Yin Yoga and TCM: Spring season- meridians and postures

(part 1)

“You can cut all the flowers, but you cannot keep spring from coming." – Pablo Neruda

Yoga and Traditional Chinese medicine are both energetic practices that come together within Yin Yoga sequences. In our Yin Yoga practice we can discover sequences of poses that point to different target areas of the physical body, as well as specific meridian lines. The meridians don’t have an exact physical shape, they are simply a structured way for us to understand how energy flows through the body and how we can begin to work actively with it. The meridians serve as the basis for the Yin Yoga poses so that we can understand better the physical and energetic shifts that occur within and out. Usually, Yin Yoga practices are created based on the seasonal fluctuations and on how each meridian requires balance and additional support during certain times of the year.

🌿 Today, we will discover the meridians and postures around the season of Spring, in Yin Yoga and TCM. The meridians affected by Spring shifts are the Liver and the Gallbladder meridians. Let’s discuss them here in more detail.

The Liver meridian starts at the big toe and runs up the inner leg, then to the abdomen and lower ribs, intersecting with the Kidney meridian. Continuing up the throat, the Liver meridian goes to the lips and moves into the corner of the eyes and across the cheeks and forehead.

The Gallbladder meridian travels from the outer corner of the eye, before moving on behind the ear and down into the shoulder. Then it continues down the neck, the chest, all the way to the outer hips. Here, the Gallbladder meridian runs down the outer leg and knee and ends at the fourth toe.

From a physiological perspective, the liver and gallbladder are associated usually with digestion and detoxification; the liver stores and transports blood, while the gallbladder produces bile in order to process fats. The Gallbladder is a Yang meridian that plays a role in our bodies’ metabolism, growth as well as planning and adapting. Some Yin Yoga poses for the gallbladder meridian are child’s pose, toe stretch pose, half butterfly pose, deer and shoelace, basically almost all poses that target the outer hip joint. 

The Liver meridian, on the other hand, is a Yin meridian, essential in detoxification and clearing out physical and mental stagnation. The element associated with the liver meridian is Wood and its colour is green, symbolizing birth, renewal, regeneration (more on this, in the following article here). Some really great Yin Yoga poses for the liver meridian include swan, frog, butterfly and reclined twist, basically almost all poses that target the inner hip joint or poses that involve a twist of some kind of the upper and lower body, to help activate also our lymphatic system.

As with any other Yin Yoga practice, we should come at an appropriate depth in the poses and maintain the stillness for as long as it feels comfortable (starting with shorter holds, 2 to 5 minutes and then lengthen them). Last but not least, use props accordingly, to ensure the least muscle engagement and a wonderful stretch of our connective tissue (fascia), especially for the lower body area and knees (e.g. having a block under the knees for butterfly or a folded blanket under the sit bones for shoelace). Because the fascia is tough and strong, containing collagen, it responds to a stimulation that is gentle and supported. A nice way to practice a Spring Yin Yoga sequence is also outdoors, in nature, welcoming the sounds of the birds and the smells of the ground and flowers around us.

Our Western way of living, full of overstimulation can impact in a negative way the Qi/energy of both the liver and the gallbladder. When the liver and the gallbladder are imbalanced, one might experience high levels of stress, frustration, anger. Physical manifestations can appear as headaches or migraines, PMS symptoms, feelings of being stuck or brain fog. Balancing the liver and gallbladder Qi can help cultivate calm, patience, a greater ability to deal with the day-to-day stress and to express oneself more freely and creatively.

As we emerge from the depth and heaviness of the Winter season and observe the Spring arrival and the awakening of nature around us, let’s find a moment to practice stillness and offer permission to ourselves to calm down our nervous system, detox our bodies and de-clutter our minds, through a beautiful, grounding and much needed Yin Yoga practice! Just like trees and plants are growing steadily, teaching us resilience and resourcefulness, we can also learn to move slower and mindfully and to face life’s challenges and embrace the unexpected, in this Spring season.

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