wellness
22 CalmMoment.com
Warming rituals of nourishment
Come together with family or friends and
enjoy the warmth created by cooking stews,
soups and pies. Observe and respect natural
inclinations for seasonal food and make the
most of local seasonal produce. The ritual of
a cup of tea has pride of place in winter.
Choose a cup you love and savour a few
minutes of relaxation, or if time is short, just
a few mindful sips can recharge you.Harness the therapeutic power
of your environment
Turn to your home environment for comfort.
Make it inviting with fairy lights and candles,
invest in a robe in a colour and texture you
love, and use rugs, throws and cushions to
maximise cosiness. Bring nature therapy
inside with potted bulbs and house plants
or use a dawn simulation alarm clock to feel
more in sync. To make the most of the
shorter days, gaze at the stars for a dose
of mindfulness and awe.Move for mental health
As an antidote to the posture we adopt in
wintry weather, stand tall, look up, soften
your eyes, jaw, shoulders and hands and, if
you’re walking, move your arms with your
gait. Try these heart opening stretches to
improve your posture and your state of mind.
Chest stretch: Stand with your right-hand
side by a wall, raise your right arm to the
same height as your head and place your
right palm flat on the wall. Slowly orientate
your feet and body away from the wall until
you feel a comfortable stretch through your
right arm and into the right-hand side of your
chest. Take five slow, deep breaths into the
stretch before changing sides. Or, give the
‘chicken wing’ shoulder rolls a go! Place your
fingertips on your shoulders, then as you
breathe in, circle your elbows forwards and
up. As you breathe out take them back and
down. Repeat it six times and feel the
freedom it creates.
The colder months provide us with the
opportunity to try some indoor classes – the
more heat the better. Think spin, HIIT or hotyoga. Take a buddy and get fit together
rather than habitually opting for socialising
over meals or drinks. If the gym isn’t your
thing, keep it short and sweet and head out
for a quick jog or brisk walk. Half the battle
during winter is to make sure you’re kitted
up, so wellies, warm coats and layers are an
investment that make movement in nature’s
beauty accessible all year round.
If you prefer to bunker in, there are still
plenty of ways to move. Try exercises that
create heat from within like squatting or
lunging movements, or this abdominal
exercise: lie on your back with your knees
bent, feet flat on the floor and arms by your
sides. As you breathe in, let your whole body
relax. As you breathe out, press your palms
and your feet down into the floor and feel
your tummy muscles leap into action.
Repeat 10 times, feeling how this connects
you with your personal power.
When energy is low, opt for floor-based
yoga or stretches. It doesn’t take any effort,
but you will feel so much better for having
released your body.Turn drinking a cup of
something hot into a
ritual to warm the soul.