root to rise

The way we move intrinsically shifts the way energy moves through us.

It’s not just for ease that yogis physically move upward on an inhalation, and downward as breath leaves with an exhalation. As we breathe in, breath (and therefore vital life energy) descends; you can imagine pouring water into a vessel; it falls to the base and collectively gathers toward the top. So, we balance this inner downward movement with the physical movement of ascension to encourage a sense of balance. We find lightness in the sensation of heaviness.

Prana Vayu is the inward and upward force of wind/pathway within the body.

The physical movement balances the opposing force to bring balance. Just like the trees that root down to rise to sky.

The concoction of heaviness and lightness stir to create an elixir of balance. Both are absolutely necessary for the others existence.

We’re often taught that heaviness is a negative force. But it’s completely natural. And it’s from the sense of pulling toward gravity and rooting, that we often find a sensation of lightness and relief.

Sometimes when grounded in savasana (corpse pose), it can feel like the energetic body is levitating as we surrender fully to completely letting go.

One of our favourite teachers speaks of a story of an eagle in flight with carrion. As it flies high, it’s attacked on all sides by other birds of prey hoping to steal the meal. The bird can choose to carry on, the weight of the kill keeping them heavy and low. But at some point, they let go of their prey and suddenly find lightness and soar higher than the crowd.

Heaviness encourages a sense of surrender. Like the lotus that only grows through thick, muddy waters. Even seedlings and saplings have to travel through compacted layers of earth, but as they travel higher, they also sink lower. If a tree’s root capacity is restricted, it affects the canopy of their crown.

“Every walk in the forest is like taking a shower in oxygen.” ― Peter Wohlleben

Part of the grounding process can involve complete surrender to what is happening now. Yoga teaches us this. We cannot be anywhere except where we are. And we are fully and completely responsible for how and where we live (move) through life.

Feeling low, heavy, anxious or confused are all part of the process. We’re not inferring that you should sit in these states and meditate, or not physically move. Quite the opposite. It’s about recognising that the low resonations are asking for a surrender to the moment.

A few months ago, one of us was walking with a friend and we got talking about avoiding sensation. He put it so eloquently, ‘It’s better to feel absolute agony than have no sensation at all’. (There’s a whole other conversation about this general craving for intensity…maybe a subject for another month!).

Heaviness is an essential component of life. And it’s vital to our understanding the moments of light. It’s important to see that feelings and emotions all interweave. Every single flicker and reflection of emotion is a lesson and a blessing.

Simple ways to get rooted and surrender include pranayama (breath practices), earthing (walking barefoot which we do every day in our homes and on most walks here in Suffolk), laying on the ground, tapping, dancing, jumping and (of course) barre, yoga and any physical movement that honours the grounding/downward motion with elevation.

For September we’ll be leaning into this concept a little more in all our movement practices (both obvious and subtle).

rootedness: heavy & light