It’s hard to believe that Spring is already here. With snow falling over much of the weekend, it looked more like winter solstice than spring equinox.
I took full advantage of this Winter reboot (pun intended) — I went cross-country skiing on both Saturday and Sunday. March is going out like a lion … a very snowy lion.
These cold, blustery days of winter will soon be a fading memory. The signs are all there. The light is changing, the days are growing longer, and the world feels more alive with each passing day.
Spring is a time for new life, growth, and renewal. As the season changes, you may feel the urge to spend more time outside, to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables, or be more physically active.
One of the things that I love about yoga is that it helps me stay in tune with the seasonal shifts — not just with what’s going on in the world, but also with what’s going on in my body and mind. Yoga can also help you transition more smoothly from Winter to Spring.
Here are a few yoga poses (and one breathing technique) to wake up your mind and body after those long months of hibernation.
- Sun Salutations: Sun Salutations are all about warmth, awakening, and enlivening the senses. But you don’t have to do the traditional version to benefit from the continuous motion. I often teach simpler repeating sequences of movement that work just as well. One variation that I use is: table top pose to child’s pose to table top pose to downward-facing dog. Rinse and repeat.
- Legs Up the Wall: This is often used as a restorative or relaxation pose, but it can also be grounding and energizing. I find that legs up the wall pose is especially useful in Spring, when I have a harder time slowing down and keeping my thoughts from racing.
- Twists: These are traditionally used to increase circulation in the digestive organs, which helps shake off the internal winter sluggishness. You can do twists seated, standing, or lying down. Whichever one you choose, be mindful of your back and don’t overdo the twist.
- Alternate-nostril breathing: While you might be tempted to do energizing right-nostril breathing, I prefer a more balancing alternate-nostril breathing. The basic pattern is this: inhale left nostril, exhale right nostril, inhale right nostril, exhale left nostril. Keep the breath relaxed and long. Repeat 12 or more times.
