Yoga in the Wintertime.... and What I'm Reading Now

Went for a great training session this morning in our town. We are fortunate to have a great set of public stairs over-looking town and the awesome river. And at a count of 413, it means we have a great training area. I sprint down them and walk fast & jog (or do some interval training) up them for a total of 4 times round trip. That's a lot of stairs. And a lot of fun... now. Didn't used to be!

I'm about ready to up it to 5 rounds but am not sure when to make that call. Yoga has taught me to look for the balance between ease and effort... to walk the line and know where I am each and every day. As if by magic Sage Rountree's new blog posting arrived in my email in-box today to remind me that as an athlete, there are some traits that are plusses in sports can be a hindrance in yoga. If you are interested, here is her blog:

Sage Rountree on Athletes in Yoga Class - Yoga Journal

Click on the link, read the posting and let me know what you think.

Being that it is winter, I'm also enjoying downhill skiing again! Woot, woot. So that means that I'm adding a few different poses to my yoga classes. Yes, we are doing more Chair Pose - Utkatasana. But also more deep stretches and gentle poses to balance out the actions of skiing. We are spending more time in balances, and looking out for our knees in poses like Warrior 1 & 2 - Virabhadrasana I and II. We are concentrating a little more on our ankles and feet as they spend so much more time immobilized in boots.

I love the change of seasons, the change of sports and the change in my yoga practice. It helps us remember that the only constant in life is change. It helps us learn to embrace the impermanence that is our life and to perhaps appreciate what is now.

Change....

This time of year is so amazing.... I always love fall. Well, maybe it is a love/hate sort of thing. I LOVE summer (OK, so that is not something that my friends and family will find as a surprise) and I am not ready to give up those wonderful warm rays of sunshine, the beautiful light, the flowers and the fun we have outdoors... not to mention wearing FLIP-FLOPS. But as an easterner, I simply love the reds, oranges and yellows of the trees, the crisp air, the CHANGE in the air. And Halloween. Thanksgiving: sharing & gratitude.

Also, I do so love winter... LOTS of snow: skiing, snowboarding, cold air making your nostrils stick together, hot coco, snuggling under the covers... even shoveling snow. I LOVE shovelling snow, yes that is strange. I know.

It is just such a bother to have to change from one to the other when I am not ready.

But when are we ever ready?

Change can be disorienting, so uncomfortable.... but also so exciting.

Transitions..... breathe through them... embrace the change.

In my practice I use this time to shake things up a bit. I find I need to look to different poses to engergize and engage me. In summer I look to cooling poses. At the change of seasons, twists are always good although I prefer them in the spring. However, I still am attracted to those twists... they are just slower and more meditative, perhaps reclined. Helps to increase the blood flow to vital internal organs.

In fall I focus on de-toxing, but my practice is more gentle. As always the yummy forward folds, energizing back-bends, the wonderful Warriors. The air-ways may need some support so I find I am also attracted to a deeper breathing, full and slow Ujjayi Pranayama.

Perhaps that is the urge to ponder, share and embrace the gratitude for all that we have in our lives. All that challenges us, all that makes us be the best we can be.

___Update after yoga class_______________________________________________

Somehow that topic of change came up in my noon class today, perhaps because a few of us were feeling a little creaky, maybe a little sore. So we had a slow, meditative flow practice, focussing on grounding through sitbones when sitting, through our hands & feet in other poses. Coming back to centre between sets. Moving mindfully through our sun salutations and when need be modifiying poses to make sure we were right where we needed to be..... ahhhhh....... ommmmmmmm.


I love my yoga community.

Namaste