The summer is over and it’s autumn! Falling leaves, colder weather, more wind and rain. That’s something that takes a while to get used to.
In our modern society, we often forget that we are part of nature. It is difficult to realize this when you work in an office or in a modern building during the day, go home in your car, and are comfortably warm and dry when it rains at home. But we are part of nature, and the energy of nature is also present in us.
Perhaps you recognize this yourself when it’s windy outside and the weather is stormy; that there is also a certain degree of unrest within you. Or if you have children, that they are also restless. Just as the weather affects us, the seasons also have an effect on us.
Each season has its own energy. In autumn, that energy is downward-oriented. The leaves fall from the tree, sap flows back to the roots, animals hide or seek protection in their dens. This energy is not only present in nature, but also in us. We are part of nature!
Our energy also tends to shift downward and inward in the fall. We tend to withdraw more and are also a bit more inward-oriented ourselves. It’s the season when we think and make plans.
Emotions and thoughts are also energy. In a season where the energy is more focused downwards and inwards, our emotions and thoughts are too. As a result, in autumn we are more receptive to the emotion of sadness and gloomy thoughts.
If we are able to live in accordance with the energy of nature, our life energy will also be present in harmony. In our modern society, however, this is often not the case. Low-energy that is present harmoniously creates calm energy, which allows us to reflect and prepare for winter. However, low-energy that is too present can lead to excessive analysis and lethargy.
In our modern society, we do not take into account the changing energy. We continue to treat it as if it were summer every season. Many of our Shiatsu colleagues see complaints during this period as being related to an imbalance of autumn energy. People become ill, catch colds, are depressed and less motivated.
What helps in this period is aligning your life more with the energy of autumn. Reduce your activities as much as possible, make sure you eat more nutritious and warm foods. Go outside and literally feel the energy of autumn and feel that this energy is also present within you. On a quiet autumn day, you can feel the energy directed inwards well. By being in nature, you feed yourself with this energy and bring it more into balance.
What is particularly good to do this season are breathing exercises, yoga, and meridian stretching for the lungs and large intestine. And a little later in the autumn, the meridians for the upcoming winter; the kidney and bladder meridians.
Would you like to experience what exercises we do in the shiatsu training and how we deal with the autumn energy? Then come to one of our open days or participate in special autumn introductory classes on November 2nd!
In the lesson you will learn:
· Connect with your own body.
· How to exert pressure with your hands without using force
· You get acquainted with the concept of ‘Hara’, which means so much as our energetic and physical center
· You learn about the energy (Ki) of autumn and winter
· You learn stretching exercises that are good to perform in autumn and winter.
· You learn to give a few simple treatments that are effective in autumn and winter
· You receive the same treatments from your fellow course participants
Sign up quickly for this themed lesson via https://www.iokai.nl/introductiedag/