yoga during winter

December 21… Winter solstice… The shortest day and the longest night of the year… We experienced the solstice a few days ago. This year seems longer and darker to me. Ongoing terror attacks in our country is making these days longer and darker. Moreover, the summertime application is still underway in our country, which makes days darker. When we wake up in the morning, we see a dark day. When we get out of our homes to go to the office or school, it is still dark. It gets lighter when we are on our ways to school or office, which makes waking up in the morning harder than ever. We have understood how important the daylight is for people and how it biologically helps us live our lives.

When winter comes, I feel depressed. Even though I am a person who have been practicing and living in yoga for years, I cannot get accustomed to the duality of life. Actually, I have accepted duality in many areas, however when it comes to winter and summer, summer is much more important for me. In fact, the sentence saying “there is winter if there is summer” is not one that I feel like saying. Just try to imagine what has happened to me when I am waking up to dark mornings.

Winter… Cold, dark, dry and harsh… All these are characteristics of “vata dosha”, one of the three body types in Ayurveda (Indian science of living). “Vata dosha” resembles adjectives like airy, light and creative. The main feature of this body type is instability and inconstancy. “Vata dosha” controls the central nervous system. When this “dosha” is out of balance, it can lead to nervous problems, including anxiety and depression.

With the cold, dry and harsh weather during winter, the “vata dosha” in our bodies rise irrespective of what our ayurvedic body types are. When the “vata” in our bodies rise, the best thing to do is to ground in yoga classes. Therefore, we should give priority to grounding in our yoga practice during winter and we should keep our awareness in our roots and grounds.

Why do we have to ground when “vata” increases in our bodies? “Vata” is associated with not only cold, dark, dry and harsh but also light and airy. Therefore, when “vata” increases in our bodies, it is so normal to fell ourselves lighter, more airy and as if we are flying. To this end, we should reduce, balance or regulate the “vata dosha” in our bodies. If we give priority to inversions that increase “vata” during our yoga practice and mainly practice “sirsasana” (headstand), “adho mukha vrksasana” (handstand) and “pincha mayurasana” (forearm stand), we raise the “vata” in our bodies. Thus, our mind will be tired, we feel impatient, and we feel like we are flying. We cannot focus, we cannot stay at one place and we will lose attention.

If we have such complaints, we should focus on grounding more than ever during winter in order to ensure physical, emotional and spiritual balance because most probably, the “vata dosha” in our bodies has increased. The standing yoga poses, particularly “tadasana” (mountain pose), “virabhadrasana I” (warrior I), “virabhadrasana II” (warrior II), “trikonasana” (triangle) and “vrksasana” (tree pose) are all poses that ground us and help us regulate the “vata dosha”. These standing poses do not only make us stronger but also help us stand firm and balanced on our feet.
Actually, we do not only ground in standing poses. If our aim is to ground ourselves, we can feel our roots in every pose. You must be wondering how we can do that? For instance, let’s practice “paschimottanasana” (sitting forward bend). If we bring our awareness to our sit bones in this pose and aim to get rooted and ground towards the earth through these bones, we can also make ourselves be rooted and grounded in a sitting yoga pose.

Similarly, we can also get grounded and rooted in backbends. For example, we can get into “bhujangasana” (cobra) or “salabhasana” (locust) poses, and we can ground ourselves onto the earth from our abdomen while we raise only our chest from the ground.

Twists also help us regulate the “vata dosha” in our bodies. However, our breath should freely move when we are in a twist. If not, the “vata dosha” in our bodies can increase.

We can get cold or flu more easier during winter than all other seasons. Therefore, it could be useful if we focus on asanas opening the chest, throat and sinuses. After warming the bodies up with “surya namaskara” (sun salutation) series, we can open the chest with backbends like “ustrasana” (camel), “dhanurasana” (bow) and “salabhasana” (locust) and clean and purify the throat with “salamba sarvangasana” (supported shoulderstand) and “matsyasana” (fish pose).

Besides all these yoga asanas, warming the bodies up with “ujjayi pranayama” (conquerer breath) during the winter can be a good method to balance the increasing “vata dosha”. Other techniques that can warm the bodies during winter are “bhastrika pranayama” (bellows breath) and “kapalabhati kriya” (skull cleansing method). Particularly “kapalabhati” could help eliminate mucus from the bodies.

So, we can regulate and balance the “vata dosha” in our bodies by trying to ground ourselves more on the ground and earth during this cold, dry and harsh winter. Let’s try to ground ourselves more and more on earth in standing yoga poses but at the same time let’s try to feel the energy rising from our soles. Let’s try to flow our energy to the ground, and feel the energy coming from the earth and ground in every yoga pose.

Grounding… One of the main principles of life. Everybody and everything wants to have roots and belong somewhere. Winter is a good opportunity to get grounded and be rooted and to improve our sense of belonging. If there is duality in life, we should continue being grounded until the moment we need to take our feet off the ground, i.e. till summer. Don’t forget that the days when we will need to take our feet off the floor are also ahead of us…

yoga in winter

December 21… Winter solstice… The shortest day and the longest night of the year… When winter comes, I feel depressed. Even though I am a person who have been practicing and living in yoga for years, I cannot get accustomed to the duality of life. Actually, I have accepted duality in many areas, however when it comes to winter and summer, summer is much more important for me. In fact, the sentence saying “there is winter if there is summer” is not one that I feel like saying.

Winter… Cold, dark, dry and harsh… All these are characteristics of “vata dosha”, one of the three body types in Ayurveda (Indian science of living). “Vata dosha” resembles adjectives like airy, light and creative. The main feature of this body type is instability and inconstancy. “Vata dosha” controls the central nervous system. When this “dosha” is out of balance, it can lead to nervous problems, including anxiety and depression.

With the cold, dry and harsh weather during winter, the “vata dosha” in our bodies rise irrespective of what our ayurvedic body types are. When the “vata” in our bodies rise, the best thing to do is to ground in yoga classes. Therefore, we should give priority to grounding in our yoga practice during winter and we should keep our awareness in our roots and grounds.

Why do we have to ground when “vata” increases in our bodies? “Vata” is associated with not only cold, dark, dry and harsh but also light and airy. Therefore, when “vata” increases in our bodies, it is so normal to fell ourselves lighter, more airy and as if we are flying. To this end, we should reduce, balance or regulate the “vata dosha” in our bodies. If we give priority to inversions that increase “vata” during our yoga practice and mainly practice “sirsasana” (headstand), “adho mukha vrksasana” (handstand) and “pincha mayurasana” (forearm stand), we raise the “vata” in our bodies. Thus, our mind will be tired, we feel impatient, and we feel like we are flying. We cannot focus, we cannot stay at one place and we will lose attention.

If we have such complaints, we should focus on grounding more than ever during winter in order to ensure physical, emotional and spiritual balance because most probably, the “vata dosha” in our bodies has increased. The standing yoga poses, particularly “tadasana” (mountain pose), “virabhadrasana I” (warrior I), “virabhadrasana II” (warrior II), “trikonasana” (triangle) and “vrksasana” (tree pose) are all poses that ground us and help us regulate the “vata dosha”. These standing poses do not only make us stronger but also help us stand firm and balanced on our feet.
Actually, we do not only ground in standing poses. If our aim is to ground ourselves, we can feel our roots in every pose. You must be wondering how we can do that? For instance, let’s practice “paschimottanasana” (sitting forward bend). If we bring our awareness to our sit bones in this pose and aim to get rooted and ground towards the earth through these bones, we can also make ourselves be rooted and grounded in a sitting yoga pose.

Similarly, we can also get grounded and rooted in backbends. For example, we can get into “bhujangasana” (cobra) or “salabhasana” (locust) poses, and we can ground ourselves onto the earth from our abdomen while we raise only our chest from the ground.

Twists also help us regulate the “vata dosha” in our bodies. However, our breath should freely move when we are in a twist. If not, the “vata dosha” in our bodies can increase.

We can get cold or flu more easier during winter than all other seasons. Therefore, it could be useful if we focus on asanas opening the chest, throat and sinuses. After warming the bodies up with “surya namaskara” (sun salutation) series, we can open the chest with backbends like “ustrasana” (camel), “dhanurasana” (bow) and “salabhasana” (locust) and clean and purify the throat with “salamba sarvangasana” (supported shoulderstand) and “matsyasana” (fish pose).

Besides all these yoga asanas, warming the bodies up with “ujjayi pranayama” (conquerer breath) during the winter can be a good method to balance the increasing “vata dosha”. Other techniques that can warm the bodies during winter are “bhastrika pranayama” (bellows breath) and “kapalabhati kriya” (skull cleansing method). Particularly “kapalabhati” could help eliminate mucus from the bodies.

What type of a yoga class could we practice on the winter solstice? Focusing on standing poses could be a good alternative or we could just warm the bodies with only “surya namaskara” (sun salutation) series. In yoga, it is a tradition to mark the solstice with 108 sun salutations. Why 108? First of all, 108 is the number of “Upanishads” (the last part of sacred Indian book Veda). 108 is the number of names of Shiva and Buddha. 108 is the number of beads on a Catholic rosary and “mala” (Indian, Tibetan beads). 108 is twice the number “54”, which is the number of sounds in “Sanskrit” (sacred Indian language). 108 is the number of “sutras” (aphorisms) in “Yoga Sutras” (oldest text on yoga). 1 stands for Higher Truth, 0 stands for Emptiness and 8 stands for Infinity. Moreover, the diameter of the Sun is 108 times than that of the Earth.

So, we can regulate and balance the “vata dosha” in our bodies by trying to ground ourselves more on the ground and earth during this cold, dry and harsh winter. Let’s try to ground ourselves more and more on earth in standing yoga poses but at the same time let’s try to feel the energy rising from our soles. Let’s try to flow our energy to the ground, and feel the energy coming from the earth and ground in every yoga pose.

Grounding… One of the main principles of life. Everybody and everything wants to have roots and belong somewhere. Winter is a good opportunity to get grounded and be rooted and to improve our sense of belonging. If there is duality in life, we should continue being grounded until the moment we need to take our feet off the ground, i.e. till summer. Don’t forget that the days when we will need to take our feet off the floor are also ahead of us…

yoga during summer

I have been waiting for summer to come for almost two months. As I am waiting, it is not coming. I love hot weather, sun, pool, sea and sunbathing. The more I want all these summer-linked things, the longer it takes for summer to come. Moreover, I want to write an article on what type of yoga we can do during the summer. However, I cannot write it as the summer has not arrived yet. I decided to write anyway as today is June 21, the summer solstice. What type of yoga should we do to celebrate the sumer solstice?

Before answering this question, let’s try to explain what summer solstice mean and what happens that day. We experience two solstices a year, including winter solstice on December 21 and summer solstice on June 21. It is the time when the movement of the sun’s path (as seen from Earth) comes to a stop before it reverses direction.(You can visit https://burcuyircaliblog.wordpress.com/2014/12/21/yoga-during-winter/ to read my article on yoga during winter)

The summer solstice or June 21 is the longest day of the year. It is the completion of the cycle that began at the winter solstice. The sun is at its highest point on this day. After June 21, days start to get shorter and nights grow longer until September 23 — the autumnal equinox. I should remind you that all these things happen in the northern hemisphere. It is just the opposite in the southern hemisphere.
Let’s come back to the solstice after this brief scientific information. The solstice is the best time to let the nature embrace us. Particularly during the summer solstice, we can find ourselves dancing with bare feet on grass or sand with the sun warming our bodies and soul. So far, we have only talked about the effects of the solstice on our souls.

If you ask me what type of yoga we could do to mark the summer solstice, I would just tell you to perform 108 “surya namaskara” (sun salutations). The sun is at its highest point on this day, so it is so meaningful to mark the day with sun salutations. This way we can burn the fire within us. We can expand each time we inhale and imagine that the sun is warming us each time we exhale.
Can we only mark the summer solstice with a flow yoga? Of course not. We can also mark June 21 with yin yoga. We cannot burn the fire within us with this type of yoga but we can extinguish the fire and we can calm ourselves down on this summer solstice. These are types of yoga we may perform on June 21 summer solstice. Now let’s try to find an answer to the question “what type of yoga during summer”.
As you may remember from my previous articles, our bodies are divided into three groups according to Ayurveda (Indian science of living). They were “vata, pitta and kapha”. Only one type was dominant on some bodies. On some bodies, two or three types were active. Also, one of the body types can be dominant over other during different seasons. During cold, dark, severe and harsh winter, the “vata dosha” (air and space) in our bodies was increasing. Therefore, we were giving priority to grounding in our yoga practice. During winter, the “kapha dosha” (earth and water) was dominant and to this end, we were feeling heavy and exhausted. (You may read more on this issue on https://burcuyircaliblog.wordpress.com/2015/03/21/remedy-for-spring-fever-yoga/)
What happens to our bodies during summer? When summer comes, the “pitta” (fire and water) in our body increases. We may feel ourselves tired due to hot weather. Moreover, as the “pitta dosha” increases in our bodies, we may be agressive and demanding. For this reason, it will be good for us if we begin our yoga practice by lying supine during summer. Starting with “savasana” (deep relaxation and resting pose) to bring the awareness to our yoga practice, then a lateral stretch and a twist will make us feel well at the beginning of our yoga practice. This way we can balance our internal heat.
Not only at the beginning of our yoga practice but also during the entire practice we may prefer a calmer yoga style than a fast and active yoga style. This way, we can give more priority to relaxation and meditation. But, this does not mean that we should not practice a flow yoga during summer. We can do it in a calmer and more aware way when we practice flow yoga.
Naturally, we can begin the practice with “surya namaskara” (sun salutation) series and go on with all standing asanas such as “trikonasana” (triangle), “ardha chandrasana” (half moon pose), “utthita parsvakonasana” (wide angle pose), “setu bandhasana” (bridge), “urdhva dhanurasana” (wheel), “bharadvajrasana” (sage Bharadvaj pose), “upavista konasana” (seated angle pose), “parivritta janu sirsasana” (twisted head to knee pose), “baddha konasana” (bound angle pose), “paschimottanasana” (east looking forward bend), “halasana” (plow pose), “salamba sarvangasana” (supported shoulderstand), “karnapidasana” (ear pressure pose), “matsyasana” (fish pose). We can focus on forwardbends in our yoga classes or own practice in order to calm the mind and body down.
In addition to all these asanas, we can use a “pranayama” technique called “sitali” to cool our bodies down. In short we curl the tongue and protrude it slightly past the lips. We inhale deeply and smoothly through the tongue and mouth and exhale through the nose. This technique calms and cools us. You may feel cooler when you do this pranayama for a few minutes.

Another “pranayama” technique we can use during summer is to close the right nostril and just breathe through the left nostril. Right nostril is the male and solar side of our bodies and named “pingala nadi” (solar energy center). The left nostril is the female and lunar side of our bodies and named “ida nadi” (lunar energy center). When we close the right nostril, we close the male, active and warming side of our bodies and when we inhale and exhale through the left nostril, we use our female, passive and cooling side.

At the end of our yoga practice, we can either rest in “savasana” (deep relaxation and resting pose) or we can reverse the flow of the body and rest in “viparita karani” (legs up to the wall).

Have you noticed that yoga is such a wide world that you may practice different types and use different “pranayama” techniques in every season. It is possible to warm or cool our bodies during winter and summer with these breathing techniques. So you may ask how to breath during spring or autumn? There is a breathing technique to equalize the right and left energies in our bodies, which can be used especially during spring and autumn. That is, yoga offers us many different things.
This or that way, summer or winter. Or spring or autumn. Not important. What is important is to love yoga and have yoga in our daily lives during all seasons. Maybe only by asanas, or by asanas, pranayama and meditation, or by asanas, pranayama, meditation and philosophy.

 

summertime yoga…

I have been waiting for summer to come for almost two months. As I am waiting, it is not coming. I love hot weather, sun, pool, sea and sunbathing. The more I want all these summer-linked things, the longer it takes for summer to come. Moreover, I want to write an article on what type of yoga we can do during the summer. However, I cannot write it as the summer has not arrived yet. I decided to write anyway as today is June 21, the summer solstice. What type of yoga should we do to celebrate the sumer solstice?

Before answering this question, let’s try to explain what summer solstice mean and what happens that day. We experience two solstices a year, including winter solstice on December 21 and summer solstice on June 21. It is the time when the movement of the sun’s path (as seen from Earth) comes to a stop before it reverses direction.(You can visit https://burcuyircaliblog.wordpress.com/2013/01/08/yoga-during-winter-what-should-and-shouldnt-we-do/) to read my article on yoga during winter)
The summer solstice or June 21 is the longest day of the year. It is the completion of the cycle that began at the winter solstice. The sun is at its highest point on this day. After June 21, days start to get shorter and nights grow longer until September 23 — the autumnal equinox. I should remind you that all these things happen in the northern hemisphere. It is just the opposite in the southern hemisphere.
Let’s come back to the solstice after this brief scientific information. The solstice is the best time to let the nature embrace us. Particularly during the summer solstice, we can find ourselves dancing with bare feet on grass or sand with the sun warming our bodies and soul. So far, we have only talked about the effects of the solstice on our souls.

If you ask me what type of yoga we could do to mark the summer solstice, I would just tell you to perform 108 “surya namaskara” (sun salutations). The sun is at its highest point on this day, so it is so meaningful to mark the day with sun salutations. This way we can burn the fire within us. We can expand each time we inhale and imagine that the sun is warming us each time we exhale.
Can we only mark the summer solstice with a flow yoga? Of course not. We can also mark June 21 with yin yoga. We cannot burn the fire within us with this type of yoga but we can extinguish the fire and we can calm ourselves down on this summer solstice. These are types of yoga we may perform on June 21 summer solstice. Now let’s try to find an answer to the question “what type of yoga during summer”.
As you may remember from my previous articles, our bodies are divided into three groups according to Ayurveda (Indian science of living). They were “vata, pitta and kapha”. Only one type was dominant on some bodies. On some bodies, two or three types were active. Also, one of the body types can be dominant over other during different seasons. During cold, dark, severe and harsh winter, the “vata dosha” (air and space) in our bodies was increasing. Therefore, we were giving priority to grounding in our yoga practice. During winter, the “kapha dosha” (earth and water) was dominant and to this end, we were feeling heavy and exhausted. (You may read more on this issue on https://burcuyircaliblog.wordpress.com/2013/03/20/spring-youre-welcome/) )
What happens to our bodies during summer? When summer comes, the “pitta” (fire and water) in our body increases. We may feel ourselves tired due to hot weather. Moreover, as the “pitta dosha” increases in our bodies, we may be agressive and demanding. For this reason, it will be good for us if we begin our yoga practice by lying supine during summer. Starting with “savasana” (deep relaxation and resting pose) to bring the awareness to our yoga practice, then a lateral stretch and a twist will make us feel well at the beginning of our yoga practice. This way we can balance our internal heat.
Not only at the beginning of our yoga practice but also during the entire practice we may prefer a calmer yoga style than a fast and active yoga style. This way, we can give more priority to relaxation and meditation. But, this does not mean that we should not practice a flow yoga during summer. We can do it in a calmer and more aware way when we practice flow yoga.
Naturally, we can begin the practice with “surya namaskara” (sun salutation) series and go on with all standing asanas such as “trikonasana” (triangle), “ardha chandrasana” (half moon pose), “utthita parsvakonasana” (wide angle pose), “setu bandhasana” (bridge), “urdhva dhanurasana” (wheel), “bharadvajrasana” (sage Bharadvaj pose), “upavista konasana” (seated angle pose), “parivritta janu sirsasana” (twisted head to knee pose), “baddha konasana” (bound angle pose), “paschimottanasana” (east looking forward bend), “halasana” (plow pose), “salamba sarvangasana” (supported shoulderstand), “karnapidasana” (ear pressure pose), “matsyasana” (fish pose).
In addition to all these asanas, we can use a “pranayama” technique called “sitali” to cool our bodies down. In short we curl the tongue and protrude it slightly past the lips. We inhale deeply and smoothly through the tongue and mouth and exhale through the nose. This technique calms and cools us. You may feel cooler when you do this pranayama for a few minutes.
Have you noticed that yoga is such a wide world that you may practice different types and use different “pranayama” techniques in every season. It is possible to warm or cool our bodies during winter and summer with these breathing techniques. So you may ask how to breath during spring or autumn? There is a breathing technique to equalize the right and left energies in our bodies, which can be used especially during spring and autumn. That is, yoga offers us many different things.
This or that way, summer or winter. Or spring or autumn. Not important. What is important is to love yoga and have yoga in our daily lives during all seasons. Maybe only by asanas, or by asanas, pranayama and meditation, or by asanas, pranayama, meditation and philosophy.