A seasonal yoga practice is one of the easiest ways you can support the vitality of your body. The ancient taoists looked to nature to align their livelihoods and to cultivate their energy. They knew that to fall out of alignment with nature would have ill effects upon their health. It is the Taoists who said “who are you to go against the 10,000 laws of nature, when you do your health perishes”. When you learn to live seasonally you are tapping into the infinite intelligence of the Earth and the vitality of your body.

Seasonal living can be a way to integrate what is outside of you with what is inside of you. It is based on the saying “as above, so below”. Just as you are a miniature version of the universe, so to do you have seasons alive within you.

An important aspect of a seasonal practice is changing what you do with the seasons. Just like you change your clothes in different seasons so too should you change your practices.

Having a seasonal practice is similar to the idea of eating what is in season, you get the most nutrition from the foods that are grown near you.

This is why in winter you shouldn’t be demanding too much out of your body with a heat building practice. Winter is the time to regenerate the body and not deplete the body. Since there isn’t a lot of sun in the winter season, you naturally will have less energy to expend as more of your energy goes to keeping yourself warm. It isn’t about going exhausting yourself, it is about turning within and stilling yourself.

While so many people in this modern day world never take the seasons into consideration in regards to their livelihood, it is no wonder so many have chronic illness. These are messages from the body saying “you shouldn’t be working the same way you do in summer as in winter”.

There is a way to build a seasonal practice that supports that natural need to go deep inside the self in winter, to sprout in spring, to expand in summer and to contract back within in autumn. In fact, when you learn to practice in this way you will always meet your body where it is and enhance your wellbeing.

Depending on where you live, you will have a different relationship with seasonal changes. The seasons shift because of the tilt of the Earth. The further you are from the equator, the more extreme these seasonal changes become. No matter where you live, there are so many ways you can support the natural energetic shifts in your body that occur because of seasonal changes.

Taoism follows the five element cycle in regards to the seasons and it is what I teach in my practices. It is something I witness in nature to be deeply embedded in Universal truth, these cyclical laws of nature are reflected outside the human and are meant to be brought within in greater harmony.

A seasonal dialogue always begins with winter. It is in winter when all lies in wait. This dormant period holds the element of water: the one element that fosters life on Earth. Thus it can be considered the first element that births the rest. Winter is the season of cold. It’s energy descends down as water flows to the lowest level. The organs that govern winter are the kidneys and bladder. Kidneys deal with survival. When imbalanced fear arises, and in harmony, clarity. The kidneys are located below the diaphragm at the lower back. They have a strong relationship with the pelvis. Practices that support the kidneys fold you into yourself. These are your forward folds, plow pose, and all of the postures that work the hips such as pigeon, stacked logs and bound angle. Supported postures on blocks are also incredibly soothing in winter to nourish your breath and cultivate a sense of stillness within.

Spring awakens the body from its slumber. It’s element is wood and shoots up from winters watery depths. In spring you feel a natural urge to go out into the world and create. The energy in your body shifts from the kidneys and rises up into the eyes. In spring you look out, you perceive, you draw a line of vision for the year. Spring awakens your liver and gall bladder. When imbalanced anger and frustration arise. In harmony, patience is embodied. Spring is the time to bring in postures that open up the thighs, lungs, liver and eyes. This is your lunges, squats, and up dogs as well as the postures that are preparing you for the bigger backbends of summer such as floor bow pose.

Summer is the blossoming of spring’s seeds. This is the fruition of the year, when all things upon Earth are in their abundance. Summer is full. It is busy and participatory and it is meant to be. Summer gathers community and its element is fire. It expands outwards. Summer is governed by the heart and small intestine. When imbalanced mania can be felt, but in harmony contentment arises within the chambers of the still heart. In the practice postures that emphasize a full front body opening are the best poses to move heat out of the body. These postures work you up towards full wheel, such as camel pose. The backbends of summer help open you into your fullness.

Late Summer is the turning of the seasonal wheel. It flips the yang seasons of spring and summer into the yin seasons of autumn and winter. It is the element of Earth. Late summer is governed by the spleen and pancreas which is linked with the muscles and mind. It is all about how you are digesting information, how you are chewing on ideas, and how you exercise good judgment and discernment. The best postures to do in late summer that support the spleen and clear dampness are muscular based postures. This can be chatarunga, squat, high lunges, chair postures and any other poses that activate the muscles.

Autumn is the season that winds down the seasonal wheel. It’s energy contracts, it’s element is metal, and it awakens your lungs and large intestine. These are the organs that process grief/sadness via the lungs and the breath and let go of what is no longer needed via the large intestine. This season is all about the breath. Cultivating a breathwork practice here will save you come winter. Postures that twist the body are also invaluable at this time of year because they keep the rib cage fluid which keeps the lungs clear and healthy.

As you can see an intelligent yoga practice has to take the seasons into account because so much changes in the body during each season. As you learn to practice appropriately during each season you learn to support the organs when they are at their most receptive. When you practice this way you will notice your health will become vibrant because instead of draining your life force by going against the seasons you will learn to cultivate your vitality and replenish your life force. This is the key for longevity and aging gracefully. This give you the ability to retain a sense of self throughout your whole lifetime.

If you want to learn the simple cleansing practices I partake in during the seasons then check out my Seasonal Wellness Course.