Yin time is not gym time
Feeling guilty about not setting New Year’s Resolutions? According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, adding big changes to diet or lifestyle and going to the gym are not what you should be doing this time of year.
In fact, you should be doing the opposite! The Yellow Emperor’s Inner Classic, contains some of the oldest teachings about winter:
“During the Winter months all things in nature wither, hide, return home, and enter a resting period, just as lakes and rivers freeze and snow falls. This is a time when yin dominates yang. Therefore one should refrain from overusing the yang energy. Retire early and get up with the sunrise, which is later in Winter. Desires and mental activity should be kept quiet and subdued, as if keeping a happy secret. Stay warm, avoid the cold, and keep the skin covered. Avoid sweating. The theory of the Winter season is one of conservation and storage. Without such practice the result will be injury to the Kidney energy. This will cause weakness, shrinking of muscles, and coldness; then the body loses its ability to open and move about in the Spring.”
What is Yin energy? Yin and Yang are very complex terms. These words don’t have a pinpointed meaning; they describe physical characteristics as well as energy, a mood, a vibe. Some of the characteristics of yin include fluidity, feminine, cold, and passivity. Some of the linguistic origins describe Yin as the shady side of the mountain while Yang as the sunny side. Things on the shady side may look monotonous, dark, gloomy but it’s a clear signal from Mother Earth to use this time to rest and restore and wait for the sun to come.
As we sift through life on the shady side, enjoy your low-level days! This is all about conservation. Think of your body like a bank account. This is a great time to add a little extra in your savings. 😊 Practices such as yin yoga are very restorative for us mentally and physically. Eating foods that warm you from the shade such as soups, stews, warming spices and roasted vegetables are key to keeping you warm while it is cold outside. We become naturally inclined to seek out things that bring us light and joy in the winter. Revel in and appreciate moments of laughter and connection with people you feel connected to. Sleep longer and take naps. Take 10 minutes out of your day to meditate and journal. This time of year is a great time for reflection. Just like in the tradition of the winter solstice, we use this time to reflect on the previous year’s harvest. For example: a farmer may look at last years harvest and reflect on the amount of rain. If there was too much rain, the farmer would have a back up plan in case the upcoming year also produces too much rain. So..
How did your last year pan out? Was it smooth sailing or was it a bumpy ride? If the same obstacles of 2021 happen in 2022, how would you be more prepared? These are some things you can contemplate while resting this season.
After reflecting and processing this year, if you are feeling like you would like to make some big changes for 2022, Spring is a good time to launch your new goals. Looking forward to harnessing more yang energy? As we go into the sunny side, we will talk more about how you can spring these into action.