Whole Living Daily

Unless you’re in Arizona, the bittersweet end of daylight saving has passed. While that extra hour of sleep or reading time Sunday morning was splendid, I’m not sure if it makes up for early nightfall. This holds particularly true in places where frigid weather is en route, such as here in New York City. No doubt, this can be a difficult and even emotional transition.

Whether your seasonal blues are mild or more severe, such as Seasonal Affect Disorder (SAD), yoga postures and breathing exercises can be incredibly therapeutic. Even a 15 to 30 minute routine to complement your regular length practice can be transformative.

If you are totally new to yoga, I recommend finding a basic/beginner’s class in your community. For readers who have an established practice, here is a simple home sequence to boost your mood and energy.

Note: Home practice is a wonderful discipline to develop! Ideally, be in a space that is clutter and noise free. It should also be sufficiently warm.

I recommend having the following:

• Yoga mat

• One to two yoga blankets

• Two 4” yoga blocks

• Yoga bolster (or large pillows to substitute)

This sequence should take at least 20 minutes, excluding final relaxation. You can also omit postures for time’s sake. These poses work to open the heart center, as well as ground the body. There is also a nice amount of hip opening, which can be particularly physically and mentally stress relieving this time of year.

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1 1. Traditional suryanamaskar diagram

2 2. Triangle pose

3 3. Half moon

4 4. Pigeon

5 Seated spinal twist

6 6. Supported bridge

1. Invocation -- Sit in an upright meditative position or stand tall in Mountain Pose (Tadasana). Keep the eyes closed and familiarize yourself with the current state of the breath, body, and mind.

Optionally, chant three Aums and any other mantra.

1. Traditional Surya Namaskar (3 to 6 rounds) -- To learn more about this classical version of sun salutations, which involves crescent lunge, see diagram.
2. Side tilt with arms over head (3 breaths per side) to Standing Forward Bend (5 to 10 breaths)
3. Triangle Pose (Uttihita Trikonasa) (5 breaths) to Half Moon Pose (Ardha Chandrasana) (5 breaths)

Perform postures on right side and then left.

1. Tree Pose (vrsckikasana) on each side – Optionally lift arms overhead and open heart more
2. Pigeon Pose (Eka Pada Kopotasana), followed by Seated Spinal Twist (Ardha Matsyendrasana) on both sides
3. Bridge Vinyasa Sequence (for more about this posture and #8, please visit this blog on gentle back bends.
4. Restorative Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana) with block
5. Reclined Bound Angle Pose (Supta Baddha Konasana) with bolster and 2 blocks for final relaxation.

Thank you fellow yoga teacher Sarra Kaufman for helping take the photos.

Sophie Herbert is an alignment focused yoga teacher (and perpetual student), a singer-songwriter, and a visual artist. She has lived, studied, and volunteered extensively in India; teaches yoga in Brooklyn and Manhattan; and recently released her first full-length album, "Take a Clear Look." Please visit her website at SophieHerbert.com.