Was thinking about a theme for this week and was frankly relatively uninspired. I was thinking gloomily about the end of summer and looked back on some prior blogs on that topic. Apparently, over the past few years around the official end of summer, the weather has included gloomy rain. Today is no exception, miserable, cold and rainy. Interesting, perhaps this is Mother Nature’s way of easing us into fall? That way, when the crisp, sunny, orange and red days come along, instead of mourning summer we will be happy for the sun and changing leaf colors….
As I sit at the library (a favorite place of mine to study and write since high school), I think about transitioning from one season to the next. Each season holds a particular energy, Summer embodies the peak of extroverted ‘yang’, while Autumn is more likely to see us moving into a quieter, more contemplative state of ‘yin’. I love summer with extended time at the beach, long walks to and along the shore, seeing lots of out of town friends and tennis, biking and late afternoon swims. Like any of my favorite things, however, summer full time would be too much of a good thing for me. It is sort of like being on vacation or eating at your favorite restaurant, you love it while it is happening, but if it were full time, it might be too much. I find myself simultaneously fretting over the end of summer while looking forward to fall, its rhythms and routines, the crisp air and a more settled feeling. In fact, there is some science around this.
Summer in RI is busy, lots of plans and we all tend to take on more, challenge ourselves and live more adventurously in summer (that state of ‘yang’). Autumn invites us to start slowing down. Fall is a great time to follow nature’s cues, as the amount of ‘yin’ energy in nature grows, we can bring a more contemplative, slowing pattern to our lives. Rather than embracing lots of new challenges, we can tie up the loose ends of things we have been working on and focus our attention on one or two things for the fall. While we may juggle a lot in the summer (guests, projects, activities, hobbies), autumn is a good time to direct our energy and attention to a single thing that matters. This could be a home project, a renewed interest in a forgotten hobby or recommitting to regular yoga practice!
Ayurveda, a sister science of yoga, teaches us that Autumn is governed by the Vata dosha, characterized by coldness, dryness, irregularity and lightness. These qualities of lightness and irregularity mean we’re more likely to feel scattered and anxious if our attention is distracted by too many things. So in the fall, taking time to pause and focus on what is important as we transition to fall is a healthy way to move into the next season. Take some time to slow down, breathe and prioritize your time to help dispel that scattered or anxious feeling,
While the onset of fall can can cause some melancholy, let’s embrace the seasonal change with some warming routines and self care. I love a brisk walk followed by a bath and a spicy cup of homemade chai. We can use this transitional time to revisit some routines that got lost in the frenzy of the summer, maybe recommitting to that above mentioned yoga practice? With so many activities in the summer we often practice less formally. Instead of lamenting the end of summer, lets appreciate change, embrace the beauty that each season brings, and find ways to savor it and be present.
For more on ayurveda and the doshas, I love the articles below as a good overview.
Our Practice – Grounding Poses For Fall
As we move into fall, we may feel a sense of melancholy or sadness. It is a time often associated with transition, shortening days and less light. There is evidence to support these feelings grounded in ancient Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine and healing. It is time of the vata dosha as mentioned earlier, and a grounding, slow flow will help balance that. In traditional Chinese medicine Autumn aligns with the lungs and large intestines and these functions are associated with grief and sadness. “These emotions represent our ability to balance taking in and letting go” both figuratively and physically. We can make fall a beautiful time by practicing self care and nurturing with a restorative practice, one that is slow, rhythmic, and fluid. We will incorporate poses into our practice that warm us and engage our lungs (breath) and intestines (some twisting) and provide grounding and promote introspection and ease. These will include sun salutations, seated, lunging and reclined twists and child’s pose.
Following article touches on both Auryvedic science and autumnal yoga practice.
Meditation – Seasonal Change
Rather than mourn the end of summer, let’s dedicate our thoughts this week to embracing the seasonal change and all that it brings.
“We cannot stop the winter or the summer from coming. We cannot stop the spring or the fall or make them other than they are. They are gifts from the universe that we cannot refuse. But we can choose what we will contribute to life when each arrives. “- Gary Zukhavv
“One must maintain a little bit of summer even in the middle of winter.” – Henry David Thoreau
Fall, Leaves, Fall by Emily Brontë is a poem which luxuriates in the arrival of autumn.
Fall, leaves, fall; die, flowers, away;
Lengthen night and shorten day;
Every leaf speaks bliss to me
Fluttering from the autumn tree.
I shall smile when wreaths of snow
Blossom where the rose should grow;
I shall sing when night’s decay
Ushers in a drearier day.
Nurturing with Food – Summer Favorites and Warming Homemade Chai
I am not in favor of missing the end of season corn, tomatoes and a last hurrah with all your summer favorites. However, if you are craving a little fall warming, now would be a good time to make up a batch of homemade chai. I made banana bread for my recent camping trip, and it pairs really well with a cup of chai. Also, if it turns warm again, you can drink it iced!
Recipes for the chai and bread below:
See you on the mat!
Namaste,
Julia Anne
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