Have you ever heard a saying or quote that really resonated and has stuck with you ever since? During my Yin teacher training I had one of these moments when I heard, “we store our issues in our tissues”. BOOM, resonance. Intuitively it makes sense, and you can grasp the essence of these words even with a surface level understanding- just as I did. When you begin to deepen that understanding so many things fall into place, and this knowledge illuminates clearly what many of us have felt for so long without the words and awareness to define it.
We have so many ways of acknowledging the physical manifestations of our emotions through language with sayings like, “with a heavy heart” and “that’s a weight off my shoulders”. Still, so many of us haven’t been educated about the various parts that we are made up of, and don’t fully grasp just how interconnected they are. There are so many ways to learn about yourself and understand your energy: gross and subtle bodies, masculine and feminine energetics, the chakras, the list feels endless... In my life and offerings I work with the four bodies: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual.
While we are whole, intricate beings beyond definition in many ways, having some structure for understanding and getting more specific with what we are experiencing can offer us so much insight and clarity. The physical body is of course the Earthly vessel that we are tied to, the mental body is all about our thought patterns and cognition, the emotional body refers to the responses, interactions and sensations stemming from our emotions, and the spiritual body is our unique essence, tie to divinity, and the embodiment of our souls.
These four bodies are so deeply connected that it is impossible to touch one, without the others being impacted to some capacity. This is where the healing power of somatic work and Yin yoga can support us. When we practice Yin we target the fascia, or connective tissue, in our physical bodies. Think of this as one long, continuous sheet of intelligent tissue holding everything together, and keeping everything connected. Our physical bodies are extremely elastic, and hold on to emotions that we experience, yet leave unaddressed and unexpressed. The fascia is where these emotions are stored, and can become stuck. By holding gentler postures for longer periods of time and moving at a slower pace, we can work with the deeper connective tissue to release stored emotions manifesting in physical tension, instead of accessing the major muscle groups as most of our movement does. Holding ourselves through these sometimes intense sensations in Yin teaches us to lean into healthy discomfort, and understandably can amplify the impact of complementary practices like meditation, tapping, mindset coaching and more.
It is one of my greatest joys to support women in their Yin practice, allowing them to feel safe being held by another (energetically and physically), learning to trust their intuitive knowledge and boundaries, feeling new depths of relaxation, and releasing that which has been stuck for so long they thought it was part of them. If you have been drawn to this work or have been dipping your toes in and are ready for more, I have created a beautiful healing space for you. A Journey to the Heart is a womxn’s healing retreat curated with love, intention and care by myself and Alexandria Minor to support you becoming your most fully expressed self. From May 6-13 in Evia, Greece you will reconnect to the power of your heart, feel supported in divine sisterhood, and restore your inherent connection to the Earth, all supported through multiple practices and healing modalities by two skilled facilitators. Alex will be leading potent activating practices daily- including breath work and power yoga, and I will be leading a Yin practice every evening, infused with the cleansing power of Reiki energy healing to support your rest and integration. So many thoughtful touches have been curated to create a restorative experience for you, and you can find more details at the links below. It would be a joy to welcome you into this community of womxn on their healing journeys and hold you in this sacred container for an entire week. Regardless of where your path takes you next, remember that the power of Yin is there to support you, offer release and amplify your healing efforts through practice. I am holding you in love, wish you a beautiful Spring season, and am excited to connect with you soon!
Sign up for A Journey to the Heart is a womxn’s healing retreat: High Caliber Retreats | My Site (rootedandfree.ca) Retreats | Yoga LunaSol
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Follow Alexandira on Instagram @iamalexandriaeleta