Autumn Practices of Self-Care
As we begin to move from the long days of summer into the somewhat cooler, windy days of autumn Nature reminds us that nothing is permanent. She encourages us to let go of what no longer serves us and what is no longer necessary. This might mean saying no to unnecessary obligations or being overly busy. It could mean saying no to practices or habits that leave us feeling depleted, overworked, overwhelmed and depleted. She is asking us to begin to slow down...
Externally, as the winds pick up and temperatures drops it is helpful to bring in physical practices that complement these seasonal elements such as grounding, stabilizing and warming Pilates and Yoga flows to balance what is happening internally. Yin and Restorative Yoga are the perfect practice this time of year to bring a sense of balance to your practice. Earth Ground Slow + Steady Yoga as well as Pilates Mat are great practices to incorporate into your weekly routine for stabilizing and warming practices.
Ideally choose a stabilizing supportive routine for yourself this season. Choose practices in which you feel nourished, balanced and anchored. Here are a few more suggestions you could incorporate into a practice that works for you:
1. Sticking to a daily routine in the fall is a supportive practice this time of year - being sure to schedule down time for meditation, rest and reflection to prevent imbalance.
2. Rise early and avoid reaching for the phone - wake up between 5:00 to 6:00 a.m. and greet the day with gratitude!
3. Wash your face, brush your teeth, scrape your tongue, do a neti pot, and lubricate your nostrils with oil or ghee - think of it as cleaning and moisturizing the tissues.
4. Drink hot lemon water with a little salt in the morning to stimulate elimination - this of it as an internal shower.
5. Meditate for 5 to 30 minutes - try our grounding mediation.
6. Self-Massage - Choose sesame oil during the fall for a full-body self-massage (abhyanga) which calms the nervous system and hydrates the skin. If you have time afterwards take a hot shower so the oils will absorb into your skin. If you are super dry like I am I leave it on all day until my evening bath.
7. Night Night by 10pm it is important to receive at least a full eight hours of sleep each night.