Why this pose is practiced for the winter solstice: This posture balances out the Capricorn- and Sagittarius-ruled areas of the body, while creating some grounding, opening, and strengthening for the season to come. (Photo: Benjamin Wilkinson) Parivrtta Utthan Pristhasana (Twisted Lizard Pose) Hold the foot, and kick up and back with your leg, engaging and opening through the quadriceps and shoulder. Reach toward your right foot with your left hand. Lift your right leg and bend your knee to bring your foot toward your bottom. This posture offers balance and cross-body motion, which echoes the balance and shifting of the seasons.
Why this pose is practiced for the winter solstice: This is a posture that strengthens the quadriceps and knee area, the two areas ruled by Sagittarius and Capricorn, respectively. (Photo: Benjamin Wilkinson) Vyaghrasana (Tiger Pose)
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However, for the purposes of this sequence, one Sun Salute will do! Feel free to do more if you feel called to it. Of course, 108 Sun Salutes is a lot, so many people opt to perform nine salutes (there are 12 postures in the sequence, and 12 multiplied by 9 is 108). This is a way to honor and greet the Sun as it returns to the sky. Why Sun Salutations are practiced for the winter solstice: It’s traditional-if not mostly inaccessible- to perform 108 Surya Namaskars on the day of the solstice. (Photo: Benjamin Wilkinson) Surya Namaskar A (Sun Salutation A) Make sure to adapt them to your needs, so you can enter the solstice with a clear mind and open heart. Turn inward, and use your inner guidance to navigate the postures in this flow. See also: Why You Should Align Your Yoga Practice With Your Birth Chart A yoga sequence to celebrate the winter solstice With the proper balance of work and rest-especially this year, as some tricky astrological aspects surround the solstice-you can find a state of stability, restoration, and excitement for the season ahead. Overall, this energy can be overwhelming or energizing, depending on how you approach it. Capricorn energy then swoops in to focus you on the goals you seek to achieve, as well as opening you to a time of rest and retrospection as you look at how far you’ve come. These areas remind us that we need to create a sense of stability within ourselves, taking time to prioritize work and rest, whichever is necessary in a given moment.ĭuring the solstice, Sagittarius energy has its final hurrah-a moment to celebrate what you’ve created in the previous year, and what you seek to create in the year to come. Capricorn relates to the root chakra (or muladhara), knees, and skeletal system. These areas remind us that we are mobile, and that we can create our lives by moving, exploring, and seeking what we most want to find. Sagittarius rules the hips and thighs and is related to the sacral chakra (also known as svadhisthana). These postures fall into alignment with the Sagittarius-Capricorn shifts in the zodiac that are the hallmark of this time. In yoga, winter solstice practices usually include Surya Namaskar A (Sun Salutations) and restorative or hip-opening yoga postures. As such, this yearly occurrence has inspired celebrations in many cultures around the world (it is even thought to have impacted how we celebrate Christmas and Hanukkah). It’s a time to dive deep, celebrate, and refocus your direction for the season to come. The solstice is a big deal in both the seasons and astrology. Astrologically, the winter solstice also marks the day the sun moves from Sagittarius and into Capricorn. It’s the official start to winter, and the initiation of light returning to the sky as the days lengthen, bringing the promise of spring.
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Get full access to Outside Learn, our online education hub featuring in-depth yoga, fitness, & nutrition courses, when youĭecember 21 marks the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
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