Why Yoga + Acupuncture Are a Match Made in Chill Heaven

Yoga and Acupuncture

Starting in May, we'll be offering Yoga + Acupuncture on a biweekly basis at The Water Bar & Public Studios in NE Minneapolis and we couldn't be more pumped. These two practices go together like two peas in a pod and we're here to tell you why:

Their roots grow deep

Yoga and acupuncture both have very similar, long histories that go back thousands of years. While both practices have changed plenty since their respective inceptions, they also maintain a special link to their origins. The origin story of both leads to a philosophical discussion that I'll reserve for a future post. 

While yoga started as something that looks a lot different than what we see in most yoga studios today, it can still be a practice that asks its practitioner to develop a heightened sense of self awareness on a physical, mental and emotional level. What the practitioner does with that information is completely up to them. 

While Chinese Medicine has always been a medicine, the way it is practiced has gone on quite the journey. And, there are still significant differences between the way the west practices Chinese Medicine compared to East. At its core, Chinese Medicine meets you where you're at, to work with your body to create balance and fluid energy flow.

They Both Move Energy

In yoga, 'prana' is the word we use to describe life force, or more simply put: energy. In the modern practice of yoga, we use movement, breathing and meditation to move energy in a direction that nourishes us. Sometimes this looks like an intense dynamic practice, and other times it looks like a really long nap on the floor.

Qi is the Chinese medicine version of this same concept. Taking a look at the full picture of who you are and what you're navigating, Chinese Medicine doctors are able to locate areas of excess or deficiency in the body. By using using various tools along sections of the body called meridian lines, acupuncturists are able to move or nourish the qi and send it where it needs to be.

They're Both Often Misunderstood

Yoga is so much more than poses and acupuncture is so much more than needle medicine.

The word "Yoga" means "union" or "connection." It's a practice that offers you an opportunity to integrate you body with your mind with your breath and your spirit.

While we often think of stretchy pants, incense and contortionists, yoga is so much more than that. In fact, you don't even need to be on a mat to practice it. You can practice it on a long walk or on a bus without doing a single yoga pose. It has nothing to do with flexibility or strength. In fact, one of the most yogic people I know can't barely use the left side of her body.

When someone says "acupuncture" most people think of human pin cushions. But Chinese Medicine also makes use of tui na (a form of Chinese medical massage), cupping, moxa, herbs, and more.

So How do they Work Together?

Perfectly, of course. By moving the body slowly and mindfully, with a focus on gentle, but deep breathing, you will begin the process of moving the energy in the body with as much or as little vigor as you choose. After the movement piece is complete, you will take your final resting pose and an acupuncturist will perform distal acupuncture on you. You may get a few needles in your hands, feet, head and face, depending on the class focus. As you rest, the medicine will do its work. You'll leave class feeling grounded, connected and pretty blissed out. 

If this sounds like your kind of night, sign up for an upcoming Yoga + Acupuncture class at The Water Bar!

Have questions? Want to chat before booking?

Shoot us a message from our contact page. We can discuss your questions, concerns, and goals, as well as our approach and the services we offer, to see if working together would be a good fit. We look forward to getting to know you!


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