy, fun, laughter, motivation, energy, internal visions, spiritual uplift, good digestion and deeper feelings of compassion for all around us.

Summer is the time of year to dream big, to harness the energy around us to carve our life’s path for the better. Learn to listen to the heart and reduce the focus on the mind. Take time out to connect with your inner space, the space in your chest, to breathe deeply, to feel the warmth that is available to us this season. Be brave, silly, laugh and enjoy.

Namaste,

Mike

Mike Hetherington and Angela Hammond will be presenting a Summer Oriental Yoga Workshop on Sunday 4 Dec 2011 at the Ascot studio in which they will be exploring the fire element in more depth, utilising asana (poses), acupressure techniques and discussing the 5-element theory and how it can help us to live in balance with the flow of the seasons. [Book Now]

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Massage and Yoga…Insights from BENTmassage

Do you do the things for your self that give to yourself?

Do you want to love yourself? Then take time for yourself.

The sense of nurturance and coming “home” in a yoga class can be hard to beat. Those who dedicate themselves to the yoga practice, know the true benefits of it. – It’s heart warming effects, sense of peace, physical strength, mobility, flexibility, sense of centering and improved well-being are just the beginning of the yoga experience-

But what about massage? Did you know that you can gain all these benefits and more, with out lifting a finger?…

Heart warming-

Is there anything more reassuring than touch? A friends hand on your shoulder in times of trouble, or a lovers gentle caress. In maternity wards, there are signs every where, emphasising the necessity of “skin on skin” with the new born babe. It’s primordial and innate to ourselves. In the Ka Huna and Raynor styles of massage, great emphasis is placed on the intuitive and loving presence of a persons touch. The innate knowingness of how to be present with a person, in a way that is both heart warming and remedially effective.

Peace -

Surrender is perhaps the biggest area of neglect in anybodies life. All the time we spend running around, just trying to get things done… Paying bills, working, washing, cleaning, banking, driving, waiting… All this time giving, but with all this giving, when do we have time to receive? Just like in a savasana, the sleep like meditation at the end of a yoga class, massage is a time when one can just lay down, and receive.

Physical strength-

Aches and pains, or muscular tension holding you back? Massage work can loosen and open up your body in a way that will make any yoga asana easier, and more graceful. Massage is re-vitalising for the body, giving you a renewed sense of vigour and strength. Particularly in areas that your body has been over exerted or strained in the past.

Mobility/flexibility -

As with physical strength, flexibility and mobility can be improved with massage. When muscles are over worked they become stressed and tired, at times developing adhesions. Massage breaks down adhesions in the muscle tissue and relaxes areas of tension. This also brings new focus and circulation to the tissues re-vitalising the muscles for new work and re- growth.

Centring -

At the end of this, one feels more centered and connected with them selves. Through surrender, and an opening in their bodies, where they feel their needs have been truly met. In this way, one feels more at ease with them selves, feeling the presence of grace and inner fulfillment.

Yoga and massage compliment each other so gracefully, in the ways they both open the body and nurture the soul. Their comparable to a yin and yang relationship. Where the yoga is more developmental and exertive, and the massage more yin, recuperative and internal.

This article was provided by the team at BENTmassage who operate a Natural Therapies practice from the Ten Toes Yoga Ascot studio:

68 Racecourse Road, Ascot

For more information about BENTmassage and their services, please click here

If you’re an avid massage and Yoga user, let us know of any other benefits you experience by commenting below…

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