How Your Liver and Gallbladder Create Balance in Yin Yang Yoga
By Shengnan Lu
In Chinese, we say 肝胆相照 (gān dǎn xiāng zhào)—"liver and gallbladder light each other up"—to describe deep, mutual support. This ancient saying reveals a truth known in Traditional Chinese Medicine for thousands of years: organs work in pairs. The Liver (Yin) and Gallbladder (Yang) are partners that can transform how you move, breathe, and feel in a single session.
About Sheng—Your Yin Yang Guide
I'm Sheng, a psychologist and yoga instructor at Yoga Moves in Utrecht. I combine psychology, yoga, and Traditional Chinese Medicine to guide you through each session.
I lead three Yin Yang Yoga sessions every week at Yoga Moves. Each one helps you move from stress to strength.
I've been teaching Yin Yang Yoga at Yoga Moves for nearly two years. In every session, I weave together emotions, energy work, and mindful movement. I learn something new from our community each week.
What Are Yin and Yang?
Yin and Yang come from ancient Chinese philosophy and medicine. They're not opposites fighting each other—they're partners working together to create balance.
Think of a full day: morning brings Yang energy (active), noon is peak Yang, evening shifts toward Yin (rest), and midnight is deep Yin. Neither is better. Both are needed. When balanced, you feel good.
Yin is cool, still, and quiet—like the moon, water, or sleep
Yang is warm, active, and strong—like the sun, fire, or exercise
Together they create balance. Too much Yang? You feel stressed and burned out. Too much Yin? You feel tired and unmotivated. This practice helps you find center.
Think of Yin as soil and water in a garden, Yang as sunlight. You need both to grow.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, this balance flows through your body via meridians—energy channels connecting your organs, emotions, and health. Today, we focus on one key pair: the Liver and Gallbladder.
The Liver and Gallbladder: How They Work Together
In Chinese, 肝胆相照 (gān dǎn xiāng zhào)—"liver and gallbladder light each other up"—describes deep support between people. This saying reflects an ancient truth: these two organs work in partnership.
Liver meridian (Yin)
Physical role: Your liver filters blood, stores nutrients, and processes food. It's your body's main detox organ.
Energy role: Ensures Qi flows smoothly through your body and keeps tissues healthy.
Location: Runs along your inner legs, through your pelvis, up your torso—places where tension often lodges.
Emotions: When blocked, you may feel frustrated, angry, or stuck.
Gallbladder meridian (Yang)
Physical role: Your gallbladder stores bile and releases it to digest fats—it knows exactly when to act.
Energy role: Supports decision-making, courage, and clarity. It helps you take action without overthinking.
Location: Runs along the sides of your body—temples, neck, ribs, outer legs—the "side body" we stretch in yoga.
Emotions: When balanced, you feel confident and clear; when blocked, you may feel unsure or timid.
Just as your liver and gallbladder work together physically (liver produces bile, gallbladder stores and releases it), their energy channels collaborate too. The Liver provides nourishment and smooth flow; the Gallbladder brings clarity and action.
Together, they embody a key principle: nourishment plus action. The Liver softens and stores; the Gallbladder focuses and moves. In Yin Yang Yoga, we stretch both channels—inner legs and side body—to help the Liver release tension and the Gallbladder awaken clarity.
What to Expect in a Yin Yang Yoga Session with Me
I guide Yin Yang Yoga weekly at Yoga Moves in Utrecht. Each session moves you from active energy to deep rest, so you leave feeling balanced, clear, and alive. Here's what happens:
Complete practice in one session
Gentle Yin poses for rest and restoration
Active Yang movements for strength and energy
Clear guidance with breath and careful sequencing
1) Yang Phase—Get Warm and Awake
Moving sequences that create heat
Standing poses and flowing movements
You feel clearer, stronger, and more present
2) Yin Phase—Go Slow and Deep
Hold poses for 3–5 minutes each
Stretch tissue along Liver and Gallbladder lines
Let gravity work while you stay aware
3) Integration
Smooth transitions between poses
Calming breath and gentle awareness
You leave feeling both energized and peaceful
Example Session
Warm-up: Cat–Cow movements, gentle side bends
Yang flow: Low Lunge, Warrior 2, side-to-side movements, Headstand
Transition: Forward fold, soft twist, long exhale
Yin poses:
Dragon pose (hip opener)
Sleeping Swan or Deer pose
Twisted Root or lying twist
Close: Supported resting pose, simple breath focus
What You'll Feel
Body: looser hips and legs, healthier joints, better circulation
Energy: smoother flow, less stagnation, steadier vitality
Mind and emotions: clearer thinking, calmer feelings, more self-compassion
You're training your body and mind to shift from stress to strength.
Come Join a Session
Try a Yin Yang session to feel the balance in your own body
Each month we focus on different organ pairs— in November 2025, I will guide you through the Fire element, with Heart (Yin) and Small Intestine (Yang).
New to this? Arrive 5–10 minutes early and I'll help you with props and modifications
You'll receive step-by-step guidance and can adapt the practice to your energy that day
Find my Yin Yang classes (Thursdays and Sundays) on the Yoga Moves website or app and sign up. You're welcome to join.