Moving Through the Holidays

You may have noticed we don’t often write about yoga on our blog… But did you know Ava and Alyssa are not just music therapists, but also certified yoga instructors? With the cold weather coming on strong and COVID lockdowns continuing, staying well is extra important this holiday season. In this post we’ll share some easy ways yoga can help us move our bodies and minds through this season of life!

We love remembering the phrase “When you can’t go outside, go inside!”

Warming

In yoga we generate "tapas" in certain poses to generate heat and energy in the body. Try out these tips to warm up from the cold weather outside.

Sun salutations

We use sun salutations to generate heat and feel connected to the sun, even when it may be hiding outside.

• Check out this guided Sun Salutation from one of our favorite free yoga resources, Yoga with Adriene

• For kids, check out Cosmic Kids Yoga

Flows

Connecting breathing and movement in a flow is a core principle of yoga

• Check out this playlist on our YouTube channel full of flows for all ages and abilities!

Self Soothing

During the pandemic, many of us have needed to take a step back and just focus on our most basic needs such as food, sleep, and safety. We can feel supported in these areas through grounding activities such as deep breathing and restorative yoga.

Breath Work and Meditation

1. Sit in a supported meditative posture and focus on the breath.

2. Use this music assisted relaxation on our YouTube to practice grounding.

Restore and Support

Restorative yoga postures use props such as bolsters or pillows to rest and stretch while being as comfortable as possible

• Check out this one using a pillow and the wall as a support!

Supporting Digestion

The holidays are a great time to indulge in our favorite foods and special treats! Don't feel guilt about enjoying these foods, instead... help your body digest them!

Twists

Gentle twists can help massage and sooth the belly, and internal organs.

1. Lay on your back and hug knees to chest.

2. With knees bent at a 90 degree angle, lay both knees over to the right side, resting them on the floor or a pillow.

3. Open arms and rest them on the ground in a "t" shape.

4. Rest here for as long as is comfortable or 5-10 breaths.

5. Repeat on the other side.

Yoga is a fantastic practice not only for our bodies, but also our mental wellness. You can even use yoga practice as an opportunity to bond with others in your home, or try a class online with some friends!

Yoga at Dynamic Lynks

We are offering new yoga classes in 2021 and would love for you to try them out! “Caring for Caregivers” is a yoga class created for parents, caregivers, and clinical professionals who are looking for a restorative yoga practice.

Our new 2021 classes to the therapy group lineup are “Power Dynamics” a group for girls and teens centered around empowerment through music therapy interventions and yoga practice and “The Lynk Up”. The Lynk Up supports teens and young adults with mental health challenges through musical exploration and incorporates meditation and breathing practices with music.

You can sign up for all of our yoga classes and group programs on our website or email us at info@dynamiclynks.com!