Yoga is a process of connecting mind and body. It is a process of body awareness that will likely affect the way that you move through every other sphere of your life. Yoga provides few moments of release and relaxation during your stressful day and is a great complement to Valentine’s day, a holiday associated with love.
Although there are private class options for partner yoga, Pittsburgh area yoga studios do not appear to be advertising partner yoga workshops for February 14 or Valentine’s day weekend. However, if you have a good foundation in yoga there are plenty of free online resources, and creating a short practice for you and your Valentine in mind is a gift in itself. If you are looking for an in-studio experience, bringing a partner to a favorite yoga class or trying a new style is another romantic option. Remember for all partner yoga options to choose a level-appropriate class for the less experienced yogi in the couple.
If you are targeting non-partner practices then you are not limited during Valentine’s day. For a gentler practice, consider light stretches followed by a loving-kindness meditation. For a more physical practice, heart opening poses are a natural choice to promote a feeling of peace and self love. A heart opening sequence could range from flowing seated cat-cows to a more intense practice leading to wheel pose.
- Heart Opening Example: On your hands and knees inhale into cow pose and exhale into cat pose. For two minutes, on every inhale move into cow and on every exhale arch the back to cat pose. Lower to the floor on your stomach and on an inhale move into a baby cobra. Hold for three-five breaths and lower back to the flow. On the next exhale, push back into child’s pose for five breaths.
- Repeat this cycle two more times reducing the time in flowing cat-cow to one minute and substituting baby cobra with sphinx pose on the first repeat and cobra or baby cobra pose on the second repeat. End the sequence by resting in child’s pose for one minute.
A final option to celebrate Valentine's day is by attending a class with your favorite teacher. Yoga teachers have the capacity to bring warmth into your life by guiding you through a yoga practice. Yoga is one way to add a touch more love to your Valentine's day.
Comments