Balancing Yin and Yang Energy

Balance Your Feminine and Masculine Energies

Gentle Butterfly fold in Restorative yoga.

Do you feel stressed or tired? Are you always doing, doing, and doing? Maybe you need to balance your feminine and masculine energies. In this blog, you will learn the characteristics of both energies and how you can balance your yin and yang.

In Hatha yoga, the ‘Hatha’ is broken down into two energies. The ‘Ha’ is the warming energy like the sun, and the ‘that’ is the cooling energy like the moon. Hatha yoga is the combination of Ha and Tha, It’s the balance of Yin and Yang energies. The Yin energy is feminine and the Yang is masculine. We are made up of both feminine and masculine energy. These two very different energies complement each other.

In your body, the right side harnesses your masculine energy. The left side of your body harnesses feminine energy. When various symptoms manifest in the right side of your body, can reveal patterns connected with the masculine energy in your life. You may feel symptoms like anger, burnout, frustration, fatigue, and lack of energy. When symptoms manifest on the left side of the body, this reveals an imbalance of your feminine energy. You may feel symptoms like low self-esteem and acceptance, unable to receive, loneliness, guilty, and unclear boundaries.

In yoga, we call this energy ‘Prana’. Within the body, our prana (life force energy) has five main functions; Source of all movements; Holds the body together; Fights viruses and bacteria; Transforms the body; Warms the body. It gives us life and keeps us healthy. This energy enters our body through the air we breathe, foods we eat, and connecting with nature.

On a physical level, the yang or masculine energy can come from movements like running, hiking, aerobic-type activities, ashtanga yoga, hot yoga, or Iyengar yoga. The yin or feminine energy can come from Yin yoga, restorative yoga, meditation, Tai Chi, or qigong. An imbalance of giving and receiving can also block the flow of abundance in our lives, in all areas. Balancing our left and right sides of the body, giving and receiving, and masculine and feminine energies, all improve our energy flow and relationships in our life. Let’s first look at the traits of feminine and masculine energy, so you can see if you are balanced.

What are the traits of feminine and masculine energy?

Yin (Feminine) Energy - Light Side:

• Stillness

• Being & Living in the Moment

• Cooler

• Darker

• Harder to see (more hidden)

• Receiving

• Passive

• Intuitive

• Nurturing

• Loving & Compassionate

• Lower parts of the body (hips, legs, feet)

• Inner parts of the body (bones, ligaments, tendons)

• Closer to earth

• Open-minded & Adaptable

• Flowing

• Less mobile

• Introverted

• Self-protective

• Creative

Yang (Masculine) Energy - Light Side:

• Moving

• Doing

• Warm

• Brighter

• Logic

• Confident & goal-orientated

• Strengthening

• Giving

• Accountable & Structured

• Upperparts of the body

• Outer parts of the body (skin, muscles, fascia)

• The hunter

• Pliant

• Ambitious

• Extroverted - Outgoing

• Intellectual

Do you see some similarities in yourself with these traits? You will find that you may have more dominant energy within your body. Maybe you love participating in fast pace or stronger exercises and struggle with the more gentle activities like yin yoga, restorative, or meditations. This can lead to an imbalance of masculine energy. When feminine energy is dominant you may feel unsupported, scattered, anxious, or unfocused. A balanced yoga practice that includes a combination of Yin and Yang poses, breathing, and meditation will help you balance your feminine and masculine energy. In a Kevala Health live stream, Vinyasa Yoga flow online classes start with the Yang yoga poses and finish with the Yin poses.

When you create time for regular yoga practice, you will start to connect more with your body and know the imbalances. You get to know your moods and what is right for your body. Create a practice that encourages the opposite side of your nature, to help improve your well-being. Some days we may be stressed or tired, so doing something more feminine energy will bring back balance, like yin or restorative yoga or meditations.

Here are some tips on how to bring back more feminine energy.

• Practice Yin Yoga or Restorative Yoga.

• Get in nature; Swimming, hiking, or just lying down.

• Practice daily gratitude.

• Ask yourself daily; “Am I accepting myself as I am”?

• Alternate nostril breathing.

• Open your Sacral Chakra; Get creative and connect with your emotions.

• Be open to receiving.

• Reconnect with your body; Self-love and keep healthy.

To truly understand, you need to look inward and find out what inspires you. Get to know who you are and do what’s best for you and live life fully. Practicing self-care, like loving and nurturing yourself is a feminine quality. Let yourself be vulnerable and feel more.

Learn more in Kevala Health's live yoga online classes you can do at home with our Free 14-day trial.

Awaken your feminine energy, relax, slow down, and go with the flow.