I greet Friday morning by finding a comfortable seat on my coral
patterned yoga mat. After the January gray and snow blanketed lawns and roads,
my eyes are thankful for the bright red hues and orange sun designs on the mat.
The yoga class has moved with the heat – to the upstairs gallery. The
temperature drastically rises with each climbed chair and the small, dedicated
group of yogis is incredibly grateful to leave the chilled downstairs behind
for warm floorboards and a skylight that shows a pristine blue sky.
I rub my hands together, chasing out the lingering cold from my fingertips. I rest the heat of my palms down on my cold swollen toes (note to self: rain boots are maybe not the best foot wear to protect toes from single digit temperatures). I relax into the comforting voice of the instructor, a fellow friend and coworker. Breathing consciously, we acknowledge and cultivate the heat dwelling at our center, the 3rd chakra, our inner throne. We breathe the heat out into the body; I send warm thoughts down to my thawing out toes.
“Hands to heart, anjali mudra. Set an intention.”
HEAT. My toes want heat, my confidence needs some kick ass energy, I want to burn through my January dulled thought webs, and breathe radiant sunshine into my being.
Yes, I intend to cultivate comforting heat through movement, breath and even stillness. This was the intention, and I’m carrying it off the mat for some let’s embrace and shine through this winter inspiration.
This winter has been harsh: polar vortexes (introducing a type of cold my southern blood never knew existed), icy roads (which slightly petrifies me) and achingly painful dry skin (that is guzzling Nivea cream and requesting a fur coat for polar vortex III).
I rub my hands together, chasing out the lingering cold from my fingertips. I rest the heat of my palms down on my cold swollen toes (note to self: rain boots are maybe not the best foot wear to protect toes from single digit temperatures). I relax into the comforting voice of the instructor, a fellow friend and coworker. Breathing consciously, we acknowledge and cultivate the heat dwelling at our center, the 3rd chakra, our inner throne. We breathe the heat out into the body; I send warm thoughts down to my thawing out toes.
“Hands to heart, anjali mudra. Set an intention.”
HEAT. My toes want heat, my confidence needs some kick ass energy, I want to burn through my January dulled thought webs, and breathe radiant sunshine into my being.
Yes, I intend to cultivate comforting heat through movement, breath and even stillness. This was the intention, and I’m carrying it off the mat for some let’s embrace and shine through this winter inspiration.
This winter has been harsh: polar vortexes (introducing a type of cold my southern blood never knew existed), icy roads (which slightly petrifies me) and achingly painful dry skin (that is guzzling Nivea cream and requesting a fur coat for polar vortex III).
Yes, hello winter 2014, you have
been a memorable one thus far.
Though you have roared in negative temperatures and icy blasts, I still embrace you. I’m not in the mood to argue with winter, especially this winter. I don’t want to wish away months and days in order to get to the dream of summer. Truthfully, I have relished the quiet that only winter can bring, providing me time for introspection, reading, writing, and enjoying the company of family and friends. It’s a quiet that makes me feel brilliantly alive. Standing on my back porch or walking down a hushed street, the cold invigorates, pushing blood to my cheeks and heart. The silver puffs of breath are visible proofs of my life force. Winter, despite the frozen ground, still holds much life and much to do. I’ve got to rock up 23 while I can!
As I muse on ways to cultivate some sunshine in my winter wonderland, I also recognize and truly appreciate winter’s stillness, which this time around is teaching me to slow down. And in this quiet, I listen to that wise, inner guide who is happy to share a few lift yourself out of the winter slump tips:
Though you have roared in negative temperatures and icy blasts, I still embrace you. I’m not in the mood to argue with winter, especially this winter. I don’t want to wish away months and days in order to get to the dream of summer. Truthfully, I have relished the quiet that only winter can bring, providing me time for introspection, reading, writing, and enjoying the company of family and friends. It’s a quiet that makes me feel brilliantly alive. Standing on my back porch or walking down a hushed street, the cold invigorates, pushing blood to my cheeks and heart. The silver puffs of breath are visible proofs of my life force. Winter, despite the frozen ground, still holds much life and much to do. I’ve got to rock up 23 while I can!
As I muse on ways to cultivate some sunshine in my winter wonderland, I also recognize and truly appreciate winter’s stillness, which this time around is teaching me to slow down. And in this quiet, I listen to that wise, inner guide who is happy to share a few lift yourself out of the winter slump tips:
Salute the Sun with a morning yoga
practice: In my personal yoga practice these days,
I’m loving sun salutations. I wake up excited to downdog and swan dive. Nothing
fancy, back to the sweet basics.
Probably the most familiar of yoga sequences, sun salutation consists of a series of 8 poses that are linked together by breath. This sun flow creates heat and fresh energy in your mind and body. Sun salutation (or in Sanskrit, Surya Namaskar) reminds me of my own divine connection to the earth, to the sun, and my own “inner light,” inviting it to shine.
Probably the most familiar of yoga sequences, sun salutation consists of a series of 8 poses that are linked together by breath. This sun flow creates heat and fresh energy in your mind and body. Sun salutation (or in Sanskrit, Surya Namaskar) reminds me of my own divine connection to the earth, to the sun, and my own “inner light,” inviting it to shine.
Yoga Journal has a sweet and simple instructional video. Practice for
4-8 rounds and you’ll be beaming!!
http://www.yogajournal.com/video/268
Laugh!: My youngest sister, Katie has introduced me to vine videos. She’s
been sharing her favorites, which always concludes with me laughing
uncontrollably on the floor (much to her chagrin, she’s a bit too hip for that
much hysteria). I’m smiling just thinking about it, it’s provided for some
unexpected sister bonding time.
So, watch your favorite comedy, vine, youtube video and walk out into winter feeling like this…:
So, watch your favorite comedy, vine, youtube video and walk out into winter feeling like this…:
Dance: My winter playlist can turn melancholic pretty fast, which is fine
when I’m in the mood (Bon Iver goes so well with the snow), but can be
downright depressing if it’s the only one on repeat.
The other morning, I unexpectedly stumbled upon an old workout playlist filled with rock out cardio songs and bam! my heart was uplifted and I was able to dance off the winter gray in tune with the falling snowflakes.
I’m sure you’ve got some tunes that help you shake off the winter chill. Here are my top 10 recently revisited loves, too.
The other morning, I unexpectedly stumbled upon an old workout playlist filled with rock out cardio songs and bam! my heart was uplifted and I was able to dance off the winter gray in tune with the falling snowflakes.
I’m sure you’ve got some tunes that help you shake off the winter chill. Here are my top 10 recently revisited loves, too.
1.
Daniella – John Butler Trio
2.
Sweater Weather – The
Neighbourhood
3.
Dissolve Me- Alt-J
4.
Everlasting Light – Alex Winston
Cover
5.
Flower – Moby
6.
Big Yellow Taxi – Joni Mitchell
7.
Go Outside – The Cults
8.
Step Outside – Jose Gonzalez
9.
XO – Beyonce
10.
Daylight – Matt & Kim
Just some ideas to ponder. Thanks for stopping by and feel free to share some let’s shine through winter tips! Xoxo and lots of cocoa!!
