Reconnect & Sprout
The trees-still naked, the last snowflakes – dancing their farewell coda, the body-somewhat heavier, anxious to shed off the extra pounds and fend off an army of winter toxins, eagerly anticipating its revival. There’s a magical pause in the seasonal cycles when the latency of winter suddenly bursts into the resurgence of spring. It is that subliminal stage of germination and sprouting when we have the unique opportunity to reconnect to the Earth and ride her waves of resurrection as we embody our divinity. As you cross this threshold point of dynamic stillness notice and name what binds you, see the imprisonment of fearsome circumstance, disillusionment and accumulated stress. Notice what feels stifled, blocked and needs rinsing. Stir and flex your power by moving your body in sync with the rhythms of nature.
The static dynamic of yoga “asanas” artfully correlates to the kinetic meditation of Tai-Chi-Chuan weaving a subtle lacework of breath and movement that stimulates the harnessing of the ultimate natural power, “Qi” and “Prana,” respectively in the spiritual traditions of Taoism and Hinduism. Based on the balanced interaction of two contrasting forces Ying & Yang and powered by the growing and fading of Qi cycles (ultimate power) Tai-Chi Chuan, a psycho-physical form of yogic pantheism inspires us to refine our human essence by developing and transferring internal power in an indefinitely changing world. By artfully replicating animal and elemental movements Tai-Chi practitioners gracefully recover original life abilities that have been lost or undermined. The 8 underlying principles of Tai-Chi embellish the 8 limbs of Ashtanga Yoga. They carve the identity of the “inner explorer” who is not concerned with form, whose body is transparent and empty; whose inner and outer environments have fused; whose mind dissolves in the spontaneous act of tuning to the present moment; who is suspended and floating in mid air; who can refine the spirit by cultivating both the positive and the negative; whose internal energy vibrates with the potency of natural wonders, a man who seeks refinement sincerely and who has arrived into his divine self.
For more than 20 years the compatible synergy of Tai-Chi and Yoga welded into my daily practice has helped me amplify my breath, improve my posture, relax my body and mind, while attaining a soft focus and purity of intention. It’s the perfect offering to gift to the Earth as she awakens. As you stand with your feet rooted in the sprouting soil watch nature in wonder, sending forth shoots and leaves, coaxing forth all who seek release from the bonds of Winter’s Night. It’s time to peck our way out and claim the promise of Spring!
We are so grateful to Lisa Sharkey and her family for opening her magnificent eco-friendly townhouse to us and making this video possible.
We are so grateful to Lisa Sharkey and her family for opening her magnificent eco-friendly townhouse to us and making this video possible.
Yogea Detox Routine Part 3: Reconnect & Sprout (open level)
This open detox Yogea flow is the third of a series of three purifying routines that can be practiced sequentially or independently from one another.
This sequence abounds with twists that oxygenate the brain and detoxify the body. The introductory part incorporates dynamic meditation from the Tai-chi Chuan martial arts tradition in an attempt to promote a healthy grounding and softening of the musculature of the spine, while harnessing the potency of Qi- or Prana that vibrates in all matter. Practitioners are guided into a wide-open steady stance when they can feel the action of rooting from the feet and creating space in the pelvic floor and lower abdominal area. Then, deep twists are introduced to start awaken the natural detox mechanism of the body. The Yoga routine flows into a dynamic warm-up that utilizes forward bends, abdominal toners, subtle hip-openers, lunges and backbends to open the front of the body, lubricate the ball and socket joints and prepare the long ligaments for deeper hamstring, Achilles tendon stretches and abdominal twists. The sequence cultivates the art of mindful transitioning, guiding the body into seamless shifts and the mind into a state of tranquil lucidity. The cooling down earths the body back into its divine presence and provides space for reconnecting with all that is dormant within and manifests without.
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