My yoga teacher told me recently the sun rises 4 minutes later every day, and sets 4 minutes later every night from now until the solstice. We can feel it in our bones, as the light and warmth affects us like all living creatures. And while we may not all be fans of the colder weather, it does offer us a wonderful gift. With the four seasons we are provided the opportunity to explore various aspects of ourselves in relationship to the outer environment’s climate. Autumn is a fading, a brilliant fade into the darkness of our winter months. Is there something within you whose time has come to fade away? In your life, think of an aspect of how you interact with your environment, both internally and externally. “Is there something that no longer serves you and your higher purpose?” as my Yoga teacher is fond of asking.

Receive, accept, and let it go, is an often heard of phrase in meditation and yoga. Practicing Asana’s (postures), is a wonderful way to explore this in our gross physical form before moving deeper toward our mental and spiritual dimensions. In Yin Yoga, we have the time (usually 3-5 min) to move deeply into postures. As I move slowly into the posture, I receive myself into this form. My breath carries me inside the present moment as I observe both my inhalations and exhalations with my mind’s eye. Accepting where I am in the present moment within the asana provides me with time to accept my strengths and limitations, both physically and beyond. There have been many times in my asana practice, when I sincerely accept and breathe into my physical limitations, I can deepen into my stretch. It may be gradual and subtle, but it is there. Why have I moved deeper by accepting? Perhaps once I consciously accept where I am in the present, my mind can release stuff that no longer is of use to me.

What if we all practiced this in other areas of our lives? I invite you to use this exercise in an area of your physical Asana practice where you feel your limitations strongly present. Notice how your emotions connected to this posture affect your experience of it. Is there an aspect of your life where this may also apply? Have you been feeling stuck in a certain situation, or in a particular relationship? Try to receive your own, and other’s, limitations with acceptance, and letting go. Once you have experienced the freedom of release, perhaps you’ll agree that the colder weather ain’t all bad!  Namaste

“Let peace and peace and peace be everywhere” – Upanishads