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I wrote a post recently about the effects that colder seasons can have on our mental health. Decreasing temperatures, combined with darker days, can leave us feeling restless, unfocused, or even dysregulated (whether you feel sad or hopeless, experience a shift in mood, anxious, or socially withdraw). In reference to this exact post, I want to refer back to the importance of self-care during this period, and center today's post on yoga and mindfulness as one tool for regulating our nervous system, and building emotional awareness during this next season of our lives.
While having some knowledge of the impact of winter seasonal changes is beneficial, creating a healthy self-care routine is also valuable. When it comes to maintaining our health during the winter season, yoga offers us a chance to hold space for various areas of our lives — mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical health. Finding an adaptive yoga practice will allow you to build awareness of facets of your life that need more attention, while navigating the stressors that often keep us from staying present during this time.
Some of the Direct Benefits of Yoga
Mentally and emotionally, a consistent yoga practice can alleviate symptoms of anxiety and/or depression, simply by releasing us of external stressors, and providing a space to center and focus on mindfulness and breath. With regard to stress, yoga can also benefit our mental state by releasing endorphins and GABA, which helps to reduce anxiety, and can even alleviate fear and chronic stress. In terms of mindfulness, yoga provides a resource for emotional regulation — imagine how impactful yoga is when you think about how it directly regulates the nervous system by building attunement through body and breath. This helps us build awareness of where breath can be caught because of a triggered fight, flight, or freeze response. We can actually develop strong coping mechanisms by learning to build muscle memory through this practice. The more we do it, the more we SEE and FEEL the benefits.
Winter: A Season of Sankalpa
In the Sanskrit language, Sankalpa directly translates to "intentions." In your own yoga practice, you can bring attention to this practice to center yourself during the winter season. When broken down, Sankalpa refers to San, meaning "a connection to the highest truth," and Kalpa, referring to "a vow."
In yoga, this idea of sankalpa isn't seen as a New Year's resolution, but instead a way of aligning thoughts, beliefs, and actions. I see this idea as a compass in moments where we may feel dysregulated, unfocused, or restless. Sankalpa serves as an internal anchor for moments when we need that mindful reminder.
Often, this set intention may be centered on a mantra or self-affirmation. For example, "I am deserving of all that is good in my life." When we find an intention that conveys to us the message we're working to embrace within our sense of self, we can then align this sankalpa with thoughts and actions that orient us towards our own self-growth. This can allow us space to set goals on developing a stronger connection to sense of self in therapy, prioritize more practices for self-care in our lives, or allow us to connect more vulnerably in meaningful relationships.
Winter: Rest and Restoration
I also like to remind clients, and yoga students that I see every week, to allow space for rest. Rest is not simply earned . . . it is also a necessary form of self-care when we're overwhelmed by the stressors that fill our lives. Allowing rest, and integrating soft and mindful yoga practices can allow us to build a stronger connection to our restorative nature too. Just as we enjoy building a strong connection to activation and heat, we can find comfort in the softness. You may be surprised to see how much energy you can create by simply cultivating ease in your yoga practice as well.
These are some helpful reminders, and I hope it may serve as a source of encouragement if you're needing support during this season. Finding that time to look inward, and develop a strong sense of attunement to self, can really transform the way we see ourselves, the world, and those around us. If you need additional support, or if you're seeking a space to work on developing a deeper sense of self, please don't hesitate to reach out and schedule an intake appointment with me.
Thanks!
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