Yoga is about duality. The extremes and how we all exist in between (shades of grey between black and white). In the yogic view, there are basic universal energies -- yin and yang. Yin is the cool, dark, relaxed contracting internal energy (the lunar or feminine energy) and yang is the precise, bright, expanding external energy (the solar or masculine). The earth lives between the energies moving in opposition. We, whether male or female, have both qualities. Most yoga practiced in the US is called hatha (ha=sun, and tha=moon).

In yoga practice, we consider a range of the qualities of our consciousness or energy. Tamas is inertia. Rajas is activity. Sattva is purity or calmness.  Tamasic energy in its extreme is laziness or ignorance, while rajasic energy is energetic stimulation.  We all need both, but not often to the extreme. In yoga poses, we play with these energies, whether sitting cross-legged for meditation, standing and balancing on one foot or in a handstand. In each pose, we notice what body part touches the floor and consciously let it sink down to be supported by the earth (tamas). Then, we take advantage of a lesson from high school physics – that every action has an equal and opposite reaction.

So, sitting up straight is an experiment in letting the pelvis and hips sink down (tamas), then the spine lengthens up (rajas). Balancing on one foot is about spreading the toes to root down into the floor, then with lift the arms and stay with more ease.  Handstand’s big secret is to spread the palms wide and let the bpdy weight flow down, so you can float the legs up. The ease in any pose is with the balance (sattva) of letting go and being active. This is where people who practice yoga play… the challenge and intrigue of finding balance and exploring the range of possibilities along the spectrum.

So, back to strength and relaxation? You can’t have one without the other.  To be strong and powerful (whether literally picking up something heavy) or less literally, such as having the confidence to give a speech, you must relax. What do you do before either of those activities?  We all take a deep breath, we let out a big exhale and then we go for it.  To access the inner strength, to get through life’s challenges, transitions and changes, we need to calm down.  To deal with tax time, car problems or big construction projects in our neighborhood, we all must take time to get it together, to stop and think.

Energetically, people here and in DC are strong. We are actively out there with our forward-thinking yang energy. Many people get it together every day to find confidence to balance hectic lives and do their jobs well, whether parents, policy makers or politicians. We live with lots of rajasic energy, which seems appropriate for powerful people making a difference in the world.

As a small business owner, trying to make a difference, I run the the rat race with you, pushing to do more and be better.  We live in duality though, of needing to be yang and yin, of requiring a little sattvic calm, of coming back to neutral sometimes. We must find balance and take time to relax.  (I know, it is not easy, there is so much to do!)  But I invite you to consider the possibility that stopping for an hour or so once in awhile to be in the moment and find a little inner calm, will renew your strength and power to do everything life requires and be the best you can be, and you will be happier too!

by Cristin Tighe, Director and Owner of our neighborhood yoga center Spiral Flight Yoga (www.spiralflightyoga.com).

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