FALL, a Transition From Summer to Winter
How does one describe what rain in the desert feels like after months of intense heat? Fresh. Nourishing. Calming. The rain has settled in for the moment, and it is a delight.
This morning, I walked the dogs in the dark using a headlamp to find my way through puddles of squishy sand. My son and I thought we were headed out for a walk in the rain, but it had paused and we were left to enjoy the smell of wet juniper and sage.
Autumn, a word I rarely use but somehow feels more impactful in writing than fall, is escorting us between summer and winter. Fall, or autumn, has long been my favorite time of year. The seasonal transition has me reflecting on transitions in my yoga practice and life. How do we transition from one posture, or experience, to another?
Our breath is the anchor that links us from one moment, or movement, to another. Awareness on each phase - the inhale, exhale and the space between, invites us to presence. With our awareness right here, we release any anxiety about the future or depression about the past. We accept this moment as it is.
How do we make plans for the future using the knowledge and experience of our past if we are just hanging out in the now? This is one of the core philosophies in a yoga practice and something that can be observed in nature and our own lives. It is dynamic, a pulsation, much like the breath or life and death. We notice where we're headed (inhale/expansion/growth), while honoring our past (exhale/contraction/experience) and then we return to this moment, over and over again. The Sanskirt word for this pulsation, or vibration of expansion and contraction, is spanda.
The next Deep Practice offering is Thursday, October 23rd from 5:30-7pm at the Moab Arts and Recreation Center. The cost is $25.
Beginning in early November, I will be offering an on-going weekly class at the new RIZE Studio location in Moab, on Wednesdays from 5:15-6:15pm. I will send more information on how to sign-up (and a reminder about the first week of *F R E E* classes) once the dates are confirmed.
I’ve titled the Wednesday class, Soul Play. My intention is to offer a yoga practice that is beyond just the physical. This practice will use the body as a playground to deepen your connection to your soul. Here is the class description:
Soul Play is an alignment-based practice with plenty of room for philosophy and play. We will connect spirituality and ancient yoga practices to the modern human experience. This practice invites curiosity and humility so each student can show up and grow at their own pace.
If you've read this far, I close with an invitation to bring yourself to presence for just a moment through observing the pulsation of your breath. As you read, shift your focus to your inhale. Now, notice the natural pause before the start of your exhale. Once your exhale begins, feel it. Begin again. Even a few breaths with this intention will serve in the moments that follow.
Thank you for being here!
With Love,
Angela
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