Practices for endings / wintering
Seasonal Embodied Yoga practice
for the end of this year
This is an example of my upcoming programme which begins on January 1st 2023. These are the types of practices that will be included and it's an example of how you can access new practices each week. In addition, there will be an online library of all the practices organised by category, for example all the January / winter meditations in one place.
If you wanted to do a longer practice, you could go through (some or all of) the practices in one session.
Mini-meditation (6 mins.)
Reflective meditation (18 mins.)
Inspired by The Examen Prayer / contemplation of Ignatius Loyola, this meditation includes the opportunity to look back over and process the events of a day, week, month, year, season, special event, programme, course - anything you are about to finish or have recently completed.
Restorative Movement (15 mins.)
Gently energising movement (5 mins.)
Breathwork Practice (12 mins.)
Guided Relaxation (21 mins.)
Daily Life Practice
SLOW DOWN
Choose a simple everyday task like washing up, showering, doing laundry, cooking and slow it right down so you are doing it at a very leisurely pace. Pay full attention. Do the movements involved as if you are doing yoga.
Poem of the week
White-Eyes
by Mary Oliver
In winter
all the singing is in
the tops of the trees
where the wind-bird
with its white eyes
shoves and pushes
among the branches.
Like any of us
he wants to go to sleep,
but he's restless—
he has an idea,
and slowly it unfolds
from under his beating wings
as long as he stays awake.
But his big, round music, after all,
is too breathy to last.
So, it's over.
In the pine-crown
he makes his nest,
he's done all he can.
I don't know the name of this bird,
I only imagine his glittering beak
tucked in a white wing
while the clouds—
which he has summoned
from the north—
which he has taught
to be mild, and silent—
thicken, and begin to fall
into the world below
like stars, or the feathers
of some unimaginable bird
that loves us,
that is asleep now, and silent—
that has turned itself
into snow.
More suggested mindful listening:
Mary Oliver reading her own poetry on YouTube.