When the winter solstice rolls around each year, the beginning of the new season is welcomed as we say goodbye to the warm, sunnier months.
Fun fact: did you know that the winter solstice is always the shortest day of the year?
When each winter solstice arrives each year, it is often marked with a variety of different celebrations and traditions that have been commonplace throughout the decades.
From rituals to gatherings – people all over the world celebrate the beginning of winter – but did you know that there are some ways to celebrate while also honoring yourself?
It’s true. If you are interested in marking the beginning of the winter solstice by engaging in a relaxing winter solstice-themed yoga session, rest assured that you have come to the right place.
In this guide, we are going to be sharing with you some of the top yoga poses that you can use to create your very own celebration of the winter solstice – yoga style. Let’s start!
10 Grounding Winter Solstice Yoga Flows You’ll Love
As we have already touched upon above, the winter solstice is celebrated by millions of people all over the world.
Every year, the turning of the season is marked by a variety of different rituals and events that have been enjoyed for centuries.
All the way over in the UK, the winter solstice is celebrated by paying a visit to Stonehenge to watch the winter solstice sun as it rises.
While in America, it is common for families to gather and partake in a variety of fun activities, including yule making, exchanging nature-themed gifts, decorating a yule tree and more.
It’s very similar to the way that many of us like to celebrate Christmas!
Of course, while we’re sure that the majority of us would enjoy nothing more than to hop on a flight and enjoy the winter solstice sun as it rises over the ancient beauty of Stonehenge’s rocks – if everyday life dictates and you only have a little bit of time to yourself to mark the occasion – one awesome way that you can celebrate the winter solstice is by partaking in a winter solstice-themed yoga session.
For your convenience, below, you will find some inspiration for the best yoga poses suited to mark this special occasion.
Each one is suitable for a variety of different levels of yoga experience, and are sure to help you become grounded, relaxed and recharged.
Let’s take a look at them below:
Cat Pose
Kicking our list of winter solstice yoga flow exercises off, we have selected the cat pose.
This simple yet super soothing yoga pose is suitable for all levels of yoga experience and is the perfect way to start and end your yoga session.
If you are interested in giving this yoga pose a go, you are first going to need to start by taking a few moments to stretch out your spine and gently warm up the rest of your body in preparation for the cat pose.
To begin, we recommend that you begin by gently rolling out your shoulders, neck and both upper and lower back. This will help to ensure that you are able to flow successfully through the cat pose.
Once you have done this, gently come down onto your yoga mat on your hands and knees.
From there, all you are then going to need to do is take a deep breath and push your tummy in a downward direction so that you can enjoy the stretch along both your upper back and your lower back.
The cat pose is perfect for starting off your yoga session as well as finishing it. It can also be used as a transitional pose between more complex poses that you might wish to include in your winter solstice yoga flow session.
Plank Pose
Next up on our list we have the plank pose. If you are going to be including the cat pose in your winter solstice yoga flow, we think that the plank pose is the perfect yoga pose to transition to next.
If you would like to try this yoga flow move out during your winter solstice yoga routine, all you are going to need to do is simply engage your shoulders and plant your palms firmly on the yoga mat.
After that, you can then proceed to hold the plank pose for around 10 breaths, repeating as many times as you like.
Sun Salutations
If you’re in the mood to bring a little heat into your body, then sun salutations are great exercises to incorporate into your winter solstice yoga flow session.
If you would like to try this out, simply come to the front of your mat and come up onto your knees into a kneeling position (or whichever feels most comfortable to you).
After you have done this, all you will need to do is simply take some deep breaths as you flow through your salutations.
As it is the beginning of the winter season, we recommend that you consider setting some intentions for what you will like to achieve during this period of the year – but you can use this time for anything that you feel will be most beneficial.
Downward Dog
What would our winter solstice yoga pose roundup look like with the downward dog?
A yoga classic, this is one of the best yoga exercises to do, and will allow you to enjoy a full body stretch while also providing you with an opportunity to tap into your mindfulness work.
Warrior II
After you have finished doing your sun salutations and enjoying a deep stretch from the downward dog pose, the next yoga pose that you might like to try is the warrior II pose.
Not only is this pose easy to do, but it will also allow you to feel empowered while also enjoying a relieving stretch, too.
If you would like to try out this pose, simply extend your arms outwards with confidence, and then push deeply into your front knee.
Once you are there, push your chest outwards and exhale with confidence. After a few of these, you should feel empowered, confident and powerful!
Reverse Warrior
Along with the warrior II pose, another awesome warrior pose that you can try during your winter solstice yoga flow session is the reverse warrior.
Perfect for enjoying a deep side stretch, the reverse warrior pose is the perfect transition from warrior II, and can be achieved by simply turning your chest upwards and then pulling your arm up and over for a soothing side stretch you won’t be able to get enough of.
Humble Warrior
The next yoga pose we recommend for the winter solstice is the humble warrior.
In order to try out this pose if you’ve never done it before, all you will have to do is simply turn yourself inward and then fold yourself forward.
This is the perfect way to honor the beginning of the winter period as well as providing a moment for yourself.
While this is a relatively easy yoga pose to perform, you might find it a little challenging at first – just tap into your mindfulness and focus on your breathing if you find that you are struggling.
Half Moon Pose
If you are going to be trying to be a humble warrior, the half moon pose is a great yoga pose to flow into.
While you are in your humble warrior pose, tap into your breathing and extend your gaze over your leading foot.
Engage the leg that you are going to be lifting up and off the ground, and place your opposite hand firmly on the ground.
Stare at something in front of you to help with your balance and then lift your leg off the ground, all the while taking time to breathe, tap into your mindfulness and smile.
Chair Pose
To try the chair pose, simply bring yourself to the front of your mat and gently come down into a chair pose.
Once you are here, take a few moments to tap into your mindfulness all while making sure that you are focusing on your breathwork.
Eagle Pose
The final yoga pose that we have to share with you is the eagle pose. If you would like to try this pose out, simply turn yourself inwards and then wrap your legs in a “twist” by placing one leg behind the other.
You can then go ahead and lock your arms together – this is the eagle pose.
The Bottom Line
Over to you! We hope that you have found this article useful in providing you with some inspiration for which types of yoga flow exercises you can enjoy this upcoming winter solstice.
Regardless of which you choose, all of these yoga exercises are perfect for making sure that you’re refreshed, reset and recharged ready for the winter season. Thank you for reading!
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The positive effect yoga had on me was indescribable. Every aspect of my life improved, from social to mental, physical to emotional.
I want my website to help more people get into the world of yoga and teach them how to be present for themselves - even if that’s just for a few minutes a day.
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