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Autumn is happening all around us…
Last Saturday I was outside of Canterbury in a little village in the middle of the fields. It was raining and the hills looked misty. The leaves on the trees started turning red and yellow. It was a great Autumn day.
And I was with a group of lovely women in a cosy yurt, with a wood burner throwing a warm and soothing light, a soft music playing and a little altar with candles, gift pouches and healing cards in the middle of the room.
We were gathered for Sacred Pause Day Yoga Retreat. A second one I hosted at the same place. But last time it was summer time and very hot and sunny outside. A completely different experience.
So…
> we created a circle with our mats and bolsters and got comfortable with blankets and many cushions
> we practiced gentle embodied mindful yoga in the morning and yin/restorative yoga in the afternoon
> we took time to meditate and breath deeply
> we took time to reconnect with our bodies and our inner experience
> we practiced listening deeply to our body’s wisdom
> we practiced with curiosity and kindness
> we connected with each other with compassion
> we did a yin ritual
> we had lots of warm Yogi and Pukka teas
> we had nutritious vegan lunch and chatted happily
And it was a perfect Autumn day – a day of Yin season.
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Autumn is a perfect time to embrace more YIN
Following our Sacred Pause Day Retreat one of the participants send me this note:
‘Interesting Saturday made me connect with how tired I was, … then in the evening I felt really relaxed and revived! The last 2 nights I have slept really well and started the week refreshed rather than exhausted! So a good start, plus got up 10 mins earlier to do stretches!’
And that’s what Yin offers you when you embrace it..
… when you just let go of constant striving and doing….
… and you lean into the support of Mother Earth and support available around you.
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Maybe it’s:
- sinking into your favourite spot on your sofa or armchair, with a good book
- a warm nourishing cup of tea
- having a nourishing and healing Thai Yoga Massage
- going for a walk in a forest or woods and connecting with Autumn trees full of colour
- committing to a weekly nourishing yoga class
- taking little breaks during the day and resting more
- eating nourishing warm foods
- reflecting on how this year has been and letting go of whatever doesn’t work for you any more
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Yin is a heart medicine
It’s a feminine soothing energy that heals deeply. Especially in our constantly busy society.
It allows us to re-connect deeply and find our own rhythm. And live in line with Natures’s rhythm. Just like we are build to do.
>> SO WHAT CAN YOU DO OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS TO EMBRACE YIN IN YOUR LIFE?
I’d love to know!
