The Autumn Equinox is the third most powerful day in the cycle of the year. This is the start of the season of shedding, balance and rest and the focus on our next Sunday Soul Session.
Once again the days and nights are of equal length and so too we reflect upon balance in our life. Hark back to the Spring Equinox 6 months ago. What did balance mean to you then? What does it mean to you now? Has there been a shift in any direction in your life?
As we start to lose our hours of daylight, we realise how precious it is. This is the time to embrace the dark so try to make the most of the twilight at dawn and dusk. Twilight is a potent time of day when our breath feels more noticeable.
Shedding is seen now in our tree friends as they lose their leaves, which in turn nourish the earth, creating rich chocolate cake compost. Trees send all their energy down into their roots to draw up nutrients and moisture that come with the approaching winter rain. Trees have learnt to rest, wait and nourish themselves. So should we! Our evergreen trees instead have to keep trucking on and perhaps this is why they can have shorter lives.
Shedding for humans means standing back and assessing:
Do I need/want all this stuff?
Do I need/want to work this much?
Do I need/want to be in this group/class/social media/ committee?
Do I tend to do things out of expectation from family/work/society rather than what I genuinely desire?
Just as the trees rejuvenate after a season of shedding, so do we. A good question to ask yourself if “Does this nourish me/my family/my relationship? Yes we all need to work, be clothed, pay the bills, eat and also we need to feel inspired, foster a sense of wonder and connect with like minded beings. Search for what nourishes you. This then strengthens you from the inside and makes you stable and balanced.
The Equinox is usually the end of the Harvest season. All the last of the life force in the plant is going into swelling fruit and setting seeds. I always feel so grateful for all the abundance in the garden and even more grateful when all the preserving and freezing is over. The almost deafening cricket chorus every night is a potent reminder that life is short, make it count and be thankful for all that you have. As you collect any seeds in your garden, you might like to ponder any new directions that might be bubbling up with all the space you are creating. What will these seeds incubate into over the slumbering winter?
If you feel like joining me for an afternoon embracing the yogic practices for this season, then book in for the Equinox Sunday Soul Session on March 23rd 1-5pm. This 4-hour retreat afternoon includes herbal tea, tasty snacks, kundalini apana for releasing, acu/restorative yoga for the lungs and large intestines, pranayama for balance, lush and long yoga nidra. We do a practicum for making nourishing kitchari for happy tums, and herbal incense to clear the air. Set yourself up for the cooler months ahead. This session is in-person only and koha.
Yoga Snug - Odette Rowe 