Winter Wellness: Self care practices for your body, mind and spirit.
The tumultuous ride that’s been 2020 has made one thing clear: we need to take care of ourselves. And that’s especially the case now that the temperature has dropped and the days are at their chilliest. So how do you keep up with your self-care routine when all you want to do is bundle up in a blanket away from winter’s icy clutches? Sara Beck, owner of Catskill Yoga House, Chichester, says you’re more likely to keep up with a winter wellness practice if you enjoy it, so don’t force yourself to do something just because you think you should. “Choose a practice that speaks to your heart and comes from an authentic interest.” Below, Beck shares her tips for how we can show our bodies some love and kindness during the winter months:
If your body is tight and tired, or you’re feeling lethargic...
Focus on practices like yoga, qigong, and breathwork to get the blood moving, to open up and hydrate your muscles, and to regulate your energy system. “Each body is unique and responds differently to winter,” says Beck. “If you tend towards lethargy, depression, and stagnation in the colder, darker months, I recommend adding some vigorous practices to your routine.” This could include Vinyasa-style yoga with plenty of sun salutations, qigong practices like shaking, or –
if you really want to let loose – Five Rhythms dancing (a movement meditation practice drawing from indigenous and world traditions).
If you want to reduce stress or strengthen the body-mind connection...
The great thing about meditation? You don’t even have to get out of bed/off the sofa to do it. “Sitting meditation practice allows us to deepen our intimacy with ourselves,” says Beck. “It trains us to
be with reality and to stay with whatever is arising in our heart-body-mind so that we, over time, can become more balanced, more resilient, more spacious.” She also suggests combining your meditation with journaling. “A regular journaling practice that explores our hearts, dives into our questions, builds our awareness of what we are grateful for, and looks honestly at our hopes can assist this inquiry into ourselves and encourage creativity and freedom in our expression.”
If your body feels rundown...
Physical wellness routines are also important. “Hot baths with lavender oil can settle the mind and warm up the body before bed,” says Beck. “And abhyanga self-massage (drawing from the Ayurvedic tradition) — warm sesame oil massaged into the whole body from scalp to soles of the feet — can reduce stress, nourish the skin, and settle the nervous system.” She also recommends consuming plenty of warming, blood-building foods like soups, bone broths, roasted root vegetables, and salmon to nourish your body. And, if you’re brave: “Two minutes of cold water at the end of a morning shower activates and tones the vagus nerve and uplifts the spirit.”
If you’re feeling anxious, restless, or have insomnia...
The best way to counter these ailments, Beck
says, is to add softer, quieter practices to your routine, such as yin and restorative yoga, qigong, tai chi, and sound healing therapy. “Practice singing, chanting, and being with your breath,” she explains. “All these practices uplift the heart and tone the vagus nerve, which is responsible for the settling of our nervous system and the sense of well-being we have in our bodies. It is the breath, in particular — long inhalation and an even longer slower exhalation — that settles us into our bodies, keeping us both awake and also at ease.”
If you’re having trouble getting moving in the morning...
Establishing a morning practice helps you start your day with a focus on wellness. “Start small so that you can experience a sense of accomplishment and witness the positive impact of the
practice and then build from there,” Beck advises. Here’s a basic morning practice she suggests: Before you get out of bed, place one hand on your heart and one on the body and take three deep breaths. Set an intention for the day, whether it’s gratitude, compassion, presence, or beauty. Pour yourself a 16-ounce glass of water, squeeze some lemon into it, and drink the water in full before consuming your morning coffee or tea. Sit down in a space that feels calm, quiet, and comfortable. Light a candle or burn some sage. Journal for a few minutes, exploring the events of the recent days, illuminating your questions, or making a gratitude list.
Sit in mediation for anywhere between five and 30 minutes.
Allow yourself 15 to 30 minutes to move via Vinyasa yoga, breath of fire practice, or qigong. After you complete your practices: return to your intention, blow out your candle, and trust that the day before you will unfold exactly as it is meant to.
By Mikki Brammer
Photography by Hugh Joyner
Volume 5
