Winter mini flows

WINTER READY
The start of the year is the perfect time to reflect on your self-care routines and proactively take some preemptive measures to stay well over the colder months. Yoga can support you through winter days where the temperatures suddenly plummet and your immune system is being bombarded with winter viruses. It also helps you when work and life demands are pulling you in both directions and no matter how deep you dig you just can’t find the energy to get out of bed in the dark mornings!

Yoga is hugely beneficial at any time of day – from an early morning stretch, a lunchtime de-stress or an evening wind-down. These sequences are designed to be short, efficient and easy to incorporate at any time of day. They will reset your system, stretch and strengthen your whole body and alleviate winter stiffness. They will prepare you for whatever the day has in store for you when practised in the morning, or set you up for a good night sleep when practised in the evening.

Each of these sequences are designed to combat four different winter challenges, and set you up for the shorter days and long months ahead. 

THE BENEFITS OF INTERNAL GENERATOR FLOW
On those colder days when you can’t get warm no matter how many jumpers you layer on twists are your saviour! They fire your internal generator and boost your circulation. They bring fresh oxygenated blood to all the organs of the abdominal region – fueling them for optimum functionality. These biological functions naturally create heat which keeps you warm, cosy and glowing from the inside out. Starting your practice with any of the Surya Namaskars will very quickly build whole body heat too.

THE BENEFITS OF IMMUNE SYSTEM FLOW
The immune system can get quite a hammering over the winter months. A simple head cold can lower your defences enough to kick start a run of nasty winter viruses. Backbends and twists massage and stimulate the lining of the gut and helps it work more efficiently at its many jobs – one of them being producing 80% of the immune system. A healthy gut fuels all the cells of the body and builds a strong, reactive immune system. Inversions and twists also boost blood and lymph circulation to help the body carry oxygen, nutrients, and hormones to all the cells of the body, and remove toxins.

THE BENEFITS OF STRESS RELIEF FLOW
Ever heard of the winter blues? Yes it’s a proven fact that we are inclined to feel more stressed and depressed over the winter months. Symptoms of stress crop up in many different ways. Tension in the hip joint can be brought on from sitting for long hours, but it can also be a sign of chronic stress as the body gets stuck in fight or flight mode. Hip opener poses help to shift this physical tension, and in turn release emotional tension too. Practise this sequence at a slower pace, pause in poses and take some deep breaths to help calm the nervous system.

THE BENEFITS OF ENERGY BURST FLOW
There is a reason why you might feel more tired and sleep longer in the winter months. When there are less daylight hours, or days where the sun doesn’t make much of an appearance at all, melatonin, our sleepy hormone, continues to be produced and leaves you feeling a bit lethargic. Backbends and twists are very energising. They stretch the muscles of the respiratory system and help expand the breath – drawing in extra oxygen and circulating it around the whole body. Standing poses use the big muscles of the legs and increase circulation making you feel more awake. The challenge of the balancing poses instantly wake you up.

EXPLORING WINTER MINI FLOWS IN YOUR PRACTICE
Each mini flow will take around 15 mins. If you would like to practise for longer add more rounds of Surya Namaskara C illustrated above in between each standing mini flow. When flowing through the mini flows indicated between the arrows, start with the right leg forward first, and then repeat this group of poses on the left side. Keep your transitions simple and when in doubt link pose through a Downward Dog or come back to Tadasana at the top of your mat and step back into your next pose. Take your time and enjoy the poses that nourish you, remember you are the boss of your practice. If you are really struggling to get on your mat just try a few rounds of The Sury Namaskar. They are the adaptogens of the yoga world. When you need calming they calm you, when you need energy they energise you!

To save the images for personal use click and hold down the image until the ‘save image’ option appears; on Mac hold down ‘control’ and click the image to get the option box; on PC right click on the image to get the option box. Scroll down in the ‘option box’ and click ‘save image’.

Ruth Delahunty Yogaru

The ultimate Christmas flow

ALL YOU NEED FOR CHRISTMAS
This year my gift to you is a Christmas flow with the essence of my previous Christmas sequences. It will be all you need for Christmas to help you enjoy time with friends and family, and get the most out of your Christmas break. My ultimate Christmas flow has a bit of everything to support you and give you some well earned self care. Think of it as an exchange in your energy bank between your outward energy debits, Christmas parties and socialising, and your inward energy savings, stepping on your mat and replenishing. This sequence will also give your immune system a kick start and help you stay well over the winter months. This one's a keeper that you can practise on repeat.

THE BENEFITS OF GETTING MOVING
Relaxing over your Christmas holidays should definitely be a priority, but that doesn’t mean you don't also prioritise adding a bit of movement and fresh air into each day to stop the Christmas cobwebs. Movement benefits you physically and mentally by keeping your joints and muscles working functionally; reducing stress and anxiety; improving heart rate variability (HRV); building strong lungs; reducing fatigue; regulating your hormones; and most importantly boosting Christmas festive happiness. Make it your priority to move every day over the Christmas break – whether it is stepping on your mat and practising this sequence, going for a walk or a run, or maybe even braving a winter sea swim!

EXPLORING THE ULTIMATE CHRISTMAS FLOW IN YOUR PRACTICE
This sequence starts with Sun Salutations to get you warmed up and start linking your breath with your movement. For a longer practice you can add extra rounds of the Sun Salutation or for a shorter practice you can just do one Sun Salutation at the start of each mini flow. It then kicks into your standing mini flows on row two and three. There is a generous sprinkling of standing balancing poses to boost your energy and stamina. The standing mini flows also have plenty of hip openers to relieve stress and anxiety, and twists to boost your circulation and metabolism. Each mini flow ends with a gentle backbend to stimulate counteract festive indigestion and help keep you regular. Backbends and twists are both fantastic poses to support your immune system over the winter months.

ALIGNMENT CUES
There is no specific peak pose in this simple beginners flow sequence. Focus on how each pose of the sequence feels while in the pose and after the pose.

Have a read of the tips below and either print out the sequence or save it onto your device:

• Use the breath guide in the sequence to help you link breath with movement in the flow. Inhale is indicated with a ‘+’, exhale is a ‘-”.

• If there are specific poses that you would like to stay longer in, give yourself three deep breaths in those poses, and pick up the next pose with the allocated inhale or exhale as indicated by the sequence.

• For a longer practice add in a Sun Salutations at the start of each mini flow or repeat each mini flow.

To save the images for personal use click and hold down the image until the ‘save image’ option appears; on Mac hold down ‘control’ and click the image to get the option box; on PC right click on the image to get the option box. Scroll down in the ‘option box’ and click ‘save image’.

Ruth Delahunty Yogaru

A simple beginners flow

YOUR MIND BODY CONNECTION
If yoga is new to you, you are not alone. We were all beginners at some point and it is testament to the power of the benefits of yoga, that so many of us found our way back on to our mats after giving it a go. Learning how to move, and connecting body and mind, is a bit like learning a new language. Moving on your mat might feel awkward at first, but you will grasp this mind, body language very soon. The mind, body connection is one of the many benefits of yoga and is incredibly important for our physical and mental wellbeing. The body is a communication highway - hunger or satiety, tired or energised, happy or unhappy - yoga helps us read the signals our body is sending us, giving us the chance to adjust to meet its requirements before it hits a dead end.

Yoga also teaches us to cultivate a deep therapeutic and calming breath as we move. Consciously breathing stimulates a cranial nerve called the vagus nerve, which brings the body into the rest & restore nervous system response, or the parasympathetic nervous system response. This creates optimal conditions for the functionality of the organs of the body – strengthening the immune system, increasing lung capacity, increasing circulation, aiding digestion and increasing overall wellbeing. Initially you might find yourself holding your breath, which is very common when we are concentrating. Your first task is just to remember to breathe, once you master that you can start to link breath with movement as suggested by ‘+’ and ‘-’ in the sequence.

SELF CARE NOT SELF JUDGEMENT
Yoga is your practice. Regardless of whether you are doing self practice or attending classes, nobody will ever know how a pose feels to you, except you. For this reason you must embrace this as your very own unique experience and listen carefully to what your body is telling you. When you are using my illustrations or a teacher as a guide, it is exactly that – a guide. Your body will tell you how far it is ready to stretch or strengthen. Remember we are all very different on the outside and the inside too. A pose that one person is luxuriating in can feel pretty challenging to you and vice versa. Most importantly, practice without self judgement. If you have made it onto your mat, and care enough about yourself to give yoga a go, you are more than halfway there. In return for this brave step you have made, be kind and encourage yourself every step of the way. The best gift you can give yourself is to teach yourself to take Savasna at the end of each practice. This is simply lying down on your back for anything between 2-10 or more minutes and assimilating the work you have done. This allows your nervous system to settle down and prepares you for your day off the mat.

EXPLORING SIMPLE BEGINNERS FLOW IN YOUR PRACTICE
The first row gently warms you up with a child pose flow and a few rounds of Half Sun Salutation or Half Suryanamaskar (½ SURY). Rows two and three are your standing flows. You will hold each pose for 3 deep breaths to help, then you will repeat the same flow with the suggested inhale and exhale, as indicated by the illustrations. If the breath isn’t settling into a smooth rhythm as you move, repeat the first version where you hold the pose for 3 breaths again. At the start of each mini flow you can either step back from the top of your mat or you can add a Half Suryanamaskar from the first row and then step back into the flow.

TIPS TO GET YOU STARTED
Have a read of the follow tips to help you get started with your yoga practice:

Tip 1
Little and often is better than trying to get on your mat once a week to do a long practice. Start small with just 10 minutes, three times a week and let it naturally grow from there.

Tip 2
Make a commitment to yourself to give it your best shot, but if you don’t make it onto your mat don’t give up. The great thing about home practice is that it slots into your schedules.

Tip 3
Practise anywhere your mat fist – end of your bed, kitchen, sitting room. Politely let your ‘housemates’ know that your practice is your quiet time.

Tip 4
If possible try incorporating your home practice into your morning routine before you start your day.

Tip 5
Don’t panic or overcomplicate things. If there is a pose you are not sure about either skip it or if you have time use the asana section of my website to read the alignment cues for the pose.

Tip 6
When you are ready to move on to a new sequence you will find hundreds of sequences to try on my website. Some even come with a YouTube class of the sequence.

ALIGNMENT CUES
There is no specific peak pose in this simple beginners flow sequence. Move nice and slowly through your practice and enjoy being the boss. Get close to your breath, and take extra breaths in poses you are enjoying.

Have a read of the tips below and either print out the sequence or save it onto your device:

Use the breath guide in the sequence to help you link breath with movement in the flow. Inhale is indicated with a ‘+’, exhale is a ‘-”.

Move slowly from pose to pose taking 3 breaths in each pose. Scan your three platforms – feet, hips and shoulder – to check your alignment.

For a longer practice repeat each of the standing mini flows three times.

To save the images for personal use click and hold down the image until the ‘save image’ option appears; on Mac hold down ‘control’ and click the image to get the option box; on PC right click on the image to get the option box. Scroll down in the ‘option box’ and click ‘save image’.

Ruth Delahunty Yogaru