A Spring Equinox Yoga Sequence to to Renew Your Spirit

“], “filter”: { “nextExceptions”: “img, blockquote, div”, “nextContainsExceptions”: “img, blockquote, a.btn, a.o-button”} }”>

The season is changing and we are changing along with it. Spring coaxes us out of our winter hibernation. It opens our bodies and senses to the beauty around us, and reawakens us to life.

As the equinox invites the return of light, it reminds us to be present to the simple pleasures in our existence. There is no better time to welcome yourself back and, at the same time, initiate a new start. So does our yoga practice when we let it show us our strength, balance, and vitality. The outdoors is inviting us to play. Listen to that. Let it be your medicine.

The following spring equinox yoga practice will remind you of your child-like spirit and help you twist out and release any stagnant energies.

When is Spring Equinox 2025?

Marking the beginning of the astrological year, the spring equinox brings day and night into perfect balance. March 20, 2025, is when the tilt of the Earth is such that there are equal parts night and day.

A Spring Equinox Yoga Practice

Before you begin, close your eyes and pause. Find your breath by taking a long slow inhalation and then exhaling through your mouth while letting out a long “ha” sound. Strengthen from your core, draw yourself to your center, let yourself come fully into the present, where the power and energy for transformation exists. Stay with this breath for three cycles.

As a warm-up to your spring equinox yoga sequence, practice several rounds of Cat–Cow, Sun Salutation A (Surya Namaskar A), and Surya Namaskar B.

High Lunge

Come to Downward-Facing Dog Pose. Step your right foot forward, alongside your right thumb, into a lunge. Come onto your fingertips and reach your chest forward over your thigh as you draw your right hip slightly back. Press through your left heel and, as you inhale, lift your heart and rise into High Lunge. Bring your arms alongside your ears and, if you like, bring your palms to touch in prayer hands. Bring your arms a little farther back and feel that openness. Press through your back heel and, if you need, keep a bend in your back knee.

Warrior III (Virabhadrasana III)

From High Lunge, fly your hands behind you with your arms alongside your body. Slowly lean forward and bring your chest parallel to the ground. Hover over your front thigh, draw your navel in, and ground down through your front heel. Lift your back leg and come into Warrior 3. Level your hips, engage your low belly, lift your inner thigh, and flex your lifted foot. Stay strong in the pose.

Twisted Chair Pose or Fierce Pose (Parsva Utkatasana)

From Warrior 3, bring your hands to your heart, draw your chin in slightly toward your chest, and slowly step your left foot to meet your right and bend both knees in Chair or Fierce Pose. Keep your big toes together and your heels slightly apart. Bring your hands to prayer position at your chest. Lift your toes, ground through your heels, and gently release your toes back down. Inhale as you lift your chest, exhale as you twist to the right, placing your left elbow outside your upper right knee. Press your arm into your leg to rotate your chest open. Sink your hips toward your heels.

If you like, keep your left elbow hooked and reach your right arm up as you place your left hand at your heart.

Crow Pose (Bakasana)

From Twisted Chair, unwind and bring your hands back to your chest. Take one full inhalation and exhalation in Chair and then fold forward, straightening your legs. Bend your knees to come into Squat (Malasana) with your feet together and your knees wide. Place your hands shoulder-width apart, pressing firmly through your palms and making a full connection with the ground. Come onto your tiptoes and bend your elbows slightly, as you would in Chaturanga, as you place your knees on the backside of your upper arms. Lean forward as you push the ground away with your feet, lifting one foot and then the other off the ground and hugging your heels toward your seat. Keep pushing the mat away through your hands. Round a bit in your upper back. Take your gaze down and slightly forward.

Side Crow or Crane Pose (Parsva Bakasana)

From Twisted Chair, unwind and bring your hands back to your chest. Take one full inhalation and exhalation in Chair and then fold forward and straighten your legs. Bend your knees more to come into Squat. Twist to bring your chest to face the long side of your mat. Inhale and reach your left arm up, exhale and twist to the right. Bring both hands to the ground outside of your right foot, shoulder-width apart. Spread your fingers evenly on the mat and slowly shift your chest forward as you bend your elbows. and place your outer right thigh on the shelf of your upper arm. Twist deeper, press into the mat with your hands as you lean into the right arm, and lift your back foot off the ground, keeping your feet flexed and stacked on top of each other. Hold for 3–5 steady breaths and then release your feet to the ground.

From Crow or Side Crow Pose, come down slowly, step back to Plank, lower halfway in Chaturanga while drawing your elbows in, come into Upward-Facing Dog Pose, and back to Downward-Facing Dog Pose. Lift your left leg behind you and repeat the above poses on the left side.

Breath of Joy

Come to standing in Mountain Pose (Tadasana) with your feet hip-width apart. Grounding and rooting into your feet, draw the tailbone down, engage the low belly, and feel the sternum and crown lift as you draw your chin back slightly. Inhale one third of the way as you lift your arms out in front of you, parallel to the ground. As you inhale a third of the way again, stretch your arms out to the sides like a T. On your next inhale, lift your arms alongside your ears. Then sweep your arms back like a diver as you fold forward and exhale out the word, “ha.” Repeat Breath of Joy 8 times. Pause and rest after feeling your energy shift and settle.

Savasana

Lie down in Savasana or sit in meditation for 5 minutes. Let yourself receive insights, restoration, and balance within and without.

This article has been updated. Originally published March 16, 2022.