Fall Into Slowing Down
Hello friends,
How are you finding the seasonal shift? Even during election years, Fall is my favorite time of year. I miss the light and longer days of summer, but I like the coziness of autumn - sweater weather, a warm mug of herbal tea, snuggling in by a fire. I also welcome Autumn's invitation to slow down and turn our focus more inward, maybe to decorating our homes for the holidays or focusing on family traditions or simply recommitting ourselves to mind-body practices that regulate and recharge our systems.
Of course, if you're like me, life is anything but slow and settled right now and, with the holiday season around the corner, slowing down seems improbable if not impossible. So, how can we do both, take advantage of Mother Nature's invitation to slow down while keeping up with busy schedules and expectations?
After decades of practice and teaching yoga, here are some practical tips for balancing the invitations and demands of the season:
Identify the practices that best support your needs.When it comes to learning and practicing present moment awareness and CNS regulation skills, yoga really shines. Depending on the class, there can also be considerable movement, strength and mobility benefits. A great yoga class, IMHO, strikes a balance between breath, body and mental focus.
Find a classe/course that offer your desired practices AND a supportive community. While some folks have the self-discipline to master a skill without the help of a teacher, most of us need the guidance and real time trouble shooting a teacher provides. Whether in-person or online, classes and courses also provide accountability to and support from a community.
Plug practice or class times into your calendar and treat that date with yourself as a high priority item. Everyone is busy and, truth be told, you're not likely to stumble into more time for yourself. You have to make it and protect it. Put class and practice times in your calendar and treat them like a meeting with a VIP...because you are the VIP of your own life!
Don't underestimate the power of a few short minutes of practice done regularly. An hour long yoga class is a wonderful reset, but it's unlikely to get you through the entire week. There will also be weeks when life takes over and you can't make your regular class. The magic that happens on your yoga mat in a class is accessible anytime and anywhere and a little bit of conscious breathing, guided meditation, postural awareness, and/or movement can go a mighty long way in managing stress, focusing attention and countering aches, pains, stiffness and tension.
To help you find that reset, check out one of our evening yoga classes or visit my online library of yoga practices.