We are (slowly) moving into my most favorite season of all – FALL! One of the things I love most about living on the East Coast is that we get to experience the beauty of each of the four seasons and the changes that arise with each season. By noticing the difference of each season, we are reminded that it is the nature of things to change. Just look outside – the parks that were once filled with people playing in the sunshine and having picnics are now a little less populated; the leaves are just starting to turn to those orange and red hues and flutter to the ground. 

Even in our homes we see change – like the strategic shifting of our closets from summer clothes to winter clothes (that’s for my NYC folks in tiny apartments); or look in the kitchen - one minute the sink is empty, the next it’s full of dishes, and then you clean them and it’s empty, and then of course you eat, and it’s full, and so on.

Now, if you know me well, you know that change is hard for me. I tend to like things to stay the same and to stay within my own comfort zone and sense of control. But in the back of my mind, I know change has to happen. It’s the nature of life, and it’s all around us.  Try as I may, I can’t deny that my kiddo, who is now 11 (crazy), is almost as tall as me (crazy-scary), and is in middle school (ack! Scarier still!!). Nor can I deny the extra strength and tone in my arms from strength training (not so scary at al).

One of the great things about having a yoga practice is that it encourages us to stay present – to live in the center of change and experience the changes as they arise. If you have ever practiced yoga, you’ve probably experienced some kind of change. You might have noticed yourself coming into class disconnected, stressed, tense, exhausted, scattered, only to find that as the class progressed your muscles loosened, your mind quieted, your breath deepened, so that when you left you noticed yourself refreshed and a little more connected to yourself and the world around you.

I practice and teach in the vinyasa style of hatha yoga, which basically means that our movements are linked with the breath. As you inhale, an action in the body occurs, as you exhale something else occurs.

The word vinyasa breaks down as such: vi = in a special way, nyasa = to place. In our vinyasa yoga practice we are essentially placing our steps in a special way, aligning our movements with our breath. As we move from one shape to another and our energy and breath shift, we experience first-hand the change of each moment. We find out what it means to live in the middle of change – to live breath by breath as our hamstrings begin to open, as our arms shake in plank, as our hearts open more and more.

Take that a step further and transition this idea off of your mat. We can literally shape and allow our lives to unfold vinyasa style!  

Here are a couple of practices for us to try:

• Choose a favorite activity (walking, running, playing a sport, taking a yoga class, baking…you get the picture).
•  Notice your “state” (physical, mental, emotional, spiritual) just before your start – just notice it don’t judge it. 
• Notice your “state” part-way through.
• And notice again after you’ve finished.
• Can you pay attention, with curiosity, to what changed?  

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Simply notice your own changes over the next few months. Are you doing more in-door activities, rather than out-doorsy ones? Are you spending more time with family or friends or more time alone? Just notice any shifts, again without judgment, so that you are taking time to become more connected and more aware of any subtle or radical changes.

So,  as we make our way through this glorious time of fall, with the leaves changing color and falling to the ground, with a busier schedule and kids back in school, and move into the inevitable blast of winter, filled with holidays, shopping, travel, family and another new year, can we live in the center of all that CHANGE – live in the center of each moment and see it for what it is – a chance for us to experience, create and live our lives in a very special way?

Check out my schedule of classes and videos for more movement practices!