Seasonal yoga ideas to welcome spring

I like to bring nature and the seasons into my yoga classes, because we are cyclical beings influenced by light, temperature, weather, and the different 'energy' of each season.

As the daylight lengthens, we can feel ourselves slowly unfurling, after slowing down, hibernating and the inward focus of winter. This regrowth is matched by spring flowers like snowdrops, crocuses, primroses and daffodils gradually appearing, and buds forming on trees. Seeing them can lift our spirits – they're little bursts of colour, hope and positivity.

As we've just had the meteorological start of spring (1st March), I thought I'd jot down my notes on how we can bring spring into our yoga practice. The spring equinox (in the northern hemisphere) and the pagan festival of ostara, are also in this month (usually around the 21st March). The weather isn't always very spring-like though, especially in Scotland, so if you decide to do any yoga outside wrap up!

Alyson in virabhadrasana (warrior 2) with flowers behind

How can we bring this spring growth, rebirth and regeneration into our yoga practice? Here are some ideas.

Spring-related movements, asana, pranayama and meditation ideas

• Sequences which start off ground-based and then unfurl and expand to kneeling and standing

• creating more space in the body

• opening the front of the body in poses like crescent lunge, warrior 1, dancer, cobra, sphinx, camel, supported bridge, to mirror plants opening up to the light and sun

• joint mobility movements to allow energy to flow more freely

• spring animal/flower related postures e.g. rabbit, rolling lotus flower hands, half or full lotus (seated position), cosmic egg (tucked in balance on bottom)

• nature-related movements practised outside e.g. earth-sky flow, earth breathing

• being open to new possibilities in postures, movements or sequences, trying something new or a variation, or a spontaneous flow of movements or postures

• renewing your interest in, or connection with, your yoga practice

• sun salutations (surya namaska)

• equal breathing (sama vritti) where either the inhale and exhale are the same length, or all four parts (i.e. the pauses as well) are the same length

• surya bheda (sun piercing) pranayama – inhale through the right nostril (associated with pingala, the nadi or channel connected with the sun) with the left nostril closed, and then open the left nostril and exhale with the right closed

• revitalising the breath with kapalabhati (lit. skull shining) to bring mental clarity

• bramari bee breath (as the bees start to come out in the warmer sunny days)

• yoga nidra (yoga deep relaxation) with the sankalpa (intention) relating to spring, new beginnings, planting a seed

• visualisation meditation e.g. on a colour connected to spring like yellow or green

• meditation on planting a metaphorical seed or intention for the next few months and picturing the action develop and come to fruition

• chant the bija (seed) sounds associated with each chakra (lam, vam, ram, yam, ham, om, aum)

• japa meditation (repeating a mantra) e.g. a positive or hopeful word or phrase in the present tense

Spring can often feel like a more appropriate time to start new habits then the cold dark days of January, so if you've been meaning to start a daily or weekly yoga practice, set aside 5 minutes at a good time for you, and try something from the ideas above.

If you're in Dumfries, you could come to the spring mini retreat morning on 8th March.

Poster for 'Come as you are: Spring yoga retreat' 8th March 2025