The Power of Rest: Why Winter is the Perfect Time for Yin Yoga
As December arrives, the festive season takes centre stage. The lead-up to Christmas is filled with sparkle, joy, and celebration, but it can also bring an overwhelming sense of pressure. The to-do lists are endless—shopping, decorating, cooking, and socialising—all layered with the expectation of creating the “perfect” holiday experience. For many, this time of year feels far from restful.
But amidst the hustle and bustle, winter whispers an invitation to slow down. The shorter days and longer nights align with nature’s rhythm of rest and renewal. This makes it the perfect season to embrace Yin Yoga—a deeply restorative practice that encourages rest, reflection, and reconnection with yourself.
What is Yin Yoga and How Does It Differ from Yang Yoga?
Yin and Yang are complementary concepts from Chinese philosophy, representing balance. Yang is active, dynamic, and energising, while Yin is passive, still, and introspective. Yang Yoga styles, such as Vinyasa or Power Yoga, build strength, heat, and stamina, focusing on the muscles. While these practices are beneficial for increasing energy and vitality, they can feel demanding, especially during a season that already pulls us in many directions.
Yin Yoga, on the other hand, provides the space to slow down and turn inward. It targets the body’s connective tissues—fascia, ligaments, and joints—through long-held, passive poses. This type of practice encourages energy flow along the body’s meridians (energy channels), which are a cornerstone of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).
While Yang practices help us build and achieve, Yin practices teach us the art of surrender. This balance is essential, particularly during winter, when nature itself leans towards stillness and rest.
Winter: A Season for Rest and Reflection
Winter is nature’s way of telling us to pause. Trees shed their leaves, animals hibernate, and the earth quiets down to prepare for renewal in the spring. Yet, as humans, we often push through this season, resisting rest in favour of keeping busy. The lead-up to Christmas can amplify this, with its myriad demands and expectations.
Taking time to rest doesn’t mean shirking responsibilities or opting out of festivities. Instead, it’s about recognising that rest is an essential part of staying balanced. Yin Yoga offers the perfect antidote to the seasonal stress, allowing you to step out of the whirlwind and into a space of calm.
The Benefits of Yin Yoga
In addition to its physical benefits, Yin Yoga works deeply on an energetic and emotional level.
Stimulates the Meridians for Balance and Vitality
According to TCM, each pose in Yin Yoga targets specific meridians associated with different organs and emotions. Stimulating these energy channels supports the body’s natural balance and helps release blockages that can manifest as physical tension, emotional stress, or fatigue.Encourages Stillness and Mindfulness
Holding poses for several minutes provides an opportunity to quiet the mind. This is particularly important during the festive season, when our thoughts often race with endless tasks.Teaches Patience and Letting Go
Yin Yoga requires surrender. As you stay in a pose, you learn to release resistance—not just in your body, but also in your expectations and emotional burdens.Supports Restorative Healing
By activating the parasympathetic nervous system, Yin Yoga promotes relaxation, reduces stress, and helps the body repair itself.
A Simple Yin Yoga Sequence to Try at Home
If you’re new to Yin Yoga or want to try it on your own, here’s a simple sequence you can practise this winter. Each pose is paired with the meridian(s) it stimulates, along with signs of imbalance in those meridians and the benefits of balancing them.
Child’s Pose
How to Do It:
Sit back on your heels and fold forward, bringing your forehead to the mat or a cushion. Let your arms stretch forward or rest alongside your body. Allow your hips to sink back towards your heels, but use a cushion or blanket under your hips if needed for comfort.Meridians: Stomach and Spleen (Earth element)
Signs of Imbalance: Worry, overthinking, digestive issues, fatigue.
Benefits: Strengthens digestion, enhances nourishment, and cultivates a sense of grounding and comfort.
Hold for 3–5 minutes.
Shoelace Pose
How to Do It:
Sit on the mat and cross one leg over the other, stacking your knees as much as possible (they don’t need to align perfectly). You can sit on a cushion to lift your hips and make this more comfortable. Lean forward slightly, keeping your back relaxed.Meridians: Liver and Gallbladder (Wood element)
Signs of Imbalance: Irritability, indecisiveness, tension in the sides of the body.
Benefits: Supports detoxification, encourages emotional clarity, and releases built-up tension in the hips.
Hold for 3–5 minutes on each side.
Caterpillar Pose
How to Do It:
Sit with your legs extended in front of you. Slowly fold forward over your legs, letting your back round and your head drop. Place a cushion under your knees if your hamstrings are tight or under your head for support.Meridians: Urinary Bladder (Water element)
Signs of Imbalance: Fear, insecurity, tension in the lower back.
Benefits: Improves flexibility in the spine, releases stored fears, and builds a sense of courage and stability.
Hold for 3–5 minutes.
Dragon Pose
How to Do It:
From a kneeling position, step one foot forward into a lunge with the back knee resting on the floor. Let your hips sink forward, ensuring the front knee stays above the ankle. Place both your hands on the inside of the front foot, on the floor or blocks for support. Then gently lift the back knee and hold.Meridians: Kidney and Lung (Water and Metal elements)
Signs of Imbalance: Low energy, grief, shortness of breath, weak immune function.
Benefits: Strengthens energy reserves, supports the lungs, and opens the hips while stimulating emotional release.
Hold for 3–5 minutes on each side.
Reclined Twist
How to Do It:
Lie on your back and draw your knees into your chest. Drop your knees to one side while extending your arms out in a T-shape. Rest your head to one side, or keep it neutral, depending on your comfort. Use a cushion between your knees if needed.Meridians: Kidney and Urinary Bladder (Water element)
Signs of Imbalance: Exhaustion, low motivation, lower back pain.
Benefits: Releases tension in the spine, improves energy flow in the lower back, and enhances overall relaxation.
Hold for 3–5 minutes on each side.
Supported Fish Pose (Chest Opener)
How to Do It:
Place a bolster or rolled-up blanket lengthwise under your spine and lie back so your chest is lifted. Rest your arms out to the sides, palms facing up, and allow your legs to relax either straight or bent with the soles of your feet touching (a reclined butterfly position).Meridians: Heart and Lung (Fire and Metal elements)
Signs of Imbalance: Anxiety, sadness, shallow breathing, lack of joy.
Benefits: Opens the chest, encourages deep breathing, and promotes emotional release while fostering feelings of joy and love.
Hold for 5–7 minutes.
Final Resting Pose (Savasana)
How to Do It:
Lie flat on your back with your arms by your sides, palms facing up. Cover yourself with a blanket to stay warm and let your body completely relax. Focus on slow, deep breathing.Meridians: All meridians benefit in this pose, promoting overall balance.
Signs of Imbalance: General tension, stress, or exhaustion.
Benefits: Encourages deep relaxation, resets the nervous system, and supports energy alignment throughout the body.
Hold for 5–10 minutes.
Listening to Your Body’s Seasonal Rhythm
In a world that glorifies busyness, choosing to rest can feel radical. But rest isn’t indulgent—it’s essential. Winter, with its slower pace and quieter energy, offers the perfect opportunity to embrace this.
Yin Yoga invites you to pause, reflect, and reconnect with yourself during one of the most demanding times of the year. By honouring your body’s need for rest and balance, you can move through the season with greater calm and clarity—and start the new year feeling grounded and replenished.
Why not roll out your mat this December and experience the power of rest for yourself? You may find it’s the most meaningful gift you can give yourself this winter.
Namaste, Angela at Sussex Yoga
