Left & Right Side Philosophy

An Integrated TCM + Vedic Lens for Yoga Practice & Teaching

This framework is not about gender. It is about energetic qualities that live within every human body.

Yoga is the art of recognizing imbalance and guiding ourselves back into harmony.

The left and right sides of the body offer a living, somatic map for this work.

The Left Side (ladies first ;)

Yin • Lunar • Receptive • Shakti • Feminine Principle

The left side represents the inner world. It governs receiving, feeling, intuition, rest, nourishment, and emotional integration.

In both Traditional Chinese Medicine and Vedic philosophy, this side is associated with cooling, grounding, inward movement, and regulation.

Traditional Chinese Medicine Perspective

• Yin energy is dominant

• Associated with cooling, moistening, storing, and restoring

• Supports blood, fluids, organs, connective tissue, and deeper layers

• Relates to parasympathetic nervous system activity (rest and digest)

TCM Organ and Emotion Overlays (Left Side Emphasis)

The left side often reveals Yin organ themes and internal emotional states.

Heart Emotions: love, joy, connection, compassion

Imbalance expressions: emotional withdrawal, restlessness, lack of joy

Lung Emotions: grief, sadness, letting go

Imbalance expressions: unresolved grief, heaviness, shallow breath

Spleen Emotions: trust, contentment, nourishment

Imbalance expressions: worry, overthinking, depletion

Kidney Emotions: safety, inner calm, wisdom

Imbalance expressions: fear, insecurity, exhaustion

Vedic and Yogic Philosophy Perspective

• Corresponds to Ida Nadi

• Lunar, introspective, soothing

• Linked to Shakti, the creative life force, embodiment, intuition, and feeling

• Governs emotional intelligence, sensory awareness, and inner safety

Psychological and Emotional Themes

• Sensitivity and empathy

• Intuition and inner knowing

• Emotional processing and integration

• Love, compassion, tenderness, forgiveness

• Contentment, calm, peace, and quiet joy

• Rest, grief, softness, surrender

• Acceptance and self-soothing

Common Imbalances on the Left Side

• Over-giving or people-pleasing

• Emotional overwhelm, fatigue, or shutdown

• Difficulty receiving support, love, or care

• Suppressed grief or sadness

• Chronic tension from unexpressed emotions

In Practice and Teaching

Left-side-focused practices include:

• Yin Yoga

• Restorative postures

• Longer holds

• Gentle breath-work

• Somatic inquiry

• Grounding and receptive cues such as receive, soften, allow, and rest

Teaching Invitation:“When we practice the left side, we learn how to receive life, love, and support instead of constantly pushing through it.”

The Right Side

Yang • Solar • Active • Shiva • Masculine Principle

The right side represents the outer world. It governs action, expression, clarity, protection, direction, and engagement.

This side reflects how we show up, take up space, and move forward in life.

Traditional Chinese Medicine Perspective

• Yang energy is dominant

• Associated with heat, movement, activation, and protection

• Drives circulation, digestion, and metabolism

• Relates to sympathetic nervous system activity (mobilize and act)

TCM Organ and Emotion Overlays (Right Side Emphasis)

The right side often reveals Yang organ themes and outward emotional expression.

Liver Emotions: motivation, vision, healthy anger, drive

Imbalance expressions: frustration, irritability, rigidity

Gallbladder Emotions: decisiveness, courage, confidence

Imbalance expressions: indecision, resentment, tension

Small Intestine Emotions: discernment, clarity, joy through understanding

Imbalance expressions: confusion, overwhelm, scattered focus

Stomach Emotions: grounded engagement, satisfaction

Imbalance expressions: anxiety, excess control, agitation

Vedic and Yogic Philosophy Perspective

• Corresponds to Pingala Nadi

• Solar, expressive, energizing

• Linked to Shiva, consciousness, structure, and discernment

• Governs willpower, logic, focus, purposeful action, and stability

Psychological and Emotional Themes

• Confidence and clarity

• Boundaries and protection

• Focus, motivation, and determination

• Leadership and expression

• Joy through action and accomplishment

• Healthy pride, courage, enthusiasm

Common Imbalances on the Right Side

• Overdoing, pushing, or burnout

• Excess control or rigidity

• Suppressed anger or unexpressed frustration

• Disconnection from feeling

• Chronic stress, agitation, or irritability

In Practice and Teaching

Right-side-focused practices include:

• Yang or flow-based sequences

• Strength-building postures

• Shorter holds with repetition

• Activating pranayama

• Clear alignment and structural cues

• Empowering language such as engage, root, rise, and stabilize

Teaching Invitation:“When we practice the right side, we reclaim our capacity to act with clarity, confidence, and joy without force.”

Integration: The Yoga of Balance

Where Yin Meets Yang, Shakti Meets Shiva

Healing does not come from choosing one side over the other.- it comes from relationship.

• Yin without Yang becomes stagnation

• Yang without Yin becomes depletion

• Shakti without Shiva lacks direction

• Shiva without Shakti lacks embodiment

Yoga teaches us to listen, respond, and harmonize.

In the Body

• One side may feel more open, emotional, joyful, or resistant

• Each side can reveal different stories, memories, needs, and emotional states

• Neither side is better or more correct

In Teaching

As teachers, we:

• Observe side-to-side differences without judgment

• Encourage curiosity rather than correction

• Teach students to honor joy, grief, anger, calm, and love equally

• Offer language that includes softness and strength

Integration Cue Example:“Notice how the left side received. Notice how the right side responded. Now let them meet.”

Left and Right Side Cueing Language

Interwoven with the 7 Bodies Method™

Cueing is not instruction alone.It is regulation, permission, and emotional safety.

Your role as a teacher is not to fix imbalance, but to create conditions where balance naturally emerges.

LEFT SIDE CUEING

Yin • Receptive • Lunar • Shakti

Primary intention: soften, receive, feel, restore

Emotional Body:

“Notice any emotions that surface, including tenderness, grief, calm, or quiet joy.”

“This side may feel vulnerable, loving, or deeply peaceful.”

“You are safe to feel what you feel.”

RIGHT SIDE CUEING

Yang • Active • Solar • Shiva

Primary intention: engage, clarify, support, empower

Emotional Body:

“Notice how this side feels more expressive, confident, or energized.”

“You may sense motivation, joy, or healthy anger.”

“Let expression happen without hardening.”

INTEGRATION CUEING

Bringing left and right into relationship

Integration language:

“Notice the difference without judging it.”

“Let your two sides inform each other.”

“Neither side is right or wrong.”

“Balance is a conversation, not a destination.”

“Regulation is a relationship, not a destination.”

7 Bodies Integration Prompts

• Physical: How does balance feel in your body

• Mental: What shifts when effort and ease meet

• Emotional: Which side felt safer, freer, or more joyful

• Energetic: Where does flow feel most natural

• Spiritual: Notice awareness holding all experiences

• Soul: What feels more like home

• Intellectual: What did you learn by feeling instead of analyzing

• Remember that I don’t know is a perfectly acceptable answer

Trauma-Aware Teaching Note

Side - to - side differences are information, not problems.

Avoid language like:

• Fix this side

• Even it out

• Correct the imbalance

  
  

Instead use:

• Notice

• Explore

• Respond

• Honor

This protects autonomy and supports nervous system safety.

Closing Teacher Script

“Your left side showed you how to receive love, rest, and tenderness. Your right side showed you how to respond with clarity, confidence, and action. Neither is complete on its own.Yoga lives in the space where they meet.”

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