Yoga at Christmas – Stay Grounded During the Festive Season | Adventure Yogi

Yoga at Christmas

At AdventureYogi we know the importance of taking some time for yourself during this busy time. Yoga at Christmas needs to be able to keep you grounded and quite frankly, SANE!

The Festive Season can be a very overwhelming time. To start there are presents to buy and food to organise, events to navigate and people to please. Take time out for yourself for some Yoga at Christmas, even if it is for ten minutes per day. Many people find themselves falling ill and experiencing burnout by trying to cram too much in around family and friends. Often, despite being the most wonderful time of the year, it can also be the most exhausting.

‘Give yourself time on your mat. Love yourself first and foremost before you can properly love and care for others this Christmas time. The best gift you can give at Christmas time is to give yourself the gift of time.’

Here are some of our favourite Yoga postures for Christmas time!

1) Yoga at Christmas – Easy Seated

Come and find a comfortable seat. Honestly, you don’t need to be full lotus or even crossed-legged on the floor, just find a seat you feel able to relax in.  To start, close your eyes or soften your gaze. Next, begin to breathe in and out of the nose, constricting the back of the throat, so you create a ‘sound’ breath. In yoga, we call this, ujjayi breath.  Then, continue by taking at least ten deep breaths like this. Perhaps, begin to connect to the earth beneath you, feeling relaxed yet present. This is a super simple Yoga at Christmas tip to instantly feel more grounded.

2) Pigeon

To start this Yoga at Christmas posture, from hands and knees draw your right knee in between your hands and place it to the floor. Allow your right foot to sit just under or in front of the left hip. Your left leg is extended behind you. Then, have a little wiggle of your hips, so you feel an opening and begin to allow your pelvis to sink towards the floor. You may wish to use a pillow or cushion underneath you for extra support and comfort.  Then, take a big deep breath in (through the nose, Ujaii breath as before) and allow the body to settle. If you feel comfortable sitting upright, you can stay there, but for extra grounding in this holiday season, allow your heart to reach forward to the ground. Feel free to explore the posture by taking the body from side to side or take the posture to a more advanced level by raising the right leg to more of a right angle. Repeat on both sides, ten breaths each.

3) Yoga at Christmas to keep grounded –  Tree

Yoga poses to keep grounded sometimes mean leaving the ground! This posture is great for exploring your balance and restoring stability to your body and wellbeing. We begin this posture in ‘tadasana’ which is a simple standing posture that requires even balance between each foot/leg and side of the body. Imagine your toes are the beginnings of tree roots.

If you lift your toes up and then set them back down, you will begin to feel more rooted immediately. When you are ready to pick up the left foot, place it on the ankle (beginner) calf (intermediate) or inner thigh (advanced). Bring the hands either into the heart centre palms together to raise the palms above the head. Look forwards along the line of your nose and gaze gently. Take ten breaths here (Ujaii) and then repeat on the other leg.

4) Yoga at Christmas – Downward Facing Dog

This Yoga at Christmas posture is excellent for exploring weight distribution throughout the body. It’s one of the few postures in Yoga that requires both hands and both feet to feel grounded into the mat. Start on all fours and take a couple of deep breaths here, when you feel ready to lift the hips up towards the sky, and straighten the legs. Pedal through the legs and enjoy shifting your weight from side to side, when you’re ready to begin to find stillness in the posture and take ten breaths. If you’re not used to this pose, you may need to rest your wrists after five breaths and then repeat.

5) Yoga at Christmas – Warrior 2

Yoga at Christmas doesn’t get much stronger and grounded than this! Not only does this ground you mentally and physically but it gives you the extra strength you may need to get through a challenge! Such as, family get-togethers with the in-laws or a stressful last min shopping trip on an overused credit card. From Tadasana at the top of your mat, step your left foot back a few feet and point your toes to face the long side of your mat.

Take a deep breath in and as you exhale bend your right knee and raise your arms, so they are in line with your shoulders. Bring your awareness to the breath as you sink lower into the posture, feeling the connection to the earth. Concentrate on your out breathing, as your hips dip lower and you aim to bend your front knee. Make sure you can still see your front toes. Take ten deep breaths with a soft gaze and strong legs and arms. Repeat the same posture on the other leg.

Furthermore, repeating some affirmations either aloud or in your mind really helps!

“I am strong I am healthy I am rooted and grounded I breathe my way into the present moment. I believe in myself I nourish myself, and I nourish my universe.”

For more ideas on how to bring this calm into the New Year, check out our Mindful New Years Resolutions!

 Join us on one of our retreats over the festive period by clicking HERE!