Find your resting position,
Lying down or reclining,
And give yourself time to settle.
Feel the weight of the body meeting the surface beneath you.
Let the shoulders drop.
Let the jaw soften.
No rush,
No fuss.
Winter encourages us inward.
A season of introversion,
Quiet energy and rest.
Let your body follow that rhythm now.
Let the next inhale be natural.
And the exhale a little longer.
Nothing forced,
Just softening into the pose.
Take a few rounds like that,
Long easy out-breaths.
If you use a sankalpa,
Let a simple intention arise.
Something that supports rest and inner stillness.
Hold it lightly,
Nothing to repeat.
Just let it sit quietly in the background.
We'll move through the body,
Steady and unhurried.
Starting with your right hand.
Thumb,
Index finger,
Middle finger,
Ring finger,
Little finger.
Thumb,
Back of the hand,
Wrist,
Forearm,
Elbow,
Upper arm,
Shoulder,
Right side of the chest,
Waist,
Hip,
Thigh,
Knee,
Shin,
Ankle,
Heel,
Sole,
Top of the foot,
Big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Little toe.
Left hand,
Thumb,
Index finger,
Middle finger,
Ring finger,
Little finger.
Thumb,
Back of the hand,
Wrist,
Forearm,
Elbow,
Upper arm,
Shoulder,
Left side of the chest,
Waist,
Hip,
Thigh,
Knee,
Shin.
Ankle,
Heel,
Sole,
Top of the foot,
Big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Little toe.
Back body,
Right shoulder blade,
Left shoulder blade,
Mid back,
Lower back,
Sacrum,
Back of the pelvis.
Body,
Belly,
Ribs,
Heart space,
Collar bones,
Throat,
Jaw soft,
Tongue resting,
Cheeks,
Nose.
The space at the centre of the forehead,
Scalp,
Crown.
Feel the whole body now,
As one quiet winter landscape,
Still,
Slow,
Held.
Bring your attention to the breath at the belly,
Warmth gathering there,
The rise and fall without effort.
Imagine the breath like a winter tide,
Coming in,
Going out,
Steady,
Unhurried,
Stay with that gentle rhythm.
Imagine standing at the edge of a winter woodland.
The air is cool,
The world is quiet,
Almost muffled.
You begin to walk along a small path.
Branches above you are bare and honest,
Showing their true shape against the pale sky.
Each step draws you inward,
Away from busyness and expectation.
The path leads to a small clearing and a simple winter cabin.
Warm light glows from inside,
This is your inner retreat.
The space is warm and calm,
A soft fire or candlelight,
Whichever feels right.
Lie down or sit within this cabin and let yourself be held by stillness.
Let anything that's been weighing on you settle like snowflakes,
Drifting down,
Quietly finding their place.
You don't have to manage or direct a thing,
Just rest.
Stay with this calm,
Steady inner winter for a little longer.
When you're ready,
Imagine leaving the cabin and walking slowly back along the path.
You return with the same quiet energy but a gentle sense of awakening begins.
Bring attention back to the breath,
A little more movement on the inhale,
A sense of grounding on the exhale.
Feel the weight of your body again,
The room around you,
Small movements in the fingers and toes.
If you had a sankalpa,
Let it rise once more,
No pressure,
Just a gentle reminder.
Take a deeper breath and when you feel ready,
Open the eyes or lift the gaze.
Carry a little of this winter stillness with you as you move back into your day.
