yoga pose

Asana for October – Paschimottanasana – seated forward bend

Lengthen and strengthen hamstrings and back muscles equally whilst turning your gaze inward for this meditational, releasing, asana that is perfect for softening muscles and mind into autumns energies.

1. Sit comfortably on the earth – ideally directly on Mother Earth – yes even when cold! You can place a towel down if you wish, so that you can, literally, absorb the rebalancing negative ions up from the earth, and reharmonise your whole system energetically.

2. Send your heels gently forward, which moves your femurs nicely back into your hip sockets

3. Note: !! if you have tight hamstrings feel free to bend your knees gently – or place a rolled towel beneath your knees ( otherwise this places strain on your lumbar spine and cause your upper back to arch and compress the intervertebral discs ).

– the aim of this pose is to first LENGTHEN your spine and then your hamstrings so: press down through the base of your legs, inhale into your diaphragm fully and deeply to expand your ribs, heart and chest space

– now imagine you are shining a light forward from your heart and slide your shoulder blades back and down towards each other

– exhale your heart forward towards and beyond your toes – yet without over arching your upper back – and draw your navel to your spine to gently press out old stale air and energy ready for recycling

– inhale for 4 counts to lift your heart and gaze forward

– exhale for 6 counts and slowly soften your jaw and your mind as you turn your gaze inwards to the tip of your nose

– FEEL into the release through your muscles as you exhale long, slow and deep

– imagine that each breath is a wave which your body is riding – upwards and over and down to release

Repeat 5 – 10 breaths

Observe your mind : is it willing you to go deeper, further, faster, or can your inward focus on your breathing waves and maybe the image of the wave, enable you to be present and at one with where you are – from moment to moment.

ibiza retreats dawn

7 tips for ‘Turning Inward’ this Autumn

 

7 Top Tips for Turning Inward this Autumn

 

To embrace the seasonal change, you can ride the slower rhythms and, just like the leaves fall gently to the earth, begin to let go of lifestyle choices and actions that sit better with the brighter days and shorter nights of summer-time. This less-is-more approach as you head into the mists and mellow fruitfulness of Autumn, will create the space to reflect, to “be” more with yourself, to observe what YOU need to feel good in the darker months . And even when there is nothing to “do” isn’t it all to easy to get sucked back into the screens and social media. Indeed, whilst the nights draw in, how do you NOT get drawn in to the energy-sucking online spirals but rather ride the essence of the autumnal energy? Well….

 

Here are 7 mindful Tips for turning inward holistically….

 

Calm and clear your mind, soothe your nervous system, nourish yourself physically and emotionally AND enable your summer-glow to last more sustainably…

 

(1) Create a clear and retreat-ful space

Zen-your-space – with an autumnal clean. Phone a friend to do this with you for their objective “refuse or recycle” focused approach and enjoy the head and heart space that this enables.

 

(2) Set the mood – with candles and music

Invest in candle to create a sense of warmth and harmony at home. Candles raise the vibration of the room that they are in and the soft light invites the mind to soften too, whilst using lemongrass or neroli (the oil from orange blossom) will gently uplift you after the sun has passed the horizon, geranium is rebalancing and rose heart-opening. Music – that is, the RIGHT type of truly “enlightening” music will gently raise your frequency, the vibrational frequency of YOU at a cellular level. Explore mantras and world-music that uplifts and inspires.

 

(3) Monitor and limit your screen-time

Rather than stimulating your mind and your neural circuitry, turn OFF the input min 2 hours before you go to sleep, choose to read, write, draw, meditation, sing… rest… be. In essence, tune in to YOU and you will feel more present, centered and HAPPIER guaranteed!

 

(4) Soup it up! – with mother natures’ medicine cabinet

Seasonal fruits, depending on where you live, will give your system exactly what it needs to replenish after the exertive summer heat. From apples to persimmons, pomegranates to pears.   And whilst the sunlight added zing to your summer stride, its time to dive in with deep earthy flavours from root vegetables, and more carbohydrate based squashes and tubers to give you the extra energy your body craves.   Warm your soul with cayenne pepper, turmeric and ginger as natural antibacterials and “inner-heat”makers to prevent colds and why not dare to forage! Soothe your kidneys and rebalance adrenals with fresh nettle tea.

 

(5) Relax and reflect – with meditations, baths and journals

Summer invites you to go-go-go, to seize the moment and stay out later at night. So now embrace the earlier nights, indulge in warm baths, hot water bottles and cosy bedtimes so you can write in your journal, review your learnings and your letting go’s, celebrate your successes and connect more deeply with your inner-stirrings… wishes, desires and dreams.  Press play on a downloadable meditation…. Or 2! Simply creating the space for new insights to arise gives permission for your soul to speak…. And when you are doing less, you can listen more, and more, easily.

 

(6) Open your heart…. And breathe

Yet to keep the pranic energy flowing and to awaken WITHOUT caffeine to over-stimulate, stretch your arms wide in bed in the morning and inhale over and above your ahead to invite your diaphragm to expand, your inhale to deepen and more oxygen to rush in. Exhale navel to spine to connect your core and contain the energy. Repeat 10 times and repeat again when standing on the floor.

 

(7) Put your legs up the wall every evening (in Viparita Karani)

The ultimate “deep trance” VIP yoga asana – this easy-to-do posture is a gentle inversion, optimizing blood-flow to your kidneys and adrenals, calming the mind, soothing your parasympathetic nervous system so that you can rest, digest and eliminate – at every level…. Optimizing you holistically for that deep, delicious sleep.

  • find a clear wall space
  • place a yoga mat, towel or blanket on the floor
  • sit sideways on to wall
  • raise legs up to the sky as you lie back on the floor
  • turn your toes towards your face
  • place your hands on your belly, thumbs and fore-fingers touching
  • enjoy long-slow deep full yogic breaths (belly, diaphragm, heart and reversed)

 

 

Om Shanti Om!