Elena Lin’s

PHILOSOPHY

Martial arts as a philosophy
that creates the flow of movement

Understanding Chinese martial arts goes well beyond the movements of self-defense. It’s more than mental training. Masters such as Shaolin monks live their lives following the code of ethics and the philosophy at its roots.

They seek inner harmony between wisdom and emotions. The movements originate from the balance they achieve.

 Movement as a way
to find our place in the world

We are born to move, and you of all people know that. As someone who finds expression in movement, you feel it to your core when you’re dancing, practicing yoga, or doing sports.

To access the body’s full potential, we need to find our place in the world.

In Chinese philosophy, the human being is a child of the Universe. The expression of our body moves between the Yin of Mother Earth and the Yang of Father Cosmos until all becomes one. The inner body is the instrument that unifies those two forces.

I feel it in my daily practice. Magic happens when the earth and cosmos create perfect harmony through my breath, which in turn gives birth to my movements. My being melts with the universe.

The key to feeling this harmony is to master the art of breathing and grounding. Together, they form a dynamic meditation.

The Art of Breathing

I’ve brought together my years of study and practice in four powerful breathing techniques: breathing of the wind, water, fire, and earth.

Breath is the mother of movement. It directs the rhythm of the body’s expression.

For example, when we are embodying the sound and flow of the wind, the body becomes light, transparent, boneless. The sensation is almost like that of a drunk body dancing.

Each type of breathing relates to a specific sound that we embody as we move. The sound generates vibrations and flow in our body, and the mind is resting as our body dances. We create energetic flow in the body, in the space, and everything becomes one.

Grounding

Grounding, being present in the moment, is essential for focus, and allows us to observe the world and our place in it.

I use the principles taught in several ancient disciplines to help you ground the body. We practice the power of now through, among other techniques:

  • Chinese martial arts
  • Qi Gong
  • Traditional Indian Kathak dance
  • African dance
  • Body drumming
  • Chant
  • Voice and physical theater
  • Yoga
  • Butoh dance
  • Manipulation with the sticks
  • Free body expression

Move in harmony

Finding your expression in movement

The philosophy, the breathing techniques, and grounding come together in a daily practice that allows me to move in harmony. It’s what I work on during individual sessions with others, so they too can find their unique expression in movement.

Do you want a better sense of how these principles and techniques can help you?

While I teach based on the philosophical foundations of martial arts, the individual sessions in my programs are always tailored to your goals and what your body is capable of.

Let’s sit down for a conversation to explore what you need.

“Elena is the rare dancer who understands classical dance, contemporary dance, and at the same time has a real understanding of Asian dance techniques and martial arts. Behind the beauty and unity of all these techniques, there is a real answer for all the spiritual questions about human life, and an answer for each dancer to find his own style and unique expression.”

Hélène John-William

performer Bliss Onthestars

Documentary short film about Elena Lin (Antwerp, 2022). In-depth interview featured by Creators Chambers.

We are the wind, the wind is us.

We are the stars, the stars are us.

We are the lake, the lake is us.

We are the tree, the tree is us.

We are the sun, the sun is us.