Winter Yoga Practice for Mind, Body, and Spirit

Embrace the season with a winter yoga practice that supports your mind, body, and spirit. Continue your wellness journey with our transformative health and wellness programs. Explore the course catalog. 

Practicing yoga in winter supports the physical body and so much more. Yoga comes from the Sanskrit root word yuj which means “to yoke.” It is a way of connecting (yoking) to the universal awareness of all that is, while the postures also provide benefits for the body, including improved strength, flexibility, and balance. 

Which postures work best for you depends much more on how you are feeling in the moment, less so on the time of year. Yet, there are ways to vary the practice to stay aligned with the unique aspects of each season and avoid the winter blues. 

Prepare for Winter Yoga Practice: What to Wear 

When warming up with gentle movement, be prepared with layers of clothing. In the colder months, you might begin your practice wearing a couple of layers, such as a long-sleeved shirt and a warmer top over it. Keeping the heat in helps warm up the muscles and prepare the joints for more postures. 

Keeping warm also can calm the mind, leading to a relaxing, enjoyable yoga practice. 

On the Mat

When you set up your area, whether at home or in a studio, have blankets nearby. This is especially important for practicing yoga in winter to help you stay warm and grounded. Both in the final pose, savasana, and when you are meditating, the body temperature will tend to drop as you relax. 

Similarly to wearing enough layers, placing a blanket over yourself during practices will keep you warm and supported. 

Mindfulness In Winter 

How you direct your awareness during your practice is important. Being present with the time of year can inform how you move. 

For example, holding a posture can increase heat in the body, which is perfect for this time of year. As you become mindful of how you feel in each pose, that will help you determine which postures can feel most effective for you. 

The yoga instructor may tell you to direct your awareness to your body, to be sure that your physical alignment is working for you. You also may receive instruction on what to envision during a posture, such as when in mountain pose you may envision yourself standing tall and steady like a mountain. Envisioning strength like this can lead to feeling stronger off the mat, too.  

Mindfulness is an important aspect to many kinds of movement, not only to yoga. Whether you’re practicing yoga or engaging in other physical activities, being present can enhance your experience, helping you connect more deeply with your body, improve your performance, and create a greater sense of calm.  

Best Winter Yoga Poses 

As winter continues, you may feel sluggish, agitated, bored, and restless. However, if you practice postures that promote relaxation and warmth during this time of year, the winter months become the perfect time to restore energy before spring. 

Here are ideas for calming, warming movements you can do this winter, which are often incorporated into yoga classes. 

Sun Breaths 

As you practice sun breaths, envision the warm sun shining on you.  

• Sit in a comfortable position. 
• Take a few natural breaths to bring your awareness into the present moment. 
• Sit up tall, without straining.  
• Hold both arms out to the sides at a 45-degree angle out from the body with the fingertips lightly touching the ground. 
• On the inhale, slowly raise the arms up with palms facing down. 
• As the arms continue to raise up toward a “V” position, once they reach shoulder height turn the palms up. 
• Finish the inhale as the palms face upward and the arms are in a “V” position. 
• On the exhale, slowly lower the arms, and turn the palms to face downward at shoulder height as the arms return to the starting position from before. 
• Finish the exhale with the arms in the downward position. 
• Repeat this breath five times, with a slow breath and with the vision of the sun’s warmth shining on you. 

Star Pose 

• Come into a comfortable standing position, mountain pose.  
• Pause and take a few breaths, feeling strong and sturdy as you look forward with a gentle gaze. 
• Imagine you are looking into a new year, ready for what the year will bring. 
• On the inhale, place your hands on your hips, and step your right foot out to the side slightly further than hip-width distance apart. 
• Exhale and turn the feet outward at 45-degree angles. 
• Inhale, lift the arms up to shoulder height, and turn the palms to face forward. 
• Stand in this pose, with the knees just slightly bent so they are not locked, and feel that you are shining like a star. 
• Take several breaths in this position, feeling strong legs and arms, bright eyes, shining light. 
• When you are ready, on the exhale, lower the arms, and step the feet back together. 
• Take a moment to pause. 
• From here, you can repeat this a few more times, or interchange this posture with goddess pose by keeping the feet where they were, more than hip-distance apart, and the arms out to the sides at shoulder height.  

Scientist and astronomer Carl Sagan is known to have said that we are made of the same components as the stars. Feel that as true as you shine in Star pose, looking ahead to a new year. 

Goddess Pose 

• Come into Star pose, as above. 
• Inhale, and on the exhale, slowly bend the knees and the elbows so that the knees are aligned above the ankles, and the forearms bend upward with the palms turning toward facing the ears.  
• The arms are in a position like goalposts on an American football field. 
• Relax the muscles of the face and any muscles that aren’t being used to hold the position. 
• Take several slow, long breaths as you hold Goddess Pose. 
  Feel the warmth in the body, and envision yourself a Goddess heading into a new year. 
• Slowly move from Star pose to Goddess pose to increase warmth and a feeling of strength, confidence, and radiance. 

When you are complete with the postures, take a few moments to pause, notice how you feel, and commend yourself for taking the time for self-care. 

These postures can be done as brief breaks in the day, or as part of a longer winter yoga routine.  

This is a special time of year to plant seeds for what will bloom in the new year. Yoga postures like these are an opportunity to connect body, mind, and spirit in intention and vision. 

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Editor's Note: This information is for educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult your healthcare provider or another medical professional regarding any medical advice, diagnoses, or treatments and before beginning a new practice.