Ayurveda teaches that winter is primarily a Kapha period with a strong influence of Vata energy. In the Ayurvedic healing system, like attracts like and different to ensure balance. Therefore, during this cold season, you should include warm and grounding poses in your practice to balance the cold and dry characteristics of Vata. Meanwhile, igniting your inner fire with invigorating poses and twists will help you better balance Kapha's heavy, soulful qualities.
Even if you you feel tempted to do it, do it. Going into hibernation mode in winter can be helpful in getting your heart pumping and generating some heat inside. Try putting together this collection of 10 yoga poses that promote balance, well-being and alignment with nature.
10 Yoga Poses to Help You Stay Warm This Winter
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1. Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)
On all fours, lower your toes and lift your hips to form an inverted "V." Pedal and move your hips several times to get into the pose. When you're ready to rest, raise the seat a little higher while lowering your heels. Concentrate on finding a firm grip between your hands and the soles of your feet. As you breathe deeply, find a point of balance between your upper and lower body, with your weight evenly distributed across all four contact points. Let the silence flow through your nervous system as you hold the pose for as long as you like.
Downward-facing dog invigorates and calms the nervous system and makes you calm down perfect posture to regain harmony. There is a feeling of integration and balance between the right and left sides and between the upper and lower parts of the body. During the winter, focus on remaining calm and stable to balance Vata energy, and imagine drawing earth energy through your hands into your lungs to balance Kapha.
2. Ascending lunge (Ashta Chandrasana)
Step forward with your right foot, keeping your back leg strong and straight. Stand with your hands on your hips and find stability and balance between your legs. Don't hesitate to move your feet from right to left to achieve a more stable posture. Lift your hips and point them toward your lower ribs to create more freedom in your lower back. When you are ready, extend your arms upward, joining the heads of your humeri to their respective shoulder joints. Relax your shoulders, face and eyes as you look at the horizon. Hold the position for several breaths and repeat on the second side.
In general, standing postures increase stamina, heat and strength. Crescent Lunge, in particular, teaches you to approach life with an open heart, directly and honestly. By working to point your hips and heart forward, you will gain clarity on the direction of your life while remaining grounded and secure in the present moment. By focusing on your balance and having a clear relationship with the fundamentals of your posture, you will help balance Vata energy. To harmonize the Kapha elements of winter, you must consciously move your arms up and down as you breathe to release stagnation and stagnant energy from the heart space.
3. Twisted Prayer Lunge (Parivrtta Ashta Chandrasana)
Return to the crescent lunge with the right leg forward and bring the right hand to the right hip. Hold your torso for as long as possible and begin to rotate vertically to the right, allowing your torso to lean forward if you can go no further. Squeeze your left elbow against your outside thigh and place your hands in a prayer position. Press your hands together firmly, pull your shoulders toward your back, and rotate your torso toward your right thigh. Feel the spiral of energy moving around your spine and use your breath to distribute this energy throughout your body. Bring your navel towards your spine and breathe several times. Repeat on the other side.
The rolling prayer step provides a powerful massage of the internal organs, which can be beneficial during Kapha season, when digestion sometimes it can be difficult. delayed. The deep rotational movement stimulates elimination and counteracts the slowdown of Kapha imbalance. Twists are also inherently warming poses, making them ideal during the colder Vata months. When you bring warmth and vitality to the heart, you invite that energy to rise to the lungs, promoting a healthy respiratory system.
4. Triangle (Trikonasana)
Start in a wide standing position. Rotate your right foot to a 90-degree angle, making sure the outside edge of your left foot is aligned with the short edge of the yoga mat. Press your feet evenly into the floor, activating your legs and pulling the muscles towards the bones. Raise your arms to shoulder height and extend them with your fingertips. Extend your right arm forward as far as possible while moving your right hip back and forth. Let your pelvis tilt to the right. Bring your right hand to your right shin or outer shin for stability. Your left arm is raised toward the sky.
Feel the sacred triangular shapes you make with your legs and in the space between your forearm and lower leg. Breathe with your whole body as you feel a strong sense of integration in your center. Squeeze your legs to come out of the pose and repeat on the second side.
Practice Triangle pose in winter helps balance the entire system physically and energetically. Strong legs anchor your Vata energy, while an open heart and expanded center encourage any heavy Kapha energy. In this pose, almost all muscles work, but the form promotes balance, calm and a deep sense of peace.
5. Side Plank (Vasisthasana)
Downward Facing Dog , door seats Bring your feet together and turn your heels to the right, stacking your feet. When transferring your weight to your right arm, make sure the crook of your right elbow is pointing forward to ensure proper shoulder alignment. Bring your left hand to your hip or directly toward the sky, lifting both hips. For an added challenge, keep your big toes together but keep your heels slightly apart. Release the pose by gently returning to downward facing dog and then kneeling and resting between the sides.:
The side plank strengthens and tones the entire body. Strengthens the shoulder girdle, wrists, arms and chest, as well as the obliques, glutes and legs. Because it is a challenging pose, it improves concentration, which is useful for keeping the mind alert during the darker, colder months. If you have difficulty finding your balance due to excess Vata energy, try lowering the bottom of your knee towards the floor and holding it there longer.
6. Fierce Pose (Utkatasana)
Stand courageously on tiptoes . together to touch each other. With strong legs, bend your knees as if you were sitting in an invisible chair. Keep your sacrum extended toward the floor and your abdominal muscles engaged to maintain a neutral curve in your lower back. Keep your weight on your heels rather than transferring it to your toes. Reach out with your fingertips, with your arms in front of you, at shoulder height or near your ears. Adopt a mountain pose or lean forward to relieve stress on the spine.
As the name suggests, this pose promotes a feeling of strength, empowerment, and inner strength. It is also one of the most effective poses for generating heat in the body in just a few breaths. Utkatasana not only strengthens all major muscles, but also all major joints and bones, making it extremely powerful in every sense of the word. By working your legs and toning your stomach, you reduce vata energy while strengthening your inner fire. This will promote good digestion and strong willpower, which can sometimes be lacking during Kapha season.
7. Crow Pose (Bakasana)
Starting with a forward bend, squat with your feet together and knees apart. He places his hands firmly on the floor, as in downward-facing dog, with a solid base of support under the nets between his thumbs and forefingers. He raises his hips, put his knees under his armpits; He lets his shins rest on his arms like a shelf. He continues to push his feet firmly toward the midline as you shift your weight forward and lift your feet off the floor. Looking straight ahead can help you avoid falling.
Note: You can always place a pillow under your head if you fall. Go in and out of the pose several times before holding it as long as possible.
Crow Pose Increases Strength and endurance and makes your heart beat faster. Focus on being grounded and enlightened in your energy at the same time and see if it becomes easier to fly. To treat Vata imbalance, continue to contract the muscles towards the bones and push them towards the midline. If there is a Kapha imbalance, keep your hips lifted and keep looking forward instead of looking down.
8. Headstand Pose (Sirsasana)
Note: This pose is not recommended for beginners or people with neck problems.
Start in fours legs and lower. Bend over your forearms, with your elbows shoulder-width apart. Interlace your fingers and place the back of your head on the floor. Push hard enough with your elbows and forearms so that your shoulders are away from your ears and pressure on your head and neck is minimal. Lower your toes and walk towards your head. Engage your core muscles firmly and pull your knees towards your chest as you lift your feet off the floor. Slowly extend both legs toward the sky, creating a long line of energy from the top of your head to the tips of your toes. Hold the position for a few breaths or several minutes, going down as carefully as you go up.
Benefits of winter:
founder of Iyengar yoga, BKS Iyengar, calls the headstand the “king” of all poses because of its long list of benefits. When properly aligned, your arms and shoulders are strengthened and aligned, while promoting blood circulation to your face, neck and brain. Standing upside down reverses the effect of gravity on your lungs and internal organs, providing greater vitality and a strengthened immune system. From an energetic point of view, the headstand is meditative in nature, but has an energizing effect and increases resistance. If you have excess Vata energy, try using a wall for support. To balance Kapha, try some mindful movements with your legs in pose.
9. Half Lord of Pisces (Ardha Matsyendrasana)
Sit on the floor with both bones rooted evenly. Place the ball of your right foot on the floor on the outside of your left thigh as you move your left foot so that your heel is in contact with your right hip. Wrap your fingers around your right shin and straighten your spine as you breathe deeply. As you exhale, turn to the right and place the tip of your right finger on the floor behind you. Your left hand can continue to hold your shin, or you can cross your elbow on the outside of your leg to put more weight into the turn. Turn your gaze to look over your right shoulder. To exit the pose, relax your spine as you inhale and slowly release before performing the second part.
Winter Benefits:
This seated twist massages the digestive organs and promotes healthy elimination by calming the nervous system. Stimulates lymphatic flow and the immune system, useful during cold and flu season. This pose also opens the chest for deeper breathing and better respiratory health.
10. Corpse Pose (Savasana)
Lie on your back and stretch your legs. Rotate your legs in and out of your midline several times to allow them to open and rest naturally. Place your shoulder blades behind your back, raise your palms and spread them across your chest. Close your eyes and keep your head in a neutral position. Breathe deeply and abandon all efforts to control your breathing. Feel the natural intelligence of all your body's systems as you rest here for 5-20 minutes.
FAQs
What yoga is practiced in winter?
To find balance in winter, practice strong and stimulating asanas such as Utkatasana (Flesh ). Arranged). ), Parivrtta Utkatasana (Swivel Chair Pose), Navasana (Boat Pose), and lots of warm sun salutations as we spend more time in restorative poses like Supta Baddha Konasana (Bent Angle Pose),…
How to do yoga in cold weather?
Wear layers so you can start your practice in the heat, and take them off. Turn around slowly. turn it off while your body warms up and you have everything at hand for a comfortable relaxation pose (Savasana). Emphasize calm, warmth, grounding, and stability by moving more slowly and mindfully. Start with what you love and what feels good.
How do yoga stay warm in winter?
Yogis use different techniques to survive the cold. A common practice is known as tummo, or inner heat meditation, which uses breathing and visualization techniques to generate heat in the body. Additionally, yogis can also use certain yoga poses, such as the sun salutation sequence, to warm up the body.