Deep Winter, Deep Core

January kind of turned into core month for me as a yoga teacher. My classes have featured a lot of core work, connecting to core, and curling around the core. Being in the deep part of winter it makes sense that core would feature so prominently. Autumn is all about letting go, releasing that which no longer serves you and holding to those things that do. Winter is about going inward, deepening the connection to self, healing, building strength for the season of growth.

It really begins by curling in around core. And sensing your core. If you were to lie on your back place your hand on your core where would it go? What do you feel in that place that you identify as core? On the surface we think of the abs as core. Doing crunches, sit ups, knee ups, planks, mountain climbers, all connect us to the abdominal muscles. And these are a part of the core, but they are not the deep core. The deep core is inward more. The pose of the month in the newsletter is bridge pose. Before even beginning bridge pose if you lie on your back with your knees bent and pull your belly button to your spine - THAT'S core. That's the deep core. That is where our life force comes from. If you do that, what do you sense?

This part of the year is about gathering energy. Making plans. The deep core can also be seen as a seed. The seed holds the universe. Everything a plant needs to begin is encased in the seed. Everything you need to thrive is within you. Winter is for dreaming. For looking at seed catalogues in preparation for ordering the seeds to plant. That is a very preliminary step. So if you are in that dream state, if you are in pre-contemplation and haven't quite made the steps to do something new or start something new then you are exactly where nature intends. Journal. Draw. Make plans. Make lists. Get ready. Curl inward like a seed getting ready to sprout. It'll sprout when it's warm enough and there's enough sun. When the energy of the earth starts to wake up, you too will find more energy to then act on your list. But for now, build your strength, make your plans, dream your dreams.