I admit that three months ago when I started yoga I was looking to get fit. It just so happened that just about every girl I knew with an amazing body did hot yoga! Without pause I joined this particular studio and started hot yoga and pilates! Within a couple of weeks people started commenting on my muscles! For the first time in my life I have muscle tone and definition. Needless to say I was ecstatic, but I realized my energy level was almost zero! I already have very low energy and the heat and intense exercise (pilates) was taking a toll on me. I started taking minerals at the advice of a close family friend and with the approval of my doctor. Within a few days I felt a little more energy but I was still tired. So, I started to do more research. I then started to explore the spiritual, mental and emotional dimensions of yoga. I then discovered that December is a yin month. In fact winter months are yin months. Everything in the universe is a balance between yin and yang. Yin represents femininity and when associated with a time of year generally it means it’s a time of conserving energy. Taoist philosophy associates this time of year with retaining energy and enjoying yang foods to replenish energy stores (Winter Wonder Yin, 2011). I realized I naturally hold energy back during this time of year. For example: I shop online, enjoy warm yang soups and try my hardest not to participate in rigorous exercise regimens. However, there tends to be a lot of parties, baking, friends and chaos that accompanies this time of year. Eating spicy warm soups, walking and tai chi are great activities for this time of year (Winter Wonder Yin, 2011)! I am enjoying yin yoga, soups and walking my dogs to help conserve my energy. Three months after discovering yoga I realize there is so much more than just getting into shape…it’s truly a way of life.
Kallenbach, Laurel. "Self-Care for Winter Health." Yoga Journal: Yoga Poses, Classes, Meditation, and Life - On and Off the Mat - Namaste. Web. 04 Jan. 2012. <http://www.yogajournal.com/yogajournal.com/health/101?>.
The T'ai Chi and the Cycle of Chinese Months. Www.biroco.com/yijing/bigua_yinyang.pdf. Web. 4 Jan. 2012.
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