I love to do yoga and qigong outside. Its not just the fresh air that’s so beneficial, it’s the play of the environment on your senses.
Last week we were visiting Mapleton Falls National Park. Its inland, between the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane, in Queensland, Australia.
I practiced qigong breathing exercises and completed half of the Lohan form before mosquitoes made their presence felt.
The air is dense and heavy with humidity. You can smell the earth and the creation with each breath. The interplay of yin and yang is emphasized. My movements were soft and fluid.
Yin and Yang
Qigong is the interplay of opposites. The breathing in and out. The movements are always finding the balance between the two. In a rainforest, we’re dealing with the heavy wet earth. The yin is emphasized. But as you breath in and reach upwards, towards the sky and the yang element, one can almost feel the yearning of the young thin trees reaching for the sun.
We’re held down on the earth. We’re heavy and grounded. But the sun and the light pulls us upwards in a never ending interplay.
Finding the balance between the two. Moving with the flow. Allowing the breath its full range, and keeping the body soft and gentle.
And don’t forget the insect repellent.
