Warming the Body, Softening the Heart: Yoga & Meditation for Cold Weather and Emotional Tension
Winter has a way of slowing us down, asking us to turn inward. The cold stiffens our muscles, shorter days can weigh on our emotions, and the tension in the world around us can feel heavy. It’s easy to withdraw, but this season also presents an opportunity: to cultivate internal warmth, resilience, and compassion through movement and breath.
This practice is designed to generate heat, promote circulation, and open the heart—both physically and emotionally. Alongside yoga, we’ll introduce Tonglen meditation, an ancient practice of breathing in suffering and breathing out compassion. This practice helps us hold space for others while keeping our own hearts open.
Cold Weather Yoga Sequence
This sequence focuses on warming up the core, increasing circulation, and maintaining mobility in cold temperatures. Move through it with steady breath, holding each pose for a few breaths or cycling through flows.
1. Seated Breathwork & Gentle Warm-Up
Ujjayi Breath (Steady ocean-like breath for focus and warmth)
Seated Cat-Cow
Seated Side Bends + Twists
2. Sun Salutation Flow with Heat-Building Variations
Flow through 3-5 rounds of Sun Salutation A with added elements:
High Lunge to Crescent Lunge Twist (Engages the core and improves circulation)
Chair Pose (Utkatasana) (Fires up the legs and generates warmth)
3. Strength & Stability
Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II) – 5 breaths per side
Extended Side Angle (Utthita Parsvakonasana) – 5 breaths per side
Chair Pose to Standing Forward Fold – Repeat 3x
Plank Pose (Hold 30 sec) → Side Plank – 15 sec per side
Boat Pose (Navasana) – 3 rounds of 10-second holds
4. Grounding & Mobility
Low Lunge (Anjaneyasana) – 5 breaths per side
Half Split (Ardha Hanumanasana) – 5 breaths per side
Reclined Twist – 5 breaths per side
5. Closing: Restorative & Breath Awareness
Seated Forward Fold
Legs Up the Wall
Savasana
Tonglen Meditation: Breathing in Suffering, Breathing Out Compassion
What is Tonglen?
Tonglen, which means “sending and receiving,” is a Tibetan Buddhist practice of breathing in the suffering of others and breathing out love and healing. It may seem counterintuitive—breathing in pain—but it is a practice of holding space for suffering rather than turning away from it.
In a world where political, social, and emotional division are heightened, Tonglen helps us respond with softness instead of resistance. It is an act of deep empathy—one that reminds us that we are all connected.
Guided Tonglen Meditation Practice (5-10 min)
Find a comfortable seated position. Close your eyes and focus on your breath.
Call to mind someone who is struggling. This could be a loved one, a community, or a group of people experiencing hardship.
Breathe in their suffering. As you inhale, imagine drawing in their pain—not to keep it, but to transform it. See it as a dark cloud entering your heart space.
Breathe out light and compassion. As you exhale, imagine sending warmth, healing, and peace. See it as a golden light expanding outward.
Expand the practice. After a few minutes, widen your focus to include others—even those you may disagree with. Continue breathing in pain and breathing out love.
Rest in stillness. Sit quietly for a moment, letting the breath return to normal.
Holding Space in Challenging Times
It’s easy to feel helpless when the world feels heavy, but we always have the power to show up—with warmth, with presence, with compassion.
This winter, may we move our bodies to stay strong and energized. May we breathe deeply, keeping our hearts open. And may we remember: compassion is not passive—it is an active force that can bridge divides and heal wounds, one breath at a time.
