As we move into the darkening, cooling ‘yin’ time of the year, beneath the waning full moon, it offers a reminder of the usefulness of engaging more with weaves of slowing reflective energies even as we engage with the many purposeful doings of the fall; school, harvest, closing out the garden, settling into the pulse of work post summertime, or simply adapting to the cold, wet and dark! In coming to the belly, sun salutations will continue to be lovely for warming, yet this darkening inward quality of the seasonal year invites us to also look to the inspiration of the reflective energies of the moon, that has such capacity to reveal more of the darkness without and, within. Working within our practice to include more slower and quieter belly to earth shapes such as ‘sphinx’. Sphinx in the way of Yin Yoga, moving slowly into the pose relaxing most muscles, using just enough ‘yang’ to maintain the shape of the pose, letting stress move more easily into the expanse of the connective tissues. Settling into the pose to ‘stay for a while’, mimicking briefly that great stone sphinx that has been enduring the blowing sands of the desert for thousands of years in quiet stillness. Bearing witness to those fleeting sands of thoughts and emotions, stories and plans, obsessions of the moment, ever changing, that move across our sense of self. Yet as ‘you’ come to your belly, do so not with the hardness of stone, but more with the formless softness of water, that can so support us in riding ‘with’ the currents of life. Then, bring focus to the ‘sensations’ of the ‘edge’,over and over again using just that little bit of gentle mindful rigour. Remembering to always maintain that light weave of attention to looking after your safety within, and staying prepared for the potential of the raucous, appreciating as the ‘trickster’ George Carlin, notes “there are nights when the wolves are silent and only the moon howls”. Listen, observe, pause judgement for a bit, and invite the spaciousness, release and deep rest. Be gentle and compassionate with yourself as you ‘yin in space’ drawing inspiration from the quiet reflective nature of the moon, knowing that at times it might howl, and in its filling stir the tides to bring their flood.
