Embrace the Power of Metal Element in Zen Yoga

In Zen Yoga, the Metal element represents the energy of structure, clarity, and letting go. Just as metal provides strength and form, this element invites us to cultivate discipline in our lives while also learning to release what no longer serves us. The lungs and large intestine are the organs associated with Metal, symbolizing the vital flow of breath and the importance of healthy elimination—both physically and emotionally.

Incorporating Metal element practices into your yoga routine can bring a sense of calm, focus, and renewal. Breathwork, mindful movements, and postures that open the chest help to activate the lung meridian, enhancing your ability to breathe deeply and connect to the present moment. As we exhale and release, we honor the essence of Metal—embracing change, letting go of the old, and creating space for new energy to flow. Through Zen Yoga, you can harness this transformative energy, bringing balance and clarity to both body and mind.

'Y'inner Space

'Y'inner Space

The winter solstice is a personally noteworthy season for me as it holds solar returns for myself and my youngest and Western holiday festivities. Maybe it is because we naturally reflect on our lives with each journey around the sun, or could it be that the winter solstices marks a unique time of complete yin turning to yang? A moment symbolic of traveling deep enough within our inner space (yin) to find our light (yang).

During this winter solstice week, I share one of my favorite meditations to align with the season. Start by taking a comfortable seat in a quiet, cozy, and softly lit area. With a tall spine, zipping tight pants, and frontal chest opening like an upward and outward fountain. Gently release the chin down to extend the cervical spine. Maintain buoyancy at the crown of the head. Then settle your awareness either at the heart center or between the brows.

Begin to draw away from your life's story, the happenings of your family and community. Zoom out from the goings-on within the borders of your town, city, county, and state. Past the edges of all states, the country's walls, and all nations. Beyond the boundaries of our planet and past all planets and stars. You are resting your awareness beyond the cosmos. Seeing the grand rhythm, more significant timeline, and universe intelligence keep steady time and space as they move.

Remain and continually return to the more extraordinary cosmic view, contemplating the self which resides within the smaller moments while simultaneously existing throughout all universal time. In this way, we maintain our 'y'inner space while living the details of daily life.

Blessings,

Colleen Inman

Master Teacher

You are the Timeline

With a great deal of effort, a hearty cry and a loving embrace, our so called life begins. As we blink our new eyes and attempt to control the limbs of our new body, the self inside the body is often dazed and confused as to what just occurred. The entrance of the self into the body for another stint on Mata Bhumi or Mother Earth. With each journey around the sun, the outer form and events augment while the self remains constant and observant. Much like any historical timeline must feel. Consider the actual line, you know the line drawn above the events on any timeline. It is the overview, the observer. The events rise and fall, yet the timeline remains a straight and consistent feature. From a meditative view - you are the timeline. Take the opportunity each day to contemplate how you are the observer inside watching all the events and outer form change…

Buddhi Mudra

Buddhi relates to Buddha, the one who is the great discerner and one of true intellect. The discerning discussed here is the refined ability to know what you are not, spoken as Neti, Neti - not this, not this. The Buddha was revered for his understanding of not being that of material nature, but a being who temporarily resided in form. The teachings of his renunciation of the benefits of the Brahmin society swapping it for a single loin cloth and begging bowl is the example of existing simply in the world without attachment, resistance or judgement.  

It is of little surprise that the Buddhi Mudra is preformed with the thumb tip touching the pinky finger tip. In Ayurveda, the pinky is the water element of transformation. It is in the water element that the energy goes deep down and the time when the seed is dormant waiting for its next incarnation. The consciousness of the seed is hidden and still, then upon awakening, grows into its dharmic role (purpose) only to return to a dormant seed yet again. This expression is of the souls consciousness dwelling within the changing life cycle of a seed and a plant. The consciousness is not the seed nor the plant, Neti Neti. A human who remembers their being-ness (verb) in all states and cycles of matter is a great discerner.  Preform this mudra each day as you contemplate that which you are and are not.

Inhale to Exhale

You can only give what you have an abundance of; if you lack, then you cannot help others.

Being on the yogic journey means you understand the concept of Seva - or selfless service. As teachers, we are here to serve the wisdom and assure that it passes along to the next generation. Each of us knows just how much the yogic knowledge and practices have changed our personal lives, and how we have enhanced others.

At some point in life, you have likely reached a moment where you felt like you have nothing left to give - this means you have exhaled and delivered, and now it is time to inhale.

Inhaling not only with the breath, but inhale through learning. In this way, you will have more to exhale and give to whomever you wish to assist, maybe students, loved ones, a worthy cause or community.

No matter whom you help, remember to help yourself first - this is not selfish. To not help yourself first, often means others will then have to stop and care for you.

Think of boarding an airplane, and the announcement given. You are to secure your oxygen mask first, then help others achieve putting on their mask.

If you are not able to breathe, how will you help?

Whoever or whatever you want to help, be sure first to inhale...

'Goo' and the Guru

We are all covered in 'goo' or 'gu'...

However, like the frog in boiling water, the goo has been so slowly layered on that we sometimes unknowingly don't realize the goo is a problem or even there!

The goo on us is our five element material body. The more we identify with the physical body, the heavier we feel. On a energetic level, the goo is old emotions that have not been cleared and are being stored. On the mind level, it is the old impressions of thoughts...kinda like how sometimes you can hear your parents voice in your head saying 'don't to this or do that.

The difficulty with this is that all of this is not your true self, it is that which is blocking the view of you true self. I like to think of this like bugs on a windshield...lets say you get in a vehicle and the windshield slowly gets covered with bugs. However, once you stop and get the windshield cleaned, the clarity is both calming and amazing!

This is how in past times a 'guru' aided us. A 'guru' is one who helps remove the 'goo' on you. They know that you are driving around with a dirty 'windshield' and want to help you gain clarity.

A 'guru' or spiritual teacher is a big part of ones transformational process. Our gurus taught us to manage this using a 'sit, stand, move' formula...

Sit each morning and focus on letting go of old thoughts. Use healing sounds (such as whoooo for worry) to purge old emotions, and move the body to dislodge the heaviness. After sitting, add some uplifting and new music for inspiring new thoughts that will inevitably replace the old.Here is a song to uplift you!

From my guru to you

Get your own Qi

Two ways to get energy...

Have some one give it to you, or get your own. In the field of qigong there are these two schools. One is based on Qi emission where a Qigong doctor would pull out stagnated qi and replenish with new. The later is based on teaching you how to do this on your own through physical movement, breath and visualization. 

One of the bigger concerns with having someone manage your qi for you is that although it gets cleaned at that moment, lifes natural law is that it will get dirty or imbalanced again with dailly life. So you will be tied to that individual to contstantly renew your energy.

When you learn how to do this yourself, you can keep up with the maintience of cleaning your energy on a regular basis and be empowered to manage your own well being. One method of this is moving the body in specific ways to unblock qi passages to increase circulation. In the summer months, this belongs to the passage of fire element energy of the heart. By raising the left arm and bending gently to the right on a exhale helps to alliveate excess fire energy and calm the heart.

It's the teaching 'Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, feed him for a lifetime...'

Learn to fish my friends