What a beautiful way to start a day. What a beautiful way to start a class. I call this the “beautiful warm-up” because when we are in our “hidden postures,” aka life outside of class, we may not be breathing. Acting like a life gauge, this posture resets everything, reminding us where we are. It tells us indirectly how our day has been and if there are ways in which we can improve. The #1 posture clears and preps our minds to let go–to become babies again, innocently breathing through our bellies and letting go of any gasping, kicking, screaming moments we might have previously experienced.
As we continue to practice yoga, the energy in our life changes and the simple things, such as breathing, also become a form of practice. When taken for granted, our lungs, as Bikram puts it, develop a mere Dixie cup-sized capacity, but no matter how big or small you are, each lung has the ability to be a “big, fat rain barrel.”
In Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture, we believe that happy lungs keep you away from depression since the emotion most tied into the lungs is “sadness” and if you want healthy skin, happy lungs are essential, as they are the organs in control of your skin’s health. If you get colds or become sick easily, then reviewing your lungs’ health with a holistic doctor might be worth looking into, as your immune system walks hand in hand with the lungs. Eat more pungent foods (and garlic too!) for internal nourishment, and enjoy the beginning of your 90-minute class with this wonderful posture!
“The Metal element (Lungs) represent the special core, the divine spark which fires the whole process and whose pure and refined essence enhances the body, mind and spirit.” – JR Worsley
