Winter in Lockdown
I love this image, it suggests “hugge”, the Nordic concept of Winter cosiness or comfort. This sense of cosiness is just what we need right now.
Getting a bright, crisp day where we can go out walking is amazing. Even if it’s cold, coming home to a hot drink then snuggling up on the sofa with cushions and blankets is hugge personified.
Except most of us are in Lockdown and can’t travel to find a nice walk. The weather has been very wet and we’ve all become a bit too familiar with our sofas in 2020!
We could practice self-care to find cosiness. I’ve heard a lot about that recently on social media. From what I can gather you do this by lazing about watching TV, over-eating and taking little exercise. This is not hugge. It’s the worst thing we can do from a physical, mental and emotional health perspective.
We need to get moving. Yoga is the perfect way to do that from the comfort and safety of our homes. Personally, I love a stronger style of yoga, like Ashtanga, which we practice, (virtually just now) at Yoga Rose. The harder I work, the better I feel.
With yoga if you can control the breath, you can control the body. If you can control the body, you can control the mind and we could all do with a bit of that right now. I skipped a day’s practice last week. The negative effect on my general well-being was almost immediate – even my husband noticed!
Whilst Ashtanga can be challenging, it can bring lots of benefits including: being more balanced and grounded, deeper breathing, flexibility and a stronger physical body.
Meditation after my practice is much more effective than trying to meditate at a different time. It’s almost as if I’ve conditioned my body, ready support my mind in its “work-out”. Meditation can bring focus and calmness (sometimes!) and being in the moment rather than worrying about what’s going to happen next.
After completing my practice, I always feel much better, even if it’s been an inner struggle to get on the mat in the first place. Sometimes I seem to float through my practice, other times it’s a bit more hard-fought. However, I always reach the end of my practice happy that I made the effort.
Each class always ends with my favourite bit – yogic hugge. Otherwise known as Savasana.
Gaenor Aitken Guest Blogger