Like with any transition, change into a new season can feel difficult. There is a tendency to want to hang on to the past, to cling to summer and all of its uplifting, sunny and vibrant qualities. This time of year, you may begin to notice a tendency to want to stay in bed a little bit longer. You may begin to crave warmer, heavier foods. You may feel a bit more fatigued and sluggish. Overall, you may notice what feels like a lack of motivation, or apathy. Many of us will struggle against this time of slowing down, which leads to stress, fatigue and decreased immune function. I invite you to embrace the new, yet familiar feel of Fall, and let yourself ground into this season. When we are able to be present to the moment and align ourselves with this universal time of settling, Autumn transforms into a time of renewal and regrowth.
Here are some tips for helping to embrace our transition into Autumn, encouraging a feeling of grounding, self introspection and renewal. By aligning yourself with the natural rhythm of Fall, you can create a sense of health and wellbeing that will continue through the Winter months.
Begin with your breath. I recommend practicing the following breathing exercise at the beginning and end of your day. Sit in a comfortable position with your spine straight and your hands resting comfortably in your lap. Close your eyes. Breathe in and out through your nose. Make your exhalations twice as long as your inhalations. I recommend breathing in for a count of four, and out for a count of eight. As you exhale, imagine sending your breath to the very base of your spine, feeling your contact with the earth below you. This will help you to feel grounded as you move through your day, and relax into rest before bed.
Let yourself sleep. Naturally, this time of year our bodies need more rest. Make a conscious effort to create time in your life for more rest. I know for many of us, this can be difficult to do. Try going to bed a little bit earlier, or setting your alarm clock even 5 minutes later. This simple act of allowing yourself more time to relax will help with the struggle of letting go of Summer.
Take time to turn inward. Create space in your day for meditation and/or journaling. Even 10 minutes per day of shifting your attention inward will help to ease your transition into this season.
Use nutrition to help you nourish your body and mind this season.
- Drink less caffeine. Eat less sugar. As we begin to feel more sluggish, many of us will drink more caffeine and eat more sugar as we resist this natural settling of the season. Both caffiene and sugar are stimulating, and work against the natural rhythm of slowing down. I recommend drinking more root teas, such as roasted dandelion, burdock and chicory, which encourage a sense of "rooting".
- Food is one of the natural ways we help ourself to slow down. When you are feeling scattered and ungrounded, food is a way to settle the mind and body. When we eat, our bodies shift into a "rest and digest" mode, and you physically have to slow down to process your meal. As I mentioned earlier, you may notice you begin to crave heavier foods this time of year. For many, this can mean turning to fatty, rich, and high carbohydrate foods, which deplete energy and create more stress and fatigue. The best types of foods to increase this time of year are those rich in protein and B vitamins. This can be organic meat, fish and eggs, or vegetarian sources such as nuts, seeds and legumes. Protein helps to nourish the adrenal glands, helping to fortify your body's immune function and ability to handle stress.
- Eat root vegetables. Beets, parsnips, sweet potatoes and carrots are beginning to flourish this time of year. These foods help you connect with the earth, and are rich in vitamins and anti-oxidant that help to boost immune function and encourage a sense of groundedness.
Use yoga to help yourself ground. Here are some of my favorite yoga tips and poses to help create a sense of slowing down this season:
- Focus on your foundation. In all poses, bring your awareness to your connection to your mat. Notice how by creating a solid base, you have more freedom in your poses. Focus on distributing your weight on all four corners of your feet in standing poses.
- Slow down your practice. Hold your poses for an extended period of time. Especially in seated poses, this will encourage a sense of calming and grounding.
- Throughout your practice, focus on widening the hips and lengthening the tailbone to nourish your root chakra and create a sense of connection to the earth.
- Seated forward fold (Paschimottanosana): This pose helps to strengthen the legs, root the pelvis and relax the hamstrings, encouraging a sense of giving into gravity and slowing down.
- Legs up the Wall Pose (Viparita karani): This pose helps to create a sense of surrender and lets your energy descend. This pose is great for helping to restore energy, boost immunity and rejuvenate the mind.
This year, let yourself surrender into Fall. Give yourself permission to slow down and align with the natural rhythm of this beautiful season.
I want to express my gratitude to Annie Adamson and Alison Alstrom at Yoga Union for inspiring me to write this post. Thanks ladies!
