December is the season of excess. For one, the weather is cold, so we want to hunker down and eat lots of warm, comforting food. Then we have the Christmas party season, socialising with work colleagues, school parents, friends and family – not forgetting your yoga friends. And finally, we have the main event, with a large festive lunch for lots of us, not forgetting the Boxing Day spread as well. And if all that wasn’t enough, bring on New Year’s Eve. So I defy anyone to escape without some form of over-indulgence.
Take your time
Now for those familiar with these blogs, you will know that, to my mind at least, Yoga is the panacea for almost everything which we encounter in life and December is no exception. Yoga can help with any seasonal anxiety or stress in the run up – on the most basic level by getting you to stop and take a little bit of time for yourself. The last week of term always sees a flurry of last minute texted apologies with yoga falling foul of the never-ending to do list and a hard deadline. Totally understandable, but equally if you can make time, you will leave class with your batteries recharged, your mind calmer and your body grateful.
Create space
But maybe, slightly more surprisingly, yoga can help with the physical excesses loaded on to your digestive system. The pose of the month in the newsletter, Supta Baddha Konasana, is a fantastic pose to calm the mind but also to aid digestion. Lying back, giving the abdomen space and support to promote digestion. Supta Virasana, not always everyone’s favourite pose, is another abdominally spacious pose which can also be practised safely after eating and will aid the digestive process.
Invigorate
Equally twisting poses, such as Bharadvajasana and Marichyasana 1 and 3 will warm you up when cold and also internally invigorate the abdominal organs and hence the digestive powers. The twisting poses should not be done after eating. However a regular twisting practice over the festive season will pay dividends, bringing blood flow to the spinal muscles, making space in your abdomen and providing a workout for your abdominal organs.
So enjoy your December, keep up the yoga and wishing you all the best for the Season.