Water

It is Winter. The drop in temperature, the bare trees, and the start of the holiday season.  As the winter solstice approaches (the longest night/shortest day of the year), we start to go deeper into the cold and wintery months ahead.  The winter solstice for many is the mark of returning to more light.  However, those of us in the Pacific NW know that the first few months of the new year can be rough.  We fall into the abyss of gray without the holiday twinkle of lights and bustle of social activities to distract us.

The energy of winter is deep and potent. With rest, there is subtle and important work going on, as the “still” energy is collected and held in reserve. This deeply nourishing Yin time allows us to emerge into spring- a season of growth, renewal of spirit, and fresh starts.

These quiet months where nature is its most minimal self, become the ultimate yin where we travel into the world of the water element. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) 5 Element Theory, winter is ruled by the water element: the most nourishing and essential substance for life. This element stores much of people’s reserves of energy. That is why rest is crucial in the winter. This time of year, overwork and lack of sleep easily deplete the water element and the kidneys, especially. 

The water element is most easily observed in nature this time of year.  Snow, ice, rain, puddles, frozen lakes, rising waters, turbulent oceans.  Of all the elements, water is the greatest yin.  Deep, dark, cold, moist, slow.  Inviting you to be with, and to explore the qualities in yourself. Water moves effortlessly and takes the exact form of whatever contains it, encouraging you to do the same, flowing through the season with ease and strength.

In TCM, the kidneys and urinary bladder are the organ systems that belong to the water element and both play an important role in fluid regulation. A Yin yoga kidney meridian specific sequence for the water element focuses on nourishing the kidneys paired with the energetic line of the bladder meridian to fill the reserves and tap into that place where our real strength, courage, and wisdom reside. 

Winter is an opportunity to focus on the health and spirit of the kidneys and urinary bladder, restore their resources and better manage our reserves. Slowing down, getting plenty of rest, eating well and in season, drinking lots of fluids, and adopting a restorative wellness routine will support these organ systems and boost their vitality. 

Let the long wintery nights ahead remind you that it is in the void of the darkness where we can nourish, heal and surrender up what is no longer serving us. The shimmering lights of the holiday season are a mere reminder that even in the darkness (yin) there is always some light (yang) to guide you on your way.