- by Wendy Fritz, RN, R.Ac., MSTOM, Dipl.O.M.

A lot of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) can be encapsulated by the famous Taoist Yin/Yang symbol. This symbol describes the balance that makes all of existence both possible and continual. The more one sits with this symbol, the more one starts to see its wisdom reflected in all things—the fractal of existence.

Within this symbol, winter is at the height of yin: that part of the circle where there is most black. Movement in the plant kingdom has greatly slowed. Some animals hibernate all together, whiles others are just less on the go. Many days, especially here in Michigan, are cloudy to the point where the sun seems to have disappeared altogether. Cold slows movement. Sometimes this leaves one feeling sluggish and/or depressed.

But look at that symbol again. Within that dark swath, there is a light circle—even at the darkest, most yin point, light and movement are still there, still important. We still need to move to maintain balance and wellness. It keeps our bodies conditioned for the busier seasons ahead, and it moves all those feel good molecules within us to keep us from falling prey to seasonal depression.

One of my favorite forms of movement is yoga. Again, there are many forms and practices that encompass this one term. A practice can be just a few minutes to get the day started or done over much longer periods. In TCM we say that coordinating breath and movement builds qi (vital source or energy). Yoga definitely fits into this category. It can be a wonderful source of qi, a way of nurturing that yang within yin, releasing endorphins, connecting us through a class and connecting one to one’s body through breath and the changing forms.

To get some more information on these ideas I spoke with Chelsie Hubbarth, trauma informed yoga and Pilates facilitator, and Business Manager for SWMI Health Matters, about her experience with these forms of movement. She will be leading a class on February 16, Wednesday, at The Bellflower in Kalamazoo at 6:00pm. The class is titled “Invigorating”.

Chelsie took her first yoga class at the Park Trade Center where a co-op yoga school was once situated back when she was in high school, but it wasn’t until after she moved to Australia that she really started thinking about yoga as a tool for overall wellness. In taking yoga classes during her overseas adventure, she found the benefits of improved immunity, connection to self, and a sense of balance. Then, after returning home and starting into her 20’s she decided to begin yoga teacher training. At the time, she felt it would be a good way to enhance her personal practice. After giving birth to her son, she felt called to teach other moms-to-be as a way to prepare for childbirth and motherhood. Her skills and practice have grown and morphed from there and now includes Pilates as well.

I wanted to know, not having any experience with Pilates, what the differences were. Chelsie feels they are very similar, but that Pilates is more straight exercise, core based, and focuses on building strength. Yoga is a body/mind practice that focuses on awareness and cultivation of breath as part of a journey of self-discovery, self-care.

I asked Chelsie what she loves about yoga and Pilates. Her reply was, “a lot!” She feels that Pilates offers one the opportunity to challenge oneself physically, and yoga is a complete, comprehensive package when it comes to wellness. She states she is grateful for the life lessons gained in her years of practice about self- regulation, learning to rest, learning to balance. She feels that yoga in particular, embodies everything we need to support ourselves in life creating space between self and the outside world or self and awareness of inner self. An example Chelsie provides to clarify this is realizing one has anger but that anger is not who one is.

Chelsie feels that there are some misconceptions around meditative practices such as yoga. One such misconception is that there exists an ideal personality or body-type to participate. She stresses that this is not the case. You only need to be yourself and there are forms and practices for everyone. It is not about being able to turn one’s self into a pretzel, or to appear as a graceful crane to others, but about finding self within the forms. It is about introspection. The emphasis should be on finding unity between one’s breath and the body’s movement in the forms. It is far more about self-exploration and creating sacred space than about performance.

I wanted to know what she felt the difference was between live classes and following a video are. She states there are definitely benefits to both. A video allows one to practice in whatever space they find comfortable and available. It also, obviously, allows one to adapt a practice to one’s schedule, but it also provides privacy for someone to get comfortable with a practice. Chelsie says being in a class allows for a facilitator to help with any uncertainties around a form and to gain confidence with the forms while also providing a sense of community. It can help someone push the edges a little in a safe way, but she is emphatic that self-acceptance is more important than being able to do any form in a certain way. She states it is important to stay true to the self. In her classes, she finds as a facilitator she can provide her participants with the confidence to just get started, and also to provide modifications for whatever an individual might need whether it is related to that person’s flexibility, an injury, or special circumstances such as pregnancy.

As there are a wide variety of schools for yoga, I wondered what Chelsie thought were good things to look for. It is her opinion that a good class/instructor should emphasize the unity between the breath and movement. An instructor should be more of a facilitator since any practice should be individualized by the person doing the forms as opposed to someone just working at the front of a classroom giving instructions. It is about working with students not having them just reflect what is in front of them. She emphasizes the need for creating sacred space. Yoga has Hindu roots related to connection of self to spirit. This should not be lost in the fitness aspect so that a yoga practice helps people to heal from the inside out.

Since yoga in particular is about working within self, and modifications should be made to accommodate movement into forms, I asked Chelsie about her thoughts on tools. She says that props can be great for helping make space for stiff bodies, but they can also be a detriment when they allow a person to go past her/his/their stretching point. She emphasizes the need to listen to one’s own body. “Get there with the breath”, (not the prop).

Of course, I had to ask what makes winter a great time to start or renew a yoga/pilates practice. Chelsie opines that seasonal health has largely fallen away in how we perform self-care. Winter can be a hard time for a lot of people because, at least here in the Midwest, it is darker and we are often more isolated. A practice can help regulate the nervous system for whatever is needed. The forms can be restorative or invigorating when we are feeling blah or depressed. Practice can utilize internal feelings; it can be a way to reignite one’s inner fire or Pranah.

What benefits does she find with her own practice? Chelsie states that she is more of an extrovert. Practice allows her a place to settle-in. It is a place to get out of (my) head and into body, to explore self. Yoga, she finds, helps her to trace her emotions and see where transformation can come beyond the mat and find her individual truth. It is, for someone who is often tuned-in to the needs of others, a chance to mother the self. And how does she make time in her busy life to do this selfcare? She admits it can be hard. She recently moved. In her old home, there wasn’t really space for a practice unless she could be outside. She feels very blessed to now have a dedicated space for her practice. She also finds that incorporating the family and practice, breathing and moving together can be great. Since she is a night person, she finds that she best makes space in the evening as a wind down before bed.

Final thoughts? She emphasizes that there are modifications for everything. Whatever is going on in the body, a facilitator should be able to help figure what is needed to accommodate that. If you have concerns, reach out and communicate them ahead of time. Never do what doesn’t feel right. There can be a safety aspect such as with Bikram (hot yoga,) so know the contraindications for any particular class. There are a lot of forms out there and all are beautiful; all encompass body, mind, spirit, but the biggest thing is to go, show-up for yourself.

I invite you, as I invite myself, to find/create that yang within yin and make room for movement to balance the stillness of the winter months, be it with Chelsie’s class, another yoga class or any movement that allows you to both tap in with your inner self and connect with the world around.

Movement Through Yoga: The Yang Within The Yin