Taoist winter - water Element

Winter - time of limited activity...
So limited in my case, that I am adding this post when winter is already almost over ;).
Needed an activating kick of spring to get this done :).

In winter nature is resting and preparing for another cycle of activity. It is the most yin time of a year. People could also take the opportunity to slow down and explore their potential.

Among the gifts of Water we may find:

• stillness
• trust in life
• potential
• resourcefulness
• persistence
• wisdom

During long winter evenings we may reflect on how Water gifts manifest within us. Try asking yourself the following questions:

• What potential do I sense within myself? How do I feel about it?
• Is it easy to me to let go of physical and mental activity? What gets in the way of my inner stillness?
• Do I have a general trust in benevolence of life? Why?
• Do I know my limits? Am I able to recognise when I should fight and when just let go?
• Am I able to solve problems using available resources in unconventional ways? Or I tend to give up when standard solutions are not working?

If we feel that our Water element is out of balance, we may support it through:

• adding blue and black elements to our outfits and homes
• eating more blue and purple fruits and vegetables
• performing Water meditation
• adding Water supporting poses to our yoga practice​

Water meditation:
Visualise sitting next to a lake. Look into the water, feel its texture with your hands. Imagine your body dissolving into the lake. Enjoy the coolness, darkness and stillness of water. Realise that now also its fluidity and power are yours. You can flow freely as your mind is free from framing preconceptions. Imagine the lake taking the shape of your body and staying within you. When you no longer need it, put your feet firmly on the ground and let the water feeling flow down with gravity and return to earth.

Water supporting restorative poses (relieving fear):

• seated forward fold
• wide angle forward fold
• child's pose
• supported pigeon pose
• supported halasana (legs on chair)
• supported reclined hero's pose
• supported fish pose

Water yin (taoist) poses:

• seal
• shark
• hammerhead fish
• fish
• jellyfish
• frog
• water drop
• deer
• shrimp