Winter Yoga

It's the start of December. In Scotland it's cold, damp, dark - not the kind of weather or environment where you would naturally want to practice yoga. Yet, winter yoga can hold special qualities, only accessible at this time of year.

I was at a lovely yoga class recently, in a studio with beautiful "hugge" (Danish cosiness), with Christmas decorations in wood and "greenery". Practicing yoga in that environment was worth getting up early on a December Sunday morning!

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) informs us that winter is a time to look inwards and slow down. A "Yin" season, it represents grounding and restoring and tapping into our kidney energy to balance our immune system. Eating warm, wholesome food like soups, stews, beans (not baked!), maybe with cinnamon and ginger.

In our practice, we might want to ease up a bit. A slow-flow might be more beneficial rather than a full Vinyasa sequence. Prioritising postures that improve our circulation, such as Down Dog, Shoulder Stand (or variations), Warriors keep us moving and still creates that "tapas" or heat.

This then prepares our minds and bodies for meditation practice and Savasana (relaxation). Using props like blankets, pillows, bolsters we can really take time to rest - kind of a mini-hibernation.

Rather than stopping our practice before Christmas, promising ourselves a fresh start in the New Year, it's worthwhile making the effort to keep going. Not only does it provide the me-time that can be hard to find during the festive season, but it allows space and gives permission to take a more leisurely approach to our practice.

Speaking from experience, keeping up a December practice, makes it so much easier when I want to kick my practice up a notch in January!

Classes are running through December 2024.

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