Ep 57: Winter Season - Class Themes Inspired by Ayurveda

Is it winter where you live right now? While the cycle of the seasons is more apparent in certain parts of the world, winter brings its own unique challenges: shorter days, colder temperatures, and a natural tendency for your body & mind to slow down. 

In Ayurveda, winter is a season dominated by Vata (cold, dry, and light) and Kapha (heavy, slow, and damp). As yoga teachers, now is the time for you to create classes that honor this seasonal energy while addressing common winter imbalances.

In Ayurveda, the doshas are three biological energies—Vata, Pitta, and Kapha—that govern all physical, mental, and emotional processes in the body and mind. Winter is a season dominated by Vata (cold, dry, and light) and Kapha (heavy, slow, and damp) so we’ll focus on those 2 in this episode. 

Oh, and you may want to get your journal for this one because I’ve got lots of ideas for you!

YouTube: Yoga with Monica Bright

Transcript

Monica: 0:00

Is it winter where you live right now? While the cycle of the seasons is more apparent in certain parts of the world and less in other parts. Winter brings its own unique challenges, shorter days. Colder temperatures and a natural tendency for your body and mind to slow down. In our Vedic terms, winter is a season dominated by Vata. Cold dry and light and Kafa heavy, slow and damp. Depending on where you live. As yoga teachers now is the time that you can create classes that honor this seasonal energy. While addressing common winter imbalances. And are you Veda? The doses are three biological energies, Vata, Pitta, and Kapha that govern all physical, mental, and emotional processes in the body and mine. Like I mentioned before, winter is a season dominated by Vata cold, dry and light, and Kafa heavy, slow and damp. So we'll focus on those two in this episode. Oh, and you may want to get your journal for this one because I've got lots of ideas for you. Welcome to the Essential Conversations for Yoga Teachers podcast with me. I'm Monica Bright, and I've been teaching yoga and running my yoga business for over a decade. This is the podcast for you if you're a yoga teacher, you're looking for support, you love to be in conversation, and you're a lifelong student. In this podcast, I'll share with you My life as a yoga teacher, the lessons I've learned, my process for building my business, and helpful ideas, tools, strategies, and systems I use and you can use so that your business thrives. We'll cover a diverse range of topics that will help you whether you're just starting out or you've got years under your belt and you want to dive deep and set yourself up for success. I'm so glad you're here. Listen, I don't take myself too seriously, so expect to hear some laughs along the way. Now, let's do this together. Welcome back to the podcast. I live in Chicago and it's definitely winter here, which inspired me to create this episode for you. Where we dive into creating yoga classes and experiences. Maybe you want to facilitate a workshop or a class series. But my goal is to help you create classes tailored to the winter season. Designed to help your students feel balanced, warm, and grounded during the colder months. Typically winter brings shorter days, colder temperatures and is a natural time of the year for your body and your mind to slow down. In our Vedic terms, winter is a season dominated by Bata cold, dry, and light, and Kafa heavy, slow and damp, of course, depending on where you live and as yoga teachers, you can take advantage of this time of the year and create classes that honor the seasonal energy while addressing some common winter imbalances. Let's do a bit of a shallow dive into aryuveda. Are you Veda is a holistic healing system from India over 5,000 years old that focuses on creating balance in the body, mind and spirit. The word are you? Veda means science of life. Are you. Equals life and Veda equals knowledge. and it emphasizes living in harmony with nature and understanding your unique body type. Or dosha. I'll explain those shortly. In order to achieve health and wellness. Are you Veda is often referred to as the sister science of yoga, because both systems originated in ancient India and share the common goal of promoting holistic health. And spiritual growth together, yoga. And are you Veda provide a comprehensive framework for living a balanced and fulfilling life. The key principles of aryuveda are, and you might want to grab your journal if you haven't already. But the first is the five. Elements. Those are space or the ether. Which is defined as expansive, empty and light. The next is air. Movement and change. Then there's fire. Heat. Energy and transformation. Water which equals fluidity, cooling and cohesion. And earth. Which is defined by stability, heaviness. And grounding. The idea that everything in the universe, including our bodies is made up of these five elements. The next principle is the dosha is the five elements that I just mentioned combine to form the three doses, Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. Which are energies that govern how our bodies and minds function. So the Vata dosha is combined of space and air. And is expressed through creativity, energy, and movement, the Pitta dosha. Is a combination of fire and water Which equals ambition, metabolism and transformation. And then finally the Kapha dosha. As a combination of earth and water. Which shows stability, calmness and endurance. Another principle is that balance is key. So optimal health is achieved when your dosha shows. Those are imbalanced. imbalances can lead to discomfort, illness or mental stress. So, how does are you Veda work? Are you Veda recognizes that everyone is unique? What works for one person? I may not work for another, but by understanding your dominant dosha, You can tailor your diet, your lifestyle and your habits to support balance. Are you Veda is more preventative as it focuses on preventing illness through daily routines, proper diet. And self care rather than only treating symptoms. And are you Veda addresses the root causes of imbalances rather than just the symptoms? It looks at physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing as interconnected. So if we imagine it's winter and you're feeling anxious, Restless and cold. Utilizing the practices of aryuveda might lead you to eat warm, cooked foods like soups and stews. Drink ginger tea to warm your body. And practice slow grounding, yoga poses, like child's pose to help calm your mind. Remember our you Veda is for you. If you want to improve your health naturally by understanding your body better. It's a practical guide to living in tune with yourself and the world around you. So are you Vedas for everyone? Here's how you can identify your dosha or how to start an aria Vedic lifestyle. The doses are three biological energies that are a combination of the five elements. And if you'll remember, Vata is space and air. Pitta is a combination of fire and water. And Kafa is a combination of earth and water. Every person has a unique combination of these doses. It's your constitution, which influences your physical traits, personality, and your tendencies. Here are some characteristics of each dosha. And as I list them, I wonder if you can kind of just pick out which one that you resonate with the most for yourself. the Vata dosha is a combination of space and air. The qualities are dry. Light. Cold. Irregular mobile and rough. Your physical traits would be a slender build. Dry skin. Prone to cold hands and feet. And your mental traits would look like you're creative, energetic, quick thinking, but prone to anxiety or overwhelm when you're out of balance. And some imbalances are anxiety, constipation, insomnia, dry skin, or feeling scattered. Next is the Pitta dosha, which is a combination of fire and water. The qualities. Of the Pitta dosha are hot, sharp. Oily intense and also light. Your physical traits would be a medium build warm body temperature. You're prone to oily skin and inflammation. Your mental traits look like you're ambitious. Focused determined, but you can become irritable or critical when you're out of balance. And some imbalances are heartburn. Skin rashes, irritability and overheating. And the third is a Kapha dosha, which is a combination of earth and water. The qualities here are heavy, slow, steady. Cool and smooth your physical traits. I would be a sturdy build. Smooth and moist skin. you're often calm and grounded. Your mental traits look like your loving, nurturing. Patient. But you can become lethargic or resistant to change when imbalanced. And some imbalances are weight gain, congestion, sluggishness, or depression. You can find out your dominant dosha through self reflection or online quizzes or a consultation. With an R U Vedic practitioner. A quick way to assess is too. Observe your natural state. Ask yourself. What is your typical body type? Energy level and mental state when you're healthy. For example. If you're a naturally slim, energetic and prone to anxiety, you likely have a strong Vata constitution. And you can notice imbalances, so get clear and understand what issues arise when you're stressed out. Or you're feeling unwell. For instance. If you feel overheated. Irritated. Or experience inflammation. You may have a Pitta imbalance. Okay, now that we've covered a basic understanding of Ayurvedic principles. How can you teach or apply them in your classes? Here are a few ways. The first way is you can start with winter themed intentions. You can begin your classes with a theme that resonates with the season ideas like grounding, helping students feel stable and secure amidst the erratic energy of winter. Themes around inner warmth, cultivate a sense of warmth through movement, breath, and mindfulness. And finally focus on nourishment, Including self care and rejuvenation use this theming time to encourage students to reflect on their internal rhythm and align it with winter's slower pace. Incorporate imagery and metaphors to connect with the season. Hibernation and rest use restorative sequences to help students embrace rest. And stillness build inner warmth. This is one of my favorites. Encourage visualization techniques. Where you guide students to imagine a warm, glowing light inside. And you can mention seasonal cues like snow bare trees or cozy fires to create a grounding experience and connect your themes to nature. Oftentimes winter can feel isolating. Personally. I say goodbye to my neighbors and fall, because I know I won't see much of them during the winter months because we're all scurrying inside to our cars and homes in the summertime. We're all on our back decks. And we see and talk to each other at length. Every day. You can try to foster a sense of community in your yoga class. Or in your yoga community by encouraging partner or group poses. Listen. Feel this one out. Honestly. I don't want to touch another student in class, but if it's promoted as a partner or group pose class, Then at least I have a heads up on what I'm signing up for. Host a post class tea circle with warming herbal tea is that might feel really nice and comforting for your students. Or you could offer small tokens of warmth, like hand warmers or cozy socks during Shavasana. That sounds warm and cozy. Just thinking about it. So let your imagination flow. You could. Do just about anything. your imagination is your limitation. That's what I have to say about that. Here are some additional, are you Vedic practices that you can include in your winter classes? So you can use pranayama for warming and balancing. Pranayama. Which is breath work is essential in combating the cold and sluggishness of winter. You could include kapala Bati breath, that's skull shining breath. This is a dynamic heating breath to energize and balance Kafa and help clear mental fog. instructor students, to sit comfortably and take forceful rhythmic. Exhalations through the nose, letting the inhalation happen passively. Sometimes you need a visual demonstration in order to understand it. I'll create a video on my YouTube channel and I'll link it in the show notes below. So you can find it easily and subscribe to it. I would love to have you over there. I've been revamping it recently, and I kind of really enjoy it, especially for these kinds of instructional videos. The benefits of kapala Bati. Deep breath are that it helps you to clear your sinuses. It can boost your metabolism and it can also generate warmth in your body. I know you've heard of Uber. E breath the victorious breath. It's a calming warming breath as sues, Vata, and helps maintain focus. Have your students inhale and exhale through the nose with a slight constriction at the back of the throat. Creating a soft oceanic sound. Again, I'll make a YouTube video for this as well. The benefits of Breath are that it enhances circulation and creates internal warmth. One of the biggest myths of breadth is that it's loud. And in fact it really is not. And finally naughty showed a NA. Alternate nostril breathing. It balances the doses and helps to create inner harmony. Guide your students to close the right nostril and inhale through the left, then switch nostrils for the exhale. And repeat. You want a video for this breath technique? Don't fret. I got you. Nati showed a not grounds Vada and calms the nervous system. You can teach diet and lifestyle tips in class as well. Or maybe you create a workshop where students can ask you questions. You'll want to encourage students to incorporate warming, nourishing foods and routines into their daily lives. Foods like warm cooked meals, like soups, stews, and porridge warming spices, like ginger. Tumeric cinnamon. Cumin and black pepper. And add healthy fats like QI or coconut oil for hydration and nourishment. For hydration during these dark dry months, advise students to sip on warm water or herbal teas throughout the day. Specific teas with Tulsi. Ginger or licorice root are great for digestion and immunity. You can also teach students about morning rituals. Recommend self massage with warm Sesame oil to combat dryness and promote circulation. And suggest that they wake up early before coffee time 6:00 AM to help avoid sluggishness. Now, how can you teach Asana to help balance Vata and Kapha? Incorporate grounding poses for Vada. Make the focus of your class on stability, stillness, and connection to the earth. Poses like standing forward fold Asana. Seated forward, fold puss. Shimo. or a wide legged forward fold presser, Rita Potter, tenacity. No. We'll help with grounding, introspection and a feeling of rootedness. Balanced those grounding poses with invigorating poses for Kafa use these poses to stimulate energy boost, circulation and combat lethargic, Sun salutations, Assyria, Nama, sky energizes, and builds heat. Through the transitions flow and connection of the pose and the breadth that we often teach in. Vinyasa And Asha. Ashtanga style yoga classes. Backbends like Cobra bhujangasana or upward dog. open the chest and heart center. you can even include twists, like revolved chair. Okay. I saved this one for last, because I know some of you may be sensitive to this. I am. It's a Roma therapy. But also the ambience. incorporate a sensory element to your winter classes by using essential oils like ginger clove. Or orange, create a warming and uplifting environment. Ask first. I cannot stress this enough. Ask your students, if it's okay. Be mindful of adjusting the lighting to soft and golden tones to mimic sunlight, which will help students feel cozy and comforted. And play calming. Warm tone music or use sounds of crackling fire or nature to evoke a feeling of sanctuary. I remember my first experiences with yoga were in a college gymnasium. There was no soft lighting, no props, no flowy curtains or essential oils, just plain old Asana and meditation. I'm not complaining at all. Honestly, it was. Still just a beautiful experience of connecting with myself. But times have changed. There weren't any yoga studios back then. So I was either practicing there or at churches. can you imagine that yoga in the church? nowadays, you have the opportunity to create a space that is all yours. One of my best ways to explain this is to think of. Two teachers who teach the exact same set sequence. And think about how different those classes can be. It's not the sequence. It's the teacher's energy and the tone they set for the class. So think about the tone you can set in your class and realize that you bring a lot of energy. To your space. I hope that this episode gets your imagination going. When you think about creating classes specifically around the winter season. And utilize our Vedic practices to help teach its principles. Are you Aveda is often referred to as the sister science of yoga, because both systems originated in ancient India and share a common goal of promoting holistic health and spiritual growth. Together yoga and aryuveda provide a comprehensive framework for living a balanced and fulfilling life. Well, our Aveda focuses on maintaining physical and mental health through diet, lifestyle, and natural remedies. Yoga offers a spiritual path to self-realization and inner peace through movement, breath, and meditation. When combined are you Veda and yoga offer a complete system for living a harmonious life. Are you Veda provides the tools to maintain health and balance while yoga offers the spiritual practices. To cultivate. Inner peace and purpose together. They guide us toward a lifestyle of alignment self-awareness and vitality. I love helping you plan classes and helping you get your imagination going. I hope that this episode sparks some deeper thought around ways to make your winter themed classes special while you incorporate a few, are you Vedic principles? Adding layers to your classes will help you stand out in the crowd of yoga teachers and make students want more of you. I've added a link in the show notes for you to send me a quick text message about your thoughts on this episode. Or any other, I won't know your phone number. It's a neat addition to the platform I use that allows for this new and super easy way for you to communicate with me. Once you click on it, it will take you to your messages, but don't delete the code. That's how your message will get to me. And I would love to know your thoughts on this topic. If you can tell already, I love diving into these conversations because there are so many important discussions to be had in the teaching world. You know that my goal is for you to love the yoga teaching life and allow it to be fulfilling and rewarding. If you love this episode, let me know. I subscribe to the podcast. So you're always in the know when a new episode drops and Sherif with another yoga teacher who you think would love to be in on these conversations. Thank you for helping to spread the word about this podcast. And if you've been taking notes in your journal, as you listen to these episodes, I'm so glad you are. And I would love to hear about it. Don't forget to download the ebook. Sequencing for different injuries. The link is in the show notes below, and I promise you, it will help form a foundation for teaching students with injuries. And it'll be a great resource for you to return to again and again. When you download the ebook, you'll be joining my newsletter. That's just for yoga teachers. I've got more exciting teachings coming soon. So I'll want to tell you all about them. The link is in the show notes below, and I would love for you to join us so we can always stay. Connected. All right, that's it for now? Bye. Mhm.