Spring in Chinese Medicine

SPRING is

Element – Wood
Colour – Green
Nature – Yang
Organs – Liver/Gall Bladder
Emotion – Anger/Determination
Taste – Sour
Condition – Windy
Direction – East

Chinese Medicine and Yoga

Feeling sluggish in your Yoga lately? Can’t get started on new projects, or feeling anxious and unfocused?

Try some poses to tone and calm your Liver Chi and see if you can find Springs exuberance…

In Chinese medicine, there are Five Elements which draw from nature.  Metal is Autumn, Water is Winter, Wood is Spring, and Fire and Earth is Summer. Since Spring is Wood, a Tree: growth and the beginning of new activity. More on Chinese Medicine and Spring .

Each Element in Chinese Medicine is linked to the organs they support. Spring Wood Chi supports the Liver and Gall Bladder. The Liver controls muscles and tendons, so if you have tight joints or recurring joint problems this could mean an over-stressed liver.

In the Yoga bible, Light on Yoga by BKS Iyengar, poses to tonify Liver and Gall Bladder include inversions, back bends, twists and forward bends. Yoga poses like sarvangasana, paschimottanasana, dhanurasana, salabhasana and bhujangasana can tone the liver and gall bladder.

Here’s a sequence of poses that will  tonify and invigorate Liver and Gall Bladder Chi! All Poses are courtesy of Yoga Journal. Check out their new online sequence builder tool!

Please practice at the level that is comfortable  and reasonable for you, as the Liver and Gall Bladder must be calm to stay healthy!

Sukhasana (Easy Pose)

Marjaryasana (Cat Pose )

Bitilasana (Cow Pose)

Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog)

Malasana (Garland Pose)

Prasarita Padottanasana (Wide-Legged Forward Bend)

Utthita Trikonasana (Extended Triangle Pose)

Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog)

Urdhva Prasarita Eka Padasana (Standing Split)

Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog)

Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (Upward-Facing Dog)

Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)

Salambhasana (Locust Pose)

Urdhva Dhanurasana (Upward Bow or Wheel Pose)

Dwi Pada Viparita Dandasana (Upward Facing Two-Foot Staff Pose )

Ananda Balasana (Happy Baby Pose)

Jathra-Parivartanasana (Belly Churning Pose)

Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend)

Salamba Sarvangasana (Supported Shoulderstand)

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose)

(Bharadvaja’s Twist)

Marichyasana I (Pose Dedicated to the Sage Marichi, I)

Janu Sirsasana (Head-to-Knee Forward Bend)

Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana (Revolved Head-to-Knee Pose)

Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend)

Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle Pose)

Savasana (Corpse Pose)

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Cora Wen is a self admitted Yoga Crone. A traditionalist who has studied and practiced yoga for two decades and remains curious and uplifted by the constant and endless teachings of Yoga. Cora is certified at the highest levels of ERYT500 and CYT. She specialises in alignment based Yoga, and works with many students suffering from chronic injuries and long term illnesses. She travels across the globe sharing an infectious love of Yoga, and would love to to share  Energy and Yoga with You!

Connect with Cora at www.corawen.com or follow her on Twitter and Facebook