NAMASTE
Namaste Yogis and Yoginis,

For me September has always felt like the real New Year. It’s not just the whole start of the school-year thing; there is something more profound, a deeper feeling of both change and reconnection; good bye and hello; transition and transformation.

In fact, this is the state of nature at this time. And in perfect design, as nature begins this transition between the expansion of summer and contraction of winter, she provides us with a moment of balance – the Autumn Equinox.

This is literally what the Equinox is – complete balance – when the sun will cross the equator and day and night will be equal in length. It is a moment of pause as we exhale into the ebb and flow between light and dark. An important time to slide into relaxation and stillness; where we can fortify our inner resources, which boosts our immune system, like a tree pulling in sap. And a time to pause and nourish our roots, so that we don’t deplete ourselves
blasting into new Fall agendas.

September 22 is the Equinox and since ancient years it was considered a highly spiritual time; a time for reflection, self-transformation, and recommitting to that which is most important to us. It has long been a time to express gratitude for all that Nature had given her children and for the completion of another turn of the earth. Much like our traditional Thanksgiving Day it was a day for feasting, celebrating our good fortune of the previous year and preparing for the winter ahead.

As yoga teaches, we are part of nature. We are nature. And as we move mindfully through the threshold of the equinox, we can connect more deeply to ourselves and harmonize with the energy around us.

So enjoy this Yogalicious filled with ideas to help you align with the earth’s rhythm, celebrate the season, and savor the opportunity to pause.

With gratitude,
Jillian
www.yogajillian.com

“Nature often holds up a mirror so we can see more clearly the ongoing processes of growth, renewal, and transformation in our lives.”   back to top

Promise me you'll never forget me because if I thought you would I'd never leave.” Winnie the Pooh

My 6 year old, William has been asking a lot of questions about death these past few weeks. With a bit of anxiety he asks, “When will I die?... How old will I be when you die?... Will you be alive when I’m 40?... I don’t want to live with out you!... I want to live forever.” Etc. Etc. Etc.

While there are many reasons for his focus on this right now, including facing an infant death in our family in March, his timing doesn’t surprise me. Children are magically tuned into to nature’s cycles, and it is the season of letting go.

In fact, most spiritual traditions acknowledge autumn as a time for
 endings and beginnings. What is old passes away to make room for the new, like the trees let go their leaves so seeds can germinate to put forth new spring buds.

William has been having a hard transition into this stage for weeks now, cumulating today - His first day of the First Grade! While he is excited to be in ‘real’ school, he’s also scared of new demands as well as sad to make the social commitment to leave his teddy bears behind for the Solar System. With one foot in the warm world of Mickey Mouse and the other in spicy halls of High School Musical, he's not sure who he is right now. He was eager to decorate his room with all new Outer Space paraphernalia, but cried when he realized it actually meant packing up his old things. He doesn’t want to forget himself as a little kid he says. He wants to still be my baby he adds….

That is, of course, until I actually dropped him off on his first day of First Grade and he was immediately so engrossed that he didn’t even say good-bye! Ahhh. Now it’s my turn to let go!!! And while we may sigh as we exhale, we always delight in the new room we have for a fresh breath. And, this is how change goes. We fear we will forgot ourselves or be forgotten. We don’t even know if we will like the ‘new’. We resist it; feel sad, nostalgic, anxious or even angry right up to the precipice. But once we cross the threshold, we realize that we are more ready for the change than we thought; that we are actually more nourished by moving forward than holding ourselves back.

And like the seasons turn, turn, turn - so do our children, so do we. And this is that time again; we must let go, move on, toss out, and conversely, breathe in new life and sync up with the changing rhythms around us and with in.

And keep faith, just as Christopher Robin Said to Pooh, “If ever there is tomorrow when we're not together.. there is something you 
must always remember. you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. but the most important thing is, even if we're apart.. I'll always be with you.”

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1. Take a walk every day to observe the leaves as they change.
2. Write a list of the events that were meaningful to you during the past year.
3. Do a breathing meditation: with each inhale think of something you would like to take into your life in the coming year; with each exhale, let go of something in your life that no longer is of service and which keeps you from being at peace;
4. Pick one clean-up project you have been postponing and finish it...
5. Practice the art of Giving Thanks! (see more below)

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Visiting the farmers’ market over time is a sensual, visceral way to experience the gradually changing growing season with all five senses. Fall is more like fall at the farmer’s market! It is a great way to connect with the changing seasons and get in tune with nature. And, it certainly makes our dinner time much more interesting and meaningful. Grace becomes quite personal and effortless as we give thanks for Mat and Chrissy’s lettuce, Ms. Race’s potatoes and Anthony’s corn. We feel closer to the food we eat when we know the people who’ve worked so hard to grow it. With our farm fresh food, dinner seems to taste better, be more satisfying, and even more celebratory! (Plus with all the rain this year, the farmers REALLY need your support!!!)

Find a farmers market near you: http://www.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets/map.htm

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Thank you for reading everyone. Remember, the equinox is considered a time of balance, it is when we stop and relax and enjoy the fruits of our personal harvests, whether they be from toiling in our gardens, working at our jobs, raising our families, or just coping with the hussle-bussle of everyday life. And remember that it is an important time for relaxation and stillness and drawing in energy, like a tree pulling in sap.
So stop, smell the leaves, and pull in your juice.

Love,
Jillian
www.yogajillian.com