Drawing from the source of love: yoga inspired by Aquarius | Om Yoga Magazine

I’m Jilly Shipway, author of the Yoga through the stars book, and in this article I will share with you how a deep dive into the symbolism of the Aquarius zodiac sign can nourish and nurture both your idealism and your yoga practice. And remember that these practices are for everyone, not just Aquarians.

The symbol of Aquarius is the water bearer. There is a real generosity in the imagery of the Water Bearer, who bestows the blessing of water on all humanity, regardless of their perceived merit.

Aquarius is a fixed, positive air sign. The color is electric blue. Keywords are distant And scientific. Louis MacNeice, in his book Astrologyrefers to Aquarius as the awakener, and “the sign of the yogi through the development of spiritual consciousness through contemplation.” The association of the sign with the third eye, or each chakra, means that it awakens the power of intuition. However, in Aquarius this intuitive insight is always supported by rational, scientific knowledge. This Aquarius combination of love for humanity, intuition, and evidence-based scientific knowledge could serve us well as we grapple with modern dilemmas such as climate change and global warming.

The watery feel of the sign is enhanced by the sign consisting of two wavy lines representing waves. I have incorporated this into my Aquarius inspired yoga practice Yoga through the stars book, using wave-like movements that ripple through the body. In practice we use yoga movements that flow into each other in a wave-like manner and the emphasis is on observing the wave-like movement of breathing. Your breath is a wave, rising and falling, ebbing and flowing. The sun, the moon, the stars, the earth are all there with every breath you take. Wave after wave, circles within circles, like a cosmic mandala.

Wave-like breathing

Find a comfortable lying position. Bring your awareness to the natural rhythm of the flow of your breath. Repeat this sentence silently for several breaths: The wave of breath ripples through me.

Now imagine that you are on the coast and see the waves rising and falling. Keep the image of the sea in mind while at the same time returning your awareness to the natural flow of breathing. Notice the wave-like quality of the ebb and flow of your breathing. Return to the sentence every now and then The wave of breath ripples through me.

If you follow this with a yoga practice, always bring your awareness back to the wave-like quality of your breathing.