The 5 Natural Elements

Connect with Nature!

How our lives are intimately connected to nature? Rediscover the power of nature to re-connect us with the essential life energy called Prana will remind us of how we can use this connection to help protect the Earth during a time when many changes are happening to our planet. These concepts are a part of my work with a project called Yoga for the Earth. Please visit the website for more details.

To start, I’d like to introduce you to a concept called Shinrin-Yoku. It’s a Japanese term that translates as ‘forest bathing’ which recognizes that spending time in a forest helps people to relax, let go of stress and increase their immune systems. It’s closely related to the concept of Nature Therapy which is now a medical term because it’s become clear that spending time in nature can help people alleviate depression and feel more optimistic, relaxed and confident. It can even help people lose weight and lower their blood pressure.

“Spending time outside in the fresh mountain air of Andalucia will help you to relax, feel more centered and increase your understanding of your connection the earth including the 5 elements of Fire, Water, Air, Earth and Ether!”  Astrid Jirka

The 5 Natural Elements

5 Natural Elements: Fire

Fire courses through our bodies as the electric currents of our nervous systems and can either make us feel very energetic (or of control like a huge forest fire) or it can be like a quiet glow of a campfire, keeping us alive but calm and controlled. On this retreat will learn yoga poses and breath techniques that you can use to make your internal fire burn hotter or cooler!

5 Natural Elements: Water

Water flows through our bodies, in our blood, our sweat and our tears and we rely on water to live. We can only live for 3 days without drinking water! So, we know that we must honor the water in the world by keeping it clean and making sure there is enough for everyone to drink and grow their food and also bathe and keep clean. We will learn to bring the water element into our awareness by the way in which we move, fluid and with determination in our yoga poses but also flexible and able to transform!

5 Natural Elements: Air

Air is the most essential element for human life. We can only live for 3 minutes without air! How we breathe and circulate the energy created from our breath can greatly influence how we feel every day and how long we live. Yoga has developed special breath techniques that help us to feel and control this energy. Let’s get together and breathe nice, long, deep, life giving, mountain fresh yoga inspired breaths so that we can live long and healthy lives!

5 Natural Elements: Earth

Earth is possibly the most obvious element from which our bodies are made. Earth is the solid substance that we can feel when we walk, when we hug a friend, or that we build our houses out of. It is the soil that creates the food we eat and it’s the food we put into our bodies to keep us healthy and alive. When we eat healthy food and practice yoga poses which connect us to the ground under our feet, we feel calm and energetic and happy. Delicious, vegetarian, Spanish food, walking on the earth and strong, grounding yoga poses will make us feel grounded and calm on this yoga retreat October 2016!

5 Natural Elements: Ether

Ether is the space that exists between all things. It is said that 99.9% of our bodies and our universe are made of empty space. When we find space between our thoughts we connect with this element and we begin to feel a deep sense of peace and connection with ourselves and with all things. During this yoga retreat October 2016, we will find that through spending time in nature, through the yoga poses and through time spent in meditation that our minds will become calmer and we will experience more space between our thoughts and more love and peace in our hearts and lives. With this peace we will have new energy to take action in the world that will help to make the Earth a better place to live for everyone!

“Everything in the world – you and everything on earth – is made of these 5 Natural Elements. When we deeply feel and understand this concept we realize how everything is connected and we want to make sure that everyone and everything around us is as healthy as we are so that the whole world can be a more peaceful place to live.”  Astrid Jirka

Astrid Jirka

Please join me for a week yoga retreat July 2017, in Spain to learn about or re-experience these concepts, to meet new and wonderful people and to have a good time!

There are many ways in which yoga and the natural world intersect. You can follow the 5 post that I will be writing to let you know more about my yoga retreats in Andalucia with Lucia Yoga.

ධ How the 5 Natural Elements are part of our lives.
ධ Our Ecological Footprints and Yoga and Activism
ධ The concepts of Prana, Tantra and the Yantras which we will draw during the retreat!
ධ The eight-limbs of yoga and how they connect us to ourselves and the earth.
ධ A healthy yoga diet and why it’s important for our bodies and the earth.

“I hope you’ll join me on this journey to learn about how yoga and caring for the earth are connected and how both nature and yoga can help us to feel more connected to ourselves and the world! ”  Astrid Jirka

Register in the Astrid Jirka & Lucia Yoga retreats July 2017, before May 23, 2017 to get 100€ Early Bird Discount!

For more information about me visit my personal website.

Visit the following link for more information about the Yoga for the Earth project:

Namaste and I hope to see you in España!