We're right around the corner from the winter solstice, and with dark days, cold temperatures and impending snow, we have definitely made the shift into winter. My own practice has changed considerably over the past couple of weeks, becoming less "solar" or active and sinking down into the hips, forward bends and juicy heart openers. The flow is less about speed and activation and more about nurturing "rasa," the essential juiciness of life.

One of the reasons I practice in the ways that I do, a very flowing style, is because I believe that we are intimately connected to the world around us, and that world effects all the layers of our being - physical, respiratory, emotional, mental, spiritual, etc. We do not live in a vacumn, and, in fact, that's part of the richness of being alive. 

As the weather has taken a wintry turn and the wind has picked up, I've found myself responding accordingly. Joints take longer to warm up; there's a bit more crackling in the hips, knees, feet and shoulders. At times, I feel withdrawn, more interested in solitude and quiet. Sometimes, I'm downright crabby and distracted. My irritation level has been higher, partly because of the cold and partly because of the holiday vinyasas. Lately, when I've gotten down on my own mat, all I've wanted to do is open the heart and sink deep into the hips.

The challenge, of course, is to heed the natural flow. A couple times I've thought, "No, I'm just wimping out. I'll push my way through," and I start some core-crazy, arm balance extravaganza, which inevitably leads to more pissiness. When I've actually listened to my deeper needs, however, my body and heart have unfolded in surpising and healing ways.

We can even do this in a yoga class led by someone else who isn't necessarily on the same page we're on. If a teacher is going in a more active direction than you might feel you want, you can still transform the practice into a peaceful and quieting experience. Push-come-to-shove, it's all about our intention, so nurture a peaceful intention while doing those kriyas or an arm-balance practice. Focus on lengthening the depth and duration of your breath. Bring the gaze to "ardha drishti" - the eyelids lowered to half-mast, signaling the nervous system that everything is just chill. 

Whatever it is that you need, try to listen to the depths of your intuition and meet the Self in that place. Start from where you are - not where the ego thinks you should be.