Breathing in Autumn

We tend to go through life and never truly notice what is around us or what we need. When you are out, do you ever stop to look around you? Do you notice the beautiful colours of autumn or the rain as it dances? Are you too busy to notice what your body needs physically, mentally, or spiritually? This meditation is about connecting with your body and breath. It will take you on a journey, so you can enjoy the beauty of autumn.

Sitting in a comfortable position, relax, take a few moments to notice your breath. How do you feel?  Take a deep inhale and as you exhale let go of any tension or negativity and allow yourself to be in that moment.

Take as long, as you like, allow your breath flow naturally.

Notice the world around you, do you notice the leaves falling from the tree’s, little by little, or do you wake up one morning and notice a thick carpet of warm orange and red? 

Imagine the trees as they will look in a few months standing bear, notice the complex shapes of the branches. Take a moment to ponder and appreciate these beautiful and majestic trees. Appreciate the work they do, gifting us with the oxygen we breathe.  

Now visualise the branches of the trees as if they were the capillaries within your lungs, notice how intricate they are and yet, how naturally you breathe, regardless of the myriad of complex and challenging channels. 

Compare and notice this beautiful connection between us the trees and all that is living, take time to appreciate the miracle of breath.

Pranayama Practice- Nadi shodana (right hand- index and middle finger to third eye, thumb on the nostril breath in through left nostril, close it off with ring and little finger, breath out and in through right). Nadi means little river, it refers to the channels through which prana flows, shodana means purification, cleansing our nasal energy passage.

Lay down if this is more comfortable, visualise you are in a forest with someone you love. Notice everything around you, the colour of the leaves, the cool crisp air, the birds in the trees, the conkers on the ground. You walk through the forest and come to two paths, one path to continue your walk, another to a cosy café with a wood fire and warm drinks. Which path would you like to take? Which path would the person you are with like to take? It’s okay to disagree and it’s okay to go your own way.  This Autumn, it’s okay to slow down or to even stop. As we move from one season to the next take time for yourself, maybe you practice some yoga or take a bath so you can let your mind and body slow down or even stop!  Notice your lungs once more, notice how your breathing feels now. 

Written by Adriana and Charlotte

Edited by Pauline

Yoga Journal

For this blog (meditation) I would like to encourage you to start a meditation/yoga journal. 

When a new one to one client starts working with me, the first home practice I set, is to start a mediation/yoga journal and as part of my yoga teaching qualification I had to wright a journal recording my yoga journey. Since then I have continued to wright in my journal and find this a wonderful way to self evaluate my yoga practice. 

Try writing once a week and make notes every time to you’ve attended a class. You can include what you felt physically (aches and pains, what was easy and what was challenging) and how you felt spiriatually. Were you able to connect with the hear and now, working in that moment or were you feeling distracted? Make a note of what do you need to work on, where you feel you can improve physically, emotionally and spiritually? Your journal does not have to only need to consist of your practice, it can and should include day to day life, how you feel, how you faced a challenges during that day/week.

A good way to start is to wright about your day. Then choose a pose or meditation practice that would work best for you, with the day you are experiencing and challenges you feel on this day. Remember no entry is wrong, this is your journal. Wright what you feel in that moment being true to yourself. Feel free to draw or doodle, add colour or even poems and quotes you love. I always say to my clients, yoga is not just a class or physical practice, it is a way of living your life, being true to yourself. 

With in the 8 limbs of yoga we have the Yamas (restraints, what we should not do) and Niyamas (positive duties, what we should do) these guide us through our day to day life. When starting your yoga journey it’s a good idea to research Yamas and Niyamas. 

Yoga journals are a beautiful way to learn and see how you have grown as a person and it’s a lovely way to look back at your own personal yoga journey.

Candle Cleansing

This meditation is all about cleansing the body, mind and spirt. Letting go of negativity and impurities and allowing our physical body to relax. This practice is best done in a quiet and clear space. You do not need a candle for this meditation, unless you would like to use it to help create a relaxing atmosphere.

Begin this meditation by sitting in a comfortable position, you may sit up against a wall, on a chair or pillow, lift and lengthen through your spine, relax your shoulders, close your eyes and take a moment to connect with your breath and body. Allow your breath to flow naturally, not taking control, let go of any tension and allow yourself to relax. When you feel ready, visualise a candle in front of you, notice the colour of the candle, the shape and size. Light the candle and watch the flame burn, see the flame dance in the darkness, it’s beautiful. What scent is the candle? Inhale warmth and light, exhale let go of the smoke. Visualise the candle flame at the crown of your head, cleansing your spirt and glowing above you. Visualise the candle flame at your 3rd eye cleansing your mind and bringing you light. Visualise the candle flame at your heart cleansing your body, filling your heart with love. Your whole body feels warmth.  Slowly bring your awareness back to your body, how are you feeling? Back to your breath, deepen your breath, using it to re energise the body. 

“Just as one candle lights another and can light thousands of other candles, so one heart illuminates another heart and can illuminate thousands of other hearts.”

Leo Tolstoy