Yoga & Christmas

The Christmas holidays are meant to be a joyful and happy time of year, spent with your friends and loved ones. Unfortunately, it is not always so perfect, or as easy to keep it this way. Very often, this time of year can become a stressful event, not at all as peaceful as intended. Christmas shopping, cooking and all the preparations can become a handful if you are under pressure, and that is only the beginning of the holidays.

One of my teachers said, that if someone thinks they have reached enlightenment through yoga, then they should spend a few days at Christmas with their family or family in-law. Nothing better to put you back on track. So, don’t expect this holiday season to be perfect, but appreciate it as it is and learn how to keep your calm. Today I wanted to share with you some ideas of how we can use yoga as a tool to help us during a Family Christmas:

Asana practice

Don’t take a break from your regular asana practice, just because it’s Christmas. That is even the more reason to keep going, so roll out your mat and just do what you can. It doesn’t always have to be your full practice, just do what you have the time for and that is enough. If you’re stressed about practicing at your in-law’s home, just let them know that the yoga practice is part of your day and ask where you can roll out your mat in the early morning, so not to get into anyone’s way or run into Santa on his way down the chimney! 

Daily practice is an essential part of a dedicated yogi’s routine, it’s very important to keep practicing every day, 6 days a week with a break only for full and new moon. This year there’s a moon day on Saturday 22nd, so rest then, but practice on Christmas. You don’t always have to keep to your full 1,5 h practice, just do 15-30 minutes if you don’t have time, that will be enough on some days. Asana is a spiritual discipline, one of the eight limbs of yoga, daily practice helps us build a strong body and mind. I believe that if I can do these crazy postures even on a day I’m feeling tired and stiff, then I’m ready to face anything that comes my way. So, stay strong through Christmas, but also be kind to yourself, take this time on the mat to really connect with yourself.

Pranayama, mindfulness & meditation

All sound very complicated, but it’s all about finding some time to get in touch with yourself. Sit, breathe, be quiet. You can squeeze a short 10-15-minute practice before or after asana or maybe before going to bed. One of my favourite teachers, Manju Jois teaches us to practice pranayama daily and tells us that on days when you don’t have time or strength for full asana practice, use the time for some pranayama. It is also one of the limbs of yoga, right next to the asana practice. I am planning a post about my daily pranayama practice, but for now I suggest starting simple. Sit, breathe, be comfortable, try to lengthen the breath, take deep focused breaths. It’s a start.

Pranayama is a method to control the breath, the prana, the vital energy in our bodies. By controlling the breath, we learn to control the mind, finding stillness. 

Christmas time is a great moment to find that quiet peaceful stillness.

Being present in the here and now

The first of the yoga sutras, an ancient yoga text, states that yoga is happening now, “Atha yoga anushasanam”. It teaches us to be present in the moment. We can practice this on the mat, during pranayama, but also anywhere.

So, while sitting at the table during Christmas dinner, try to really be present. Be there with your family, don’t worry about what will happen later or think back if you bought the perfect present or not. Just spend this time being there for your loved ones, truly listening and taking it all in. 

This year, together with my family, we decided to take a break from life before Christmas, to really enjoy some well deserved rest and each other’s company without any worries or stress. We are spending this week before the holidays skiing in the mountains. Some days the sun is shining, others it’s cold and windy, but each day is perfect. We are skipping the stress and hassle before Christmas and coming back right before Christmas Eve 🎄 Our only worry is which route to choose today…

Contentment, gratitude

The yoga philosophy teaches us about appreciation, finding contentment in our daily lives. Let’s try this at Christmas, the time may not be as perfect as you might imagine, there might be arguments, or sad moments due to some circumstances that life throws at us, but let’s try to be grateful for what we’ve got. Let us all appreciate the family and loved ones we’ve got and this special time that we can spend together, even if there are some family disasters involved. Let’s hope it’s just not as bad as in “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation”!

Let’s try to appreciate these amazing and complicated relationships that we’ve got with our loved ones, just as they are.

Ahimsa, non-harm. Kindness to each other

Christmas is the best time to practice ahimsa, kindness. For a moment let’s forget we were angry at each other and let’s just be kind. In the Polish tradition before sitting down to our traditional supper on Christmas Eve, we break “opłatek” a Christmas wafer, and take a moment to exchange good wishes. It’s a beautiful tradition, teaching us to use this family time to wish each other well. Let’s try to remember about these good wishes later on during Christmas, and also act with kindness towards each other.

These are just some of my suggestions on how to use yoga during Christmas, why not share some yoga knowledge with your family so they can also use some of these tools.