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Winter Yoga for Longevity: The Ancient Chinese Wisdom of "Conserving Energy"
Discover the Ancient Chinese Wisdom of Bi Zang (Conservation) and how to adjust your winter yoga practice for true longevity and energy deposits. Learn the 20-minute daily secret.
TCM & Yoga: Aligned with Nature's Rhythm
My path of yoga has always been intertwined with the wisdom of Chinese Longevity.
Growing up, I was deeply inspired by my uncle, a Chinese Traditional Medicine (TCM) doctor, who used the Ancient Chinese Wisdom of aligning ourselves with nature's rhythm to heal many.
That simple truth is what drew me to find so many beautiful similarities in the practice of yoga, especially as we approach winter.
If you are concerned about your long-term health and wellness, about longevity, then winter is arguably the most crucial season for self-care. It's not the time to "push" but to "preserve.
Winter's Secret to Longevity: The Wisdom of "Bi Zang":
the seasons are linked directly to human health.
In ancient Chinese wisdom, as documented in the Huangdi Neijing (The Yellow Emperor's Classic), the seasons are linked directly to human health.
Winter is the season of "Bi Zang" (閉藏), which translates concisely to "to close and to conserve".
Think of your entire year as an "Energy Bank Account":
Spring is for planning.
Summer is for executing.
Autumn is for harvesting.
Winter is the dedicated time for making your most important "deposits": conserving the energy that will power you through the year ahead.
This is the key to building the inner resilience necessary for true longevity.
Golden Rules for Winter Longevity
The Huangdi Neijing offers two direct principles for how to make these vital energy deposits:
1. Adjust Your Daily Rhythm: Sleep is Your Savings Account
When the days are short, your body needs to prioritize rest to enter its deepest repair mode.
“Go to bed early, rise late.”
The goal of "rise late" is to wait for the sunlight before you get active.
The Main Caution: Avoid early morning activity in the cold and dark. Doing so forces your body to expend precious energy (Yang Qi) just fighting the cold, like making an immediate withdrawal from your savings.
2. Adjust Your Practice: Conserve, Don't Consume
This principle is embodied by the concept of "Wu Xie Pi Fu" (無泄皮膚).
In simple terms: heavy sweating depletes your energy reserves. Intense, hot, or strenuous exercise is seen as a "withdrawal," not a "deposit". For a longevity-focused practice, the goal is to nourish, not consume.
Applying This Wisdom to Your Winter Yoga Practice
This shift in perspective is easy to apply to your yoga routine:
1. Before Your Practice: Seek the Warmth
Cozy Up Your Space: Create a cozy, warm environment for your practice.
Cover Up: Wear socks, long sleeves, and avoid shorts or tank tops to prevent your body from getting cold. This allows your body to practice in its most comfortable and natural state.
2. During Your Practice: Nourish, Don't Challenge
This is the ideal time to focus on Restorative Yoga or Gentle Yoga.
Shift your intention from challenge or intensity to conserving and nourishing.
Consistency over Length: Remember that 20 minutes of daily practice is far more beneficial than an occasional 60-120 minute session.
3. After Your Practice: Seal in the Warmth
Stay Warm: Keep yourself covered and warm immediately after your session.
Nourish Inside: Consider a warm drink, like ginger and date tea, to nourish your body from the inside out.
Keep yourself warm immediately during and after your session.
Your Winter Practice: 20 Minutes Daily
Practice isn't about length, but consistency.
Based on the wisdom of longevity, commit to a 20-minute daily practice. Prioritize either nourishing gentle yoga or body meditation.
Find these two 20-minute nourish practices from our yoga library below:
20-Min Body Scan Meditation for Recharging
Gentle movement for de-stressing the body and mind.20-Min De-Stress Gentle Stretch
Deep relaxation to recharge your vital energy reserves.
Deepen Your Practice in Two Steps
1️⃣ Join the Newsletter: Monthly Newsletters & class updates.
2️⃣ Subscribe to YouTube: Weekly Yoga and Meditation Video Updates.
5 Best Yoga Poses To Do During Period - Yoga for Women
If you're struggling with menstrual pain and discomfort, these 5 gentle yoga poses are perfect for you. Designed specifically for heavy blood flow days, this article provides a detailed breakdown of each pose and a video tutorial to help you perform them safely and correctly. With regular practice, these poses can help you feel more relaxed and comfortable during your menstrual cycle. So don't wait, try them out today and experience the benefits for yourself!
Yoga Sequence for a Restful Period - Yoga for Women
One of the five tips we mentioned in our previous article on yoga for menstruation is to keep the sequence comforting and intentionally gentle. This week, let's dive into one of our yoga sequences for menstruation on YouTube.
As always, I hope my yoga content helps you navigate the ups and downs of life, allowing you to savour each moment with abundant health, wealth, and happiness.
The five yoga poses sequenced below are designed for a restful period, especially during heavy blood flow days when you are physically tight, exhausted, and fatigued. This sequence is intended to be soothing, relaxing, and gentle. You do not need to explore the deepest level of your range of motion; instead, stay where it makes you feel good and at ease.
Please note that this sequence is designed with the most minor support of your yoga tools. You may need more tools to support you if some part of your body is feeling pressured.
If you need more clarification about your yoga practice, I have a solution for you - a Free 60-minute Yoga Consultation. The first session is Free for everyone! Just click the button below to claim your Free consultation.
Yoga Pose 1: Reclined Butterfly Pose (Supta Baddha Konasana)
To Set the Pose: Lying down on the floor, a block or pillow for head and neck support is optional.
Reclined Butterfly Pose (Supta Baddha Konasana)
Start by resting your head comfortably on the block or pillow.
Bend your knees in an external rotation, with the soles of the feet touching one another.
You can set the heels further away or closer depending on how comfortable you feel.
Do not attempt this pose if there's pressure on the knees.
Seek professional advice for modifications if needed.
Yoga Pose 2: Happy Baby Pose (Ananda Balasana)
To Set the Pose: Lying down on the floor, a block or pillow for head and neck support is optional.
Happy Baby Pose (Ananda Balasana)
From lying down, bend both of your knees towards your chest.
Spread the knee and feet slightly wider than the torso.
Palms reach out to grab the outer or inner edge of your feet.
Do not attempt this pose if there are pressures on the knees.
Seek professional advice for modifications if needed.
Yoga Pose 3: Reclined Big Toe Pose B (Supta Padangusthasana B)
To Set the Pose: Lying down on the floor, it is recommended that a yoga strap be used to assist.
Reclined Big Toe Pose B (Supta Padangusthasana B)
From lying down, wrap the strap around your left foot.
Extend your left leg to the left side. Hold the strap comfortably while maintaining both hips and shoulders evenly on the floor.
Feel the gentle stretch on your left leg.
Stay in the pose for 2-3 minutes with gentle, steady breathing.
Change to the right leg afterwards.
Yoga Pose 4: Supine One Knee to Chest / Half Wind Release Pose (Ardha Pavan Muktasanaa)
To Set the Pose: Lying down on the floor, a block or pillow for head and neck support is optional.
Supine One Knee to Chest / Half Wind Release Pose (Ardha Pavan Muktasanaa)
From lying down, bend the right leg and hug the knee to chest.
Holding the leg from the front of the calf muscles.
Feel the gentle release from the hip.
Stay in the pose for 2-3 minutes with gentle, steady breathing.
Change to the left leg afterwards, and stay with an equal amount of time.
Yoga Pose 5: Supine Spinal Twist Pose (Supta Matsyendrasana)
To Set the Pose: Lying down on the floor, a block or pillow for head and neck support is optional.
From lying down, hug both knees to chest.
Drop both legs to the left side and feel the gentle release from the waist.
To progress further, turn the head to the right side.
Stay in the pose for 2-3 minutes with gentle, steady breathing.
Switch sides and stay for an equal amount of time.
Supine Spinal Twist Pose (Supta Matsyendrasana)
Supine Spinal Twist Pose (Supta Matsyendrasana)
Conclusion
In conclusion, these five yoga poses can help you feel more relaxed and at ease during your period, especially on heavy flow days when you may feel physically exhausted and tight. Remember to listen to your body and only go as far as it feels comfortable for you. And if you need additional support or advice, don't hesitate to seek professional guidance. With regular practice, yoga can be a powerful tool for managing menstrual discomfort and promoting overall health and well-being. So go ahead, give these poses a try and see how they work for you!
Five Yoga Tips for Women During Menstruation
This article offers tips for women practicing yoga during their menstrual cycle. It covers poses to avoid, gentle yoga practices, and the importance of listening to your body. With this advice, women can maintain their yoga practice during menstruation and connect with their inner selves.
Today, let’s talk about yoga for women during menstruation. Many wonder whether or not to practice yoga during menses and what to do and avoid. There’s never one absolute formula for everyone because women experience their periods differently. Over my decade of teaching and practising yoga, I have come up with the following Five suggestions, which seem to apply to most of my students.
I hope these five tips also help you with your yoga practice during this particular time of the month,
Tips One - Yoga poses to avoid.
During menstruation, the general rules of practice are to avoid inversion, deep twisting, deep forward bend, back bending, core strengthening or any poses that may pressure your lower abdomen. Take a break from poses such as Headstand (Sirasana), Wheel Pose (Urdhva Dhanurasana) and Crow Pose to avoid menstrual-related discomfort.
Tips Two - Avoid demanding yoga practices during heavy blood flow days.
During heavy blood flow days, avoid practices that are required to be more intense, such as vinyasa flow, inversion and arm balancing. Instead, seek sequenced classes to offer you more profound relaxation and reconnect with your inner self.
Tips Three - Keep it gentle.
I understand how great it is to keep up your daily practice, and most yogis feel like keeping their yoga practice up during periods (even heavy flood days).
We all agree that yoga gives us more energy, but on special days, choose something gentle. Your top priority in practising yoga at this time should be focusing on soothing your mind and body.
Tips Four - Listen to your body.
The most important thing is to listen to your body. Our bodies change daily, and there’s so much going on during our moon cycle; hormonal changes, mood swings, and other physical symptoms can make us feel more vulnerable than at different times. Embrace it, and treat yourself better.
Tips Five - Class theme suggestions during the period.
When deciding which class to enrol, consider the following theme during your period,
Yoga does not intend to push hard but to nourish our mind, body, and soul. Listen to your body and choose what feels best for you; even resting is a good practice!
Conclusion
In conclusion, practising yoga during menstruation can be a challenging experience, but it can also be an opportunity to connect with your body, mind, and soul on a deeper level. By following the tips mentioned above, you can take care of yourself during this time and make the most of your yoga practice. Remember to listen to your body, avoid demanding poses, and choose gentle yoga practices focusing on relaxation and nurturing your inner self. With these tips in mind, you can continue enjoying yoga's many benefits during your menstrual cycle.