Yoga is just not solely a wholesome observe, however it’s immensely fulfilling, too. Within the winter season, because the temperatures plummet, it’s essential to proceed doing yoga, so the physique can defend towards seasonal sicknesses and different well being issues. Namita Piparaiya, a yoga and Ayurveda life-style specialist, and the founding father of ‘Yoganama’ tells indianexpress.com that in Ayurveda, the winter season is a robust time when our physique’s pure power and stamina are the best. “Not solely that, even the digestive hearth referred to as ‘agni‘, is balanced and highly effective. This permits the physique to assimilate vitamin and keep heat all through this season. Naturally, our yoga observe would additionally evolve with the climate change to make sure the doshas stay balanced,” she says.
Piparaiya says that since it’s pure for the physique to crave a change with the seasons, just a few easy suggestions can assist stability your winter yoga observe.
* Begin with joint rotations (additionally referred to as Sukshma Vyayama): Winters are when vata and kapha dosha are likely to get disturbed simply. Each may cause stiffness and lethargy. Plus, the chilly climate requires us to heat up sufficiently earlier than beginning our observe. The colder it’s, the extra necessary it turns into to practise joint rotations. Begin with shifting the toes and regularly make your method as much as the ankle, knee, hip, fingers, wrist, elbow, shoulders, and neck — in that order.
* Focus extra on holding postures: Early winter season is when vata dosha (wind ingredient) is stronger. Vata, just like the wind, tends to disperse vitality, which must be reeled again in. It is usually the time for festivals and celebrations, which additional scatter our vitality, pulling our focus into varied actions. Thus, it’s time to focus extra on grounding yoga practices like Hatha yoga that prioritises holding postures for an extended length. An excessive amount of motion, akin to working or extreme strolling, can worsen vata. Solar salutations could be sluggish with managed actions.
* Embrace flow-based Vinyasa yoga in late winters: Late winters are the time when kapha (earth and water components) begins accumulating. Kapha will get vitiated proper after winters within the spring season. That is, due to this fact, the time when your yoga observe can deal with melting kapha. Embrace heating yoga postures like Plank Pose, Head Stand, Boat Pose, Warrior Poses, and so forth. Practise moderately-paced Vinyasa yoga and solar salutations often and use ujjayi breath through the asana.
* Problem your self: The human physique is the strongest within the winter season. That is when you’ll be able to work on difficult your self a bit of extra and let your observe be extra vigorous, particularly for those who’re a kapha persona kind. As all the time, practise moderation; by overdoing, we will scale back our immunity. However by pushing ourselves simply the correct amount, we will improve our power.
* Practise respiratory kriyas: Light respiratory kriyas like Kapalabhati and Bhastrika could be practised often. And when you’ve had sufficient observe, with correct steerage, you’ll be able to embrace Agnisara and Nauli in late winters. Whereas each are good for kapha dosha, they’ll worsen these with pitta kind personalities. So, those that have gastric points must be cautious. And it’s finest to cease these practices in the event that they make you irritable or offer you a headache.
* Each day pranayama and meditation: These are integral parts of a healthful yoga observe, and you could proceed practising them as per your regular routine. You possibly can practise pranayama strategies like Equal Respiration, Double Respiration, and Alternate Nostril Respiration. However please search steerage earlier than practising cooling pranayama like Sheetali, Sheetkari, or Chandra Bheda. Meditation observe is just not influenced by seasons, and you’ll proceed the identical routine all year long.
“These changes and adjustments often wouldn’t require a lot effort as they comply with nature’s pure rhythm and will come to you seamlessly. All you want is to remain constant and hearken to your physique to take pleasure in every season to its full potential,” Piparaiya advises.
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