The Winter Solstice is the shortest day of the year, when the benevolent light of our sun fades into illuminate darkness. Extend your arms firmly and powerfully, and sink deeply into your front knee, shooting your energy toward the front of the room. In England, for example, you can see the beautiful solstice sunrise from the ancient Stonehenge rocks, and people often play instruments and participate in yoga flows as they wait for the sun to come up. It's excellent for the Winter Solstice because this breath symbolizes the equilibrium between the solar and lunar qualities (the left nostril breath representing Chandra, or the moon/Yin energy, while the right nostril represents Surya, the sun/Yang energy). This includes Yule logs in Northern Europe and the five-day fasting and fire ceremonies of the local Chumash in Malibu. The more Shadow Work I practice, the more I realize the key to deep, profound healing requires me to become my own ally. As your intention is, so is your will. Parivritta Anjaneyasana -- Lunge with Prayer Twist. Ancient cultures used to make offerings during the winter months, to ensure the sun would return from beyond the horizon each day. Finally, slip into a soothing savasana, and enjoy this energizing, yet grounding conclusion to your winter solstice flow. We have finally arrived, after a long descent, to the axis mundi or sacred center of the Feminine. Hold yourself with love and feel the light of the flame. As you exhale, round the back, drawing the ridge of your spine toward the sky while your tailbone draws downward. We build the Yang fire for the Solstice with Chair Pose, keep the knees in line with the toes as you sit back and ground through your heels (different lineages of yoga have different directions in terms of relation to knees and feet: I prefer to keep my feet hip-distance apart). Embrace this piece of the great puzzle of who you are: unique, valuable, weird and wacky and absolutely wondrous. Thank yourself for dedicating this time to your practice, and express gratitude for the magical rising of the winter sun. The truth is, we are an indelible part of nature, composed of the cosmos itself, and we can't escape our connection to its rhythms. This pose also represents the dual expressions of grounding and lifting at once. Ah, one of my favorite yoga poses! We continue to build Yang energy here and tap into the fire within with this wonderful shape. Extend your body outward and drop your knees to one side of your body, with outstretched arms, to release and rejuvenate your lower back. That often means bringing the bottom hand up, Writing has always been my first love. Google+. Stay revolved toward one side for a few breaths, and then repeat the asana on the opposite side of your body. As your need is, so is your intention. Gaze forward as you bring your hands to the center of your chest, connecting your thumbs to your heart space. Yoga for the Winter Solstice. You can add a twist here to further warm up the spine. It's like good in a bad way. Take a long while to breathe love and appreciation into this quality. Props Needed: wall, 2 blocks, a bolster, eye pillow and blankets for this restorative yoga class for winter solstice. Transition from a plank into your first downward facing dog, pedaling out your feet and allowing your calves and hamstrings to gently open up. Yoga Poses to Honor the Winter Solstice: The Dance of Duality (Dec 17, 2020) The Winter Solstice is marked by the dance between the poles of light and dark: in the Northern Hemisphere the winter solstice is the shortest www.theyogawriter.com Triangle pose is another foundational yoga posture -- for the Winter Solstice we can draw our attention to rooting through the legs while simultaneously drawing energy up the legs, across the pelvic bowl, and through the spine all the way to the crown. If you'd like to… Allow your knees to come together and touch. If your lower back isn't ready for the full expression of the pose, tuck your toes so that your heels will be closer to you and more accessible. This requires a deep connection to your midline, as you draw energy up the inner thighs, pelvis, and abdomen. Finding the motivation to get your body and soul moving on your yoga mat can be a great challenge. This sweet hip opener can be practiced in both Yin and Yang ways: the Yang expression (pictured here) is great to warm up the body by keeping the spine elongated and lifting through the abdomen. The right thumb lightly closes the right nostril: inhale gently and easily through the left nostril. In the spirit of the winter solstice, take your time with each movement, filling your sequence with intention and mindfulness. Hope you enjoy, and here's to being on this wild, wondrous journey. ~ Keep the spine long: don't collapse the bottom side of the torso or round the back. Sunday, December 20th And yet, tuning into and aligning ourselves with nature can provide key insights and connections in our lives. with this Yin Yoga class that is dedicated to the winter solstice! Engage your core and lengthen the bottom side torso, while actively drawing the bottom outer thigh muscles up and back (don't let the bottom hip stick out). This magical changing of seasons has been celebrated for years, with traditions and rituals that honor the rising winter sun. 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From tabletop or downward-facing dog, you can simply step one leg forward between the hands, stacking the knee over the ankle (make sure toes and the center of your knee joint are facing forward and in line with one another). Winter Solstice Yoga in the Library Continuing to offer Community Yoga virtually provides an opportunity to clear your thoughts and relax, while staying connected at a time when we need it most. Posted by Alison June 23, 2010 September 10, 2016 Posted in developing a personal practice, yoga, Yoga Asana Tags: alison eastland yoga, candle meditation, cold weather, inner light, jyoti, meditation, restorative yoga, sun salutations, winter, winter solstice, yoga, yoga for depression, yoga poses, yoga practice Post navigation Don't Miss These. The Winter Solstice is a time of year that has been celebrated for millennia, across cultures and continents. by KassandraR | Dec 21, 2017 | holiday, new year, new years resolution, restorative, restorative yoga, restorative yoga class, solstice, winter, winter solstice yoga, winter solstice yoga class Keep the front knee stacked over the front ankle, draw the abdominal wall inward and upward to rise up with integrity, hands on heart. Share. Who knows -- you might find your right toes with your right fingers, as I am attempting here before my camera timer clicked the photo (. This year, the Winter Solstice falls on December 21, 2017. The Solstice offers us a moment to pause in an otherwise active month full of festivities and celebrations. Because our calendar doesn’t line up exactly with the Earth’s spin over the year, the exact date of the Solstice can change by a day or so. A winter theme can add a little extra fun to yoga. Yin Yoga for the Winter Solstice 20th December 2010. 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