October is here and this means that we are in full swing of Pumpkin Spice everything!  Autumn is a season of great energy and a lot of change. The world around us goes through immense transformation, noticeable in the shorter days, cooler temperatures, and falling leaves. Our daily routines return, which after a long-suspended time from it, can make life a tad more complicated. With the energetic and seasonal shift, and the added concern with the pandemic, you may notice yourself feeling a bit overwhelmed, unbalanced, or detached from your true self.  These normal feelings can make it difficult to plan time for yourself and your yoga.  Prioritizing your yoga practice will help to keep you grounded and can offer you the perfect tools to support you in dealing with the chaotic energy around you.

Fall is also traditionally associated with the picking of crops, a time to celebrate and reap the benefits of our hard labour.  This year many of us have returned to our roots and planted gardens, tending to them carefully, and now enjoying the bounty they offer.  For me I have made and enjoyed many casseroles, soups, stews, and baked goods that have been made from the vegetables in my garden.  It amazes me how quickly the basket, that was once overflowing, becomes empty.

Being a season of harvest also makes this season an excellent time to reflect on how you have grown personally during the year. Take a moment here to pause, take a slow deep breath and look back on all that you have accomplished.  Take another slow deep and purposeful breath to fully appreciate the results of your efforts. Acknowledge all of your progress, whether you set any specific goal for yourself or not. Then, look forward to the remainder of the year and all the potential it still holds. Either reaffirm your current intention or create a new one that supports your goals as you move forward.

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, this is the perfect time of year to begin incorporating gratitude into your meditations. Rejoice in the abundance that surrounds you and find gratitude for each other, our families, our jobs, and the richness found in beautiful Mother Nature.  Often, our gratitude tends to be directed only outward, easily neglecting to turn inward and find gratitude with ourselves. So, this month, I challenge you to find ways in which to acknowledge and be thankful for yourself and the amazing person you are.  Feel free to use the following thoughts to begin to expand gratitude inwards.

I am thankful for my body, and for all the sensations it allows me to experience.
I am thankful for my mind, and for all the ways it supports and guides me.
I am thankful for my spirit, and for all the knowledge and wisdom it holds.
I am thankful for myself, and for all the ways I care for myself

Wishing you a bountiful and beautiful October.

Namaste

Paula