Stretch your legs out in front of you, allowing your heels to be heavy. Restorative encourages relaxing in restful poses, stimulating the parasympathetic nervous and immune systems. Cat-Cow Pose (Marjaiasana/Bitilasana) Start off by warming up your spine and feeling the fluidity … Straighten your legs out in front of you, then bend your knees and let them fall away from each other. Slowly ease your way onto the bolster, aiming to bring as much of your belly and chest onto it as you can. As your deed is, so is your destiny.”. We make our own warmth by throwing logs in the fire and turning on our ovens to bake breads and pies. Can you perceive your own pulse? I believe in adapting the practice to the student, not the other way around. Synchronize your breath to movement that’s strong and intuitive. Yin yoga, on the other hand, involves holding gentle poses for up to 10 minutes. (If your forward fold is very deep, and your forearms come to the mat, feel free to take hold of your calves from behind.). In fact, you might precede the entire practice by massaging your feet, hands, and neck with your favorite and most soothing essential oils. Throughout the dark, cold months, we don’t wait helplessly for the sun. Restorative Yoga Evening for the Winter Solstice (冬至 dōngzhì) We warmly invite you to join us and take time to let go stress and unwind with a wonderfully relaxing and blissful, 2 hour Restorative Yoga evening on the longest night, influenced by the Chinese Solar Calendar. Privacy Policy, {"email":"Email address invalid","url":"Website address invalid","required":"Required field missing"}. Restorative Yoga is by far the most relaxing type of yoga I have practiced. Notice any differences that have occurred in your body, in your breathing, or in your mood since the beginning of class. Lean forward slightly so that your forehead can rest on the bolster. Yin yoga, on the other hand, involves holding gentle poses for … Sit on the bolster with an upright spine. Feel the warmth of your right palm infusing your left palm, and the warmth of your left palm infusing your right palm. Related: Spring Equinox + 108 Sun Salutations. In order to clear space for your new intentions and goals:What do you need to let go of?What do you want to leave behind in the old year?What do you need to sweep out to make way for the new? Dec 22, 2019 - Winter solstice is a perfect time of year to practice the rejuvenating restorative style of yoga. Note: To keep your legs on the bolster effortlessly, feel free to swaddle your legs in a blanket, or loop a yoga strap around your calves or ankles. What kind of support do you need?Are there people in your life currently who are working toward a similar goal?Are there people in your life who will work against you, consciously or otherwise, in achieving this goal? Note: If your knees are high off the ground in this pose, support your thighs with pillows or blankets. Alternatively, assume a comfortable cross-legged seat. On the winter solstice, we experience the shortest day and longest night of the year. By Andrea Rice. Extend your legs behind you, letting your feet turn out slightly. Allowing forty-five minutes for the practice would give you about five minutes in each restorative pose. Supported Forward Fold ( or ) With Hands on Legs Note: As in the previous pose, those with more flexibility should feel free to adjust the bolster accordingly. Feel the light of the flame growing inside of you and imagine your solstice intentions doing the same. Honor the Winter Solstice With This Soothing Yoga Sequence Harvesting Winter Solstice Energy. Begin to rub your palms together in front of you as if you’re starting a fire. To support your vision:What do you need in order to incorporate these intentions into your life?Do you need a system? Home > Blog > Yoga & Meditation > Winter Solstice Restorative Yoga with Mary Williams This events has past On the shortest day of the year as we begin the return to light, in this practice together we will rest, relax, and restore, as we turn inwards to honour and nurture the light within. Remain in the pose for several deep breaths. Come to a high kneeling position, with your knees a little wider than hip-distance apart and your toes pointed, and place a bolster lengthwise between your shins (even if you don’t need it). Sit facing the bolster, then swing both legs up onto it and lie down. Something we can focus on during this season is... Sukhasana (Easy Pose). Feel free to keep your socks on, and even consider wearing your favorite stocking cap. Note: You can place a folded blanket under your forehead if the block is uncomfortable. Sellwood Yoga. –The Upanishads. Winter Solstice Deep Restorative Practice . It is the shortest, darkest day of the year, and the longest night of the year. For this Winter Solstice, I’m bringing you a soothing yin practice. It forces you to get intimate with your self; with feelings, sensations, and emotions, something that can be easy to avoid in a more fast-paced practice. Long ago, it was believed that if the sun were to keep sinking lower and lower, soon all would be dark and life would come to an end. This form collects information we will use to send you updates about promotions, special offers, and news. 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 your elbows dig into the mat or floor uncomfortably, place blankets or pillows under them. A time to acknowledge our dark side, heal our wounds, release old thought patterns and align with our light and our heartfelt intentions. With the remaining time, five or six minutes, sit quietly in meditation. Winter solstice occurs between December 20 and 22nd in the Northern hemisphere and June the 20 and 22nd in the Southern hemisphere. I invite you to skim these questions before the following yin practice and to hold them in your mind during your practice. Imagine the energy you cultivated during this replenishing practice sparkling like tinsel, and then emanating outward—brightening the world and lengthening these winter days. December 20, 6-8 pm: The Winter Solstice marks the turn from the shortest day of the year towards the return of light. The Winter Solstice. Encourage your belly to expand with every inhale, and to soften in with every exhale. A Cozy Restorative Yoga Sequence for the Holidays. The Winter solstice is the first day of winter, and it occurs when the Northern Hemisphere is furthest from the sun. To be exact, at 5:02am EST on Monday, December 21, 2020, the Earth’s North Pole will be the farthest away from the sun, and this marks the exact time of the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere. Place a block at the top of your yoga mat on its lowest setting. This is a special time of the year that I feel many people misunderstand. Grab a bolster and a block, and make sure you’re wearing comfortable clothes. The yin practice is an introspective one. Lie on your back, placing the bolster horizontally across your chest. Yoga is life – it is meant to be lived! Keep the bolster as it was for supported bridge (vertical), and place your block at the top of your mat, on its lowest setting. Fill out the form below and I'll send these journaling questions + sequence straight to your inbox! This makes it perfect for the Winter Solstice. I am a yoga teacher who focuses on bridging the gap between what happens on the mat and life off the mat. You can prop the foot onto a blanket/block if needed. Yinyoga Winter / yin yoga sequence for winter solstice - YouTube : November is a time of transition.. November is a time of transition. 7. Restorative yoga is a type of yoga that is practiced to relax and restore the mind and body. Place a bolster on its flat side several inches from a wall. Turn one palm up, and place your other palm down on top of it. This form collects information we will use to send you updates about promotions, special offers, and news. Stay here for several minutes, releasing any tension in your legs, before returning to an upright seated position. It marks the longest night of the year as well as the return of sunlight as we move towards Spring. Place the top of the bolster on the block, creating an incline. We will not share or sell your personal information.You can unsubscribe at any time. Bend your elbows out to the sides, and bring your hands to rest gently on the back of your neck (wherever they can easily touch). Viparita Karani. Lengthen your legs out in front of you, bringing them as wide apart as you’d like, and placing your bolster vertically between your shins. Winter solstice occurs between December 20 and 22nd in the Northern hemisphere and June the 20 and 22nd in the Southern hemisphere. Stay here for several minutes, softening into your stomach, before returning to a seated position. Dec 27, 2020 - Winter solstice is a perfect time of year to practice the rejuvenating restorative style of yoga. While in each pose, a gentle touch is suggested (each is inspired by the light touches of a craniosacral therapy session and can be safely practiced by lay practitioners). The word solstice means “sun standing still,” and during the solstice, the sun does just that. Ayurvedic Rituals for the Winter Solstice. Place your hands on your shins or thighs, encouraging your legs to relax. Celebrate the Winter solstice. Do you need more money? Restorative or yin yoga might be just the styles of yoga to keep you on your mat during the long winter days. Press your palms together in offering seal (anjali mudra) with your thumbs at your breastbone. This year, the Winter Solstice falls on December 21st, and it marks a shift in daylight. Using lots of blankets and pillows as props, these poses are held for 15+ minutes. The seasonal movement of the sun’s path comes to a stop before reversing direction. Yin Yoga Sequence Spring Renewal Freeport Co. Winter Yin Yoga Sequence To Reverse Stagnation And Stimulate Chi. If you wish, you can precede each touch with a more active self-massage before then relaxing into the pose. Bend your elbows, placing your hands on your lower rib cage. Yin Yoga Poses For Winter. Rebirth of The Light: Tending The Inner Fire at The Winter Solstice – New Year In every pose throughout this practice, you can imagine that you’re delivering the energy and warmth of your hands back to yourself, replenishing yourself after the time you’ve spent directing your energy outward in service of others. 3 Yoga Poses To Celebrate The Winter Solstice Doyou. The Winter solstice is a paradox. All Rights Reserved. Supported Bridge Pose () With Hands on Lower Ribs. See more ideas about yoga, yin yoga, restorative yoga. Bring your palms to your eyes, resting your elbows against the bolster. Place the top of the bolster on the block, creating an incline. Place a bolster lengthwise in the middle of your mat. I invite you to go deeper than the traditional “new years resolutions,” and I’ve included some contemplation questions to help guide you: Looking back on your journey this year:What has been important to you?What brought you deep satisfaction?What brought you disappointment or frustration?What have you learned? How about the movements that attend your breath? Copyright 2021 Roaming Yogi, LLC, all rights reserved. Turn your head in whichever direction feels good to you. This is the perfect time to revisit any intentions set during the Autumn Equinox and to set new ones for the coming year. Sit facing the bolster, then swing both legs up onto it and lie down. A solstice happens twice a year – in June and December. To come out of the pose, bend your knees to bring your feet to the ground, lift your hips, move the bolster to one side, then lower your hips back down to the ground. Many cultures recognize the Winter Solstice as a time to celebrate the gradual return of the light. As your intention is, so is your will. Note: If practicing hero pose on one bolster isn’t comfortable for your knees, you can reduce the stress by placing a block on its lowest setting between your shins/feet and a bolster horizontally on top of it (as pictured below). This is a powerful time of transformation. Think of the Winter Solstice as the fourth and final movement of your 2017 life-symphony, and try these six yoga circuits: a series of dynamic, core-powered sequences to amplify your practice. This type of yoga incorporates props to support and completely relax the body, although props are not mandatory. … $40. Try these yoga sequences to activate your intentions at the Winter Solstice. Lift the right leg and straighten out the left leg. “You are what your deepest desire is. Sip hot tea beforehand, or even between these mellow poses. Jillian Pransky is a Master Certified Yoga Instructor. Props Needed: wall, 2 blocks, a bolster, eye pillow and blankets for this restorative yoga class for winter solstice. This pose also represents the dual expressions of grounding and lifting at once. Bring the soles of your feet to touch, with heels as close to you as is comfortable. Ease your way down onto the bolster, which ideally will support most of your torso, and bring your forehead to rest on the block. It lowers blood pressure and heart rate, not unlike what happens to animals that hibernate during the colder months. After doing a full Restorative Yoga sequence, you can expect to feel restored, rejuvenated, and peaceful, much like you would after a … The yinyoga community on reddit. Namaste yogis and happy winter solstice! Stay here for several minutes, encouraging your eyes—and the mind behind them—to relax. The June solstice, also known as the Summer Solstice, is the longest day of the year. December 21is the first day of winter and is celebrated as the winter … I hope you find something that serves you here. We will not share or sell your personal information. Sign up for the Roaming Yogi email list and I'll send you these journaling questions and yin sequence as a thank you! Place your bolster vertically in front of your feet, and then tip forward to rest your forehead on the top edge of the bolster. Legs up the Bolster ( Variation) With Hands on Belly. Do you need more time? We make our own light—entwining trees with blinking strands and putting candles in the windows. As your desire is, so is your intention. Hero Pose With Palm Rubbing and Hands Out. Such a practice has the potential to connect us to our own resourcefulness, as winter itself does. Winter solstice occurs between December 20 and 22nd in the Northern hemisphere and June the 20 and 22nd in the Southern hemisphere. Begin to take the right leg across the body to the left side of the mat. Celebrate the longest night of the year and gift yourself this recharge during the holiday season. As much as possible, turn your chest to face the bolster. Stay here, resting your hands on your feet for several minutes, taking deep, easy breaths. Amber Burke lives in New Mexico and works at UNM-Taos, where she coordinates the Holistic Health and... Read more. Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose 1. Then rub them even faster for a few breath cycles, until your hands are warm. Lie back over the bolster so that your head and shoulders are resting on the floor. Similarly, amid the fray of the holidays, rather than waiting for peace to descend, we can create our own with a bolster, a block, and our own two hands. The word solstice means “sun standing still,” and during the solstice, the sun does just that. Note: If you’d like to use more props, you can elevate your calves on a single horizontal block for this pose, looping your ankles or calves together with a strap (as shown); or you can even place another bolster below this one so that you are supported from your heels to your mid-back. The June solstice, also known as the Summer Solstice, is the longest day of the year. The long, dark days of winter can create physical stagnation and fatigue. Enjoy this yin yoga for winter sequence, to take advantage of this seasons specialities: During this yin yoga winter class associated with the kidney & bladder meridians in relation to the controlling and creation cycles of the 5 elements theory. Yin yoga involves longer holdings and fewer asanas … Â. Scoot the hips all the way to the right until the right hip is totally off the block but the left hip is still in contact with it. Come to all fours, facing the block, with your hands on either side of the bolster. Stay here for several minutes, feeling the gentle weight of your hands on your lowest ribs as you breathe. As your will is, so is your deed. We went through a daylight shift back in September with the Autumn Equinox; that was a shift from longer days to shorter ones. Though the practice that follows involves minimal props, you are welcome to cozy it up by draping a blanket over yourself and adding pillows as suggested, or simply improvising as you’d like. A Winter Yin Yoga Sequence To Call On The Light Within Journal. Postures are held for longer periods in a yin practice – typically three to five minutes, but sometimes up to 20 minutes. This style of yoga targets the deep connective tissues (rather than the superficial tissues), and the fascia that covers the body. Rather than setting intentions or resolutions on January 1st, start envisioning and manifesting now, so that you enter the new year motivated! To close the winter solstice ceremony, lower or close your eyes and return to normal breathing. By far O2’s most popular workshop, the Winter Solstice class is the chance to recharge with a deeply restorative practice. Alternatively, you could combine this practice with meditations on the chakras (since we work our way up from the feet to the head), and visualize each chakra color glowing from within—each as bright as a Christmas bulb. We will not share or sell your personal information.You can unsubscribe at any time. Bring the palms of your hands to rest gently on the tops of your feet, thumbs on the arches. Come to hero pose on your bolster, or to whichever seated position you assumed at the beginning of this practice. The seasonal movement of the sun’s path comes to a stop before reversing direction. More subtle still, can you detect a current of joy somewhere inside? Hero Pose () with Palm Rubbing and Anjali Mudra. Come to a seated position, with your left hip just in front of the inclined bolster and your hands on either side of it, knees pointing to the right. Bring your hands together at your heart once again. After sitting for a few minutes, say each of your solstice intentions out loud. Place your hands on your stomach (tucking your fingertips into the waistband of your pants might help to keep your hands in place). On the Winter Solstice, the sun begins to climb higher into the sky, which has been seen as a symbol of rebirth. Stay here for several minutes, releasing tension in your neck and shoulders, before bringing your hands to the mat alongside the bolster and pressing yourself back up. Celebrate the winter solstice with a restorative yoga sequence to slow down and unwind. Then slowly return to upright position. Her Yogalicious blog is a where you can read her thoughts on yoga and life, and get her recommendations for great products, recipes and more. Or you could simply bring your awareness to every place you touch, encouraging relaxation and noticing the sensations inside. Place a block at the top of your yoga mat on its lowest setting. And do not rush. Monday, December 21, 2020. Put on your favorite soothing music or simply keep things quiet. Now, at the Winter Solstice, we begin to emerge from the darkness back into the light. When you are finished practicing, sit down with the questions, meditate on them, and write down some answers. Welcome the return of illumination with Sellwood Yoga's with a slow, mindful vinyasa flow sequence and a quieter, more reflective yin and restorative yoga style.$30 in advance, $35 at the door, 7970 SE 13th Ave. Supported Bound Angle Pose () With Hands on Feet. This form collects information we will use to send you updates about promotions, special offers, and news. Naturally, you can lower your bolster if your flexibility allows. All Content © Copyright Yoga International 2021. And if you don't, get in touch! Relax here for several minutes, feeling the warmth of your hands. Looking forward to the return of the light:What is important to you?What do you value?What do you want to bring out into the light?What do you want to achieve?What are the projects that you want to come to fruition?What new habits would you like to cultivate? Yin yoga is a slow, grounding practice that helps to calm the nervous system and bring awareness to savasana is the final resting pose of the yin yoga for winter sequence. Then, gently lift yourself up, and switch sides; reverse your hands, so that the hand that was below is now on top of the other. While this day is the shortest and darkest, after this date, the days begin to get longer and brighter. Widen your arms out into a V-shape from your shoulders, palms facing forward. 5:30-7:30pm pst on Zoom. Embrace the bolster, sliding your hands underneath it. A solstice happens twice a year – in June and December. Start in a comfortable, cross-legged, seated position. A yin yoga practice is a perfect way to honor the pause of the Winter Solstice; to turn towards your inner light. The December, or Winter Solstice, is the shortest day of the year. Yogalicious: Jillian Pransky's Restorative Yoga & Mindfulness Blog. It represents the shortest day and the longest night of … Supported Crocodile () With Hands on Neck. Join me for peaceful winter yin yoga, a gentle yoga practice for relaxation and stress relief. Spring Into Yin Yoga Gypsy. To deepen your relaxation this holiday, here’s a restorative practice that pairs familiar postures with gentle TLC.