Yoga in Autumn

This year the Autumnal Equinox falls on Saturday, Sep 23, 2023 at about 3:00 a.m. That is the date when the fall season officially begins. The most common feature of Autumn is that the sun offers less light to the earth. Fall is a season of change and transitions.

Autumn itself is a transition period and so, it is not too early to begin embracing the change that comes with the autumnal equinox. The Fall season means experiencing cooler temperatures and changes in the energy of the nature around us. Autumn is an ideal time to look within ourselves.

This is a good time of year to be more reflective regarding our internal being.

While Summer is the time of lightness, airiness and joyfulness, Fall season is considered to have the qualities of dryness, coldness, and roughness according to Yoga's sister science of Aryuveda.

To help adjust yourself in this transition time from Summer to Autumn, it is wise to begin to fill yourself with a sense of stability, routine, and groundedness. Below I have some recommendations for Yoga asana poses and meditation practices that employ grounding and self-care.

Before practicing any yoga asana, it is important that you get clearance from you doctor. The poses described here can be done by a beginner and are very gentle using appropriate props. Nevertheless it is always better to be safe and check.

Warm Up: First, be sure to first warm up properly. Since the air is cooler you may need a longer warm-up period before doing any type of physical exercise.

Practice Mindfulness: The slower pace of the Fall is an excellent time to strengthen your mindfulness practice. Incorporate meditation and breathing exercises to center yourself and develop inner peace. Yoga Nidra is one practice that can help you to cultivate your inner peace.

Grounding Asana Postures: In Autumn we become more earthward rather than sun-focused. This is a time of transition, and grounding yoga practices can help you stay rooted to the earth. Tree pose is a wonderful transition pose since you are reaching up, while grounding down. Other poses such as Child's Pose (Balasana) and Warrior Poses (Virabhadrasana I, II, and III) can help you find stability and balance. These poses are also recommended for fall prevention (Fall, as in, toppling over, not the season).

Yin and Restorative Yoga: Yin yoga, which involves holding poses for longer durations, is well-aligned for autumn. Restorative Yoga is another practice in which you are heavily propped up and hold the poses for even longer. Both practices encourage introspection and a deep sense of tension release. Both practices ally with the energy of letting go appropriate to the season.

No matter what time of year, stay hydrated and remember to breathe!

Resources & Readings

Mischke, M. (2023). Fall Guide. Banyan Botanicals.

Maggie (2023). Adventure Yogi. Celebrate the Balance of the Seasons this Autumn Equinox