The Yogi and the Winter Storm: 4 Invitations
By Theresa Shay
As I write, half the US is preparing for a winter storm. Whether we get 1 inch or 24 (I’ve heard both extremes), Sunday’s forecast states a 100% chance of snow for my area. Weather forecasts aren’t usually 100% sure of anything. Thus, I’ve taken note.
I won’t be running to the store. I probably have enough lentils and beans alone to feed us for two months, plus we make our own bread and oat milk. Instead, I’m sharing four invitations to make the most of your weekend weather event and whatever comes in its wake. I’m sending this out early so those of you affected by the storm will have this in hand as the snow piles up on Sunday.
1. Long Asanas
Life has a way of making us feel we don’t have time to luxuriate in a practice of postures held for minutes at a time, but this approach makes my whole body swoon. The power of sustaining energy is transformative. This requires that we stay in one place long enough to move beyond the layers of awareness we’ve already met and into the unknown. TriYoga® Therapeutics approaches the practice this way. It’s an opportunity to release not just the tension in the body, but the tension in the mind that thinks we’d better hurry up and get on to the next thing. Winter storms and cancelled plans are the perfect ingredients for a TriYoga Therapeutics yoga session.
Hip openings are well suited for long asanas. Consider Leg Stretch, Cradle, Extended Penguin, the Tortoise family, Legs 90° or V-Stretch at the wall, Swan 2, Hanuman, and Extended Pyramid.
For attention on the spine, try Supported Reclined Butterfly, all the twists on the back, Inverted Bridge, and Fish on props.
If the power goes out and lying still would not be comfortable, continuous yogaflow® will serve you. You’ve got 98.6 degrees waiting to circulate, so off you go to generate some heat.
2. Prana Vidya
Breathing, concentration, and meditation – TriYoga’s subtle practices known as Prana Vidya – are perfect when the world hunkers down. Many people like to enter their practice first thing in the morning for this reason. When the world is quiet, the subtle body knows. We meet fewer obstacles as we make the U-turn inside. Snowstorms create stillness and quiet. Use the conditions to your advantage and take a ride inward.
3. Go for a Walk – Experience the Elements
During the winter of 2020-21 Central Pennsylvania got a lot of snow. This was a blessing, as we were in the COVID lockdown period. Many Sundays my husband and I dressed up in our layers and ventured out into the woods near our house. We took pictures, caught snowflakes on our tongues, noticed ice bells, found tracks. Those were some of the most precious COVID moments. In the constant buzz of everyday life, it’s hard for Quiet and Stillness to deliver their gifts to us. A winter storm is the perfect moment to step into them to remember what our natural connection feels like.
4. Nature Darshan
Yogis have always been inspired by nature. While going out into nature is one way to experience Nature Darshan, we can also receive Nature Darshan from within the warmth of our hOMe. “Darshan” is a Sanskrit word that can be translated around the concept of seeing. In its spiritual meaning, darshan is understood as standing before the light of something. We can receive darshan by being in the presence of a holy person or standing before a deity at a temple. As the holy creation it is, nature offers us darshan every moment of every day. When we turn our attention toward it, we receive the gift of its light.
For eons before us, the water element has been descending to and ascending from the earth in an endless cycle. For eons after us, this flow will continue. To come to a window and settle in without any other agenda, your presence as the witness completes the moment. Sit before the sacred vision of nature and receive. There is much to be grateful for.
May a snowstorm on a Sunday create some moments to contemplate your place in the vast consciousness of the Universe. This moment, like all the moments, is sacred. And you, dear soul, are here for the miracle.
Theresa Shay is the founding director of TriYoga of Central Pennsylvania, where she teaches weekly yoga and meditation online and trains others to teach TriYoga®. Each week, she shares wisdom cultivated from decades of TriYoga study and practice.
Learn more about her here. Theresa can be reached at Theresa@PennsylvaniaYoga.com. Find her on Instagram @theresa_of_triyoga for more inspiration and light.