I just got back on Friday from a 4-week yoga teacher training course in Baha, Mexico (a million thanks to Jaimal Yogis for covering for me!) and this whole week has felt a bit like slow motion. Not only have I had to adjust from living in a tent on a tropical beach to working in an office every day, but it's also just the season: Winter's here. Time to eat warmer foods, sleep longer hours—and, yes, move a little slower.

With that in mind, I went to a 3-hour workshop with yoga teacher Dina Amsterdam (pictured right) and devotional musician Mukund Subramanian at Yoga Tree Valencia this past weekend. Dina teaches a Yin style of yoga (in the tradition of her mentor Sarah Powers), in which deep, restorative poses are held for long periods of time to stimulate the nadis and allow fluids to move through your joints. On Sunday, we focused on opening the chakras. Starting at the root, we held specific poses that accessed each chakra (like a wide-legged supported Balasana to stimulate Muladhara, the root chakra, and a forward-folding Baddha Konasana with the forehead resting on a bolster to stimulate Ajna, the third eye chakra). As we held each pose, Dina talked about the different colors and qualities of the chakras, while Mukund played the Tambura and sang healing vibrational tones and chants.

Hearing Dina's descriptions of the different chakras while feeling them in my own body was helpful in understanding where I am open and where I am locked up, both physically and emotionally. The practice also just felt like deep rest. I did find my mind wandering a lot, but concentrating on the spinning colored energy circles along the Sushumna-nadi was helpful in staying focused.

If anyone else was at the workshop, please share your experiences! For a more yang approach to the days of winter, celebrate the solstice by doing 108 sun salutations at Yoga Sita or the Yoga Loft this Friday. And have wonderful holidays!