Autumn: No Time to Fall Down on the Spiritual Job

Autumn is in full swing! In her beautiful coat of many colors, Mother Nature is prancing around spreading sunny days and warmth . . .or rainy days with wind . . .or warm mornings and cold nights . . .

You get the picture. Autumn is full of unpredictable weather, a beautiful display of changing and falling leaves, hay rides, festivals and holidays full of fun costumes, parties and sweets. It represents a goodbye to the passing of the long playful days of Summer, family vacations, sweet and plentiful fruits. It's signifies the time to harvest the last crops of the season in preparation to greet the coming Winter.

Just as the leaves begin to fall from the trees, our motivation for self-care and spiritual practice may falter and fall to the side. Our energy levels begin to slow with the cooler weather and we may find that our skin is dryer, rougher, thicker and all thoughts of using a razor is starting to diminish (long socks and boots fixes that). Our motivation to get up early to exercise and meditate may waiver when confronted with the cooler mornings and we may start to juggle WHEN to fit in these important practices or put them aside altogether. We may start to crave heavier foods, some good for us, some not so good, but combined with a lack of motivation to move, we can start to feel sluggish, bloated, stagnant and ill. And then . . .we do it for the next three months.

All this means that we need to work a bit harder at self-care and sadhana (spiritual practice) as we move into the colder months. Autumn not only represents a season, but a certain time in our lives (middle age), and even a certain time during the day when the energies in our bodies change. It is beautiful time for transformation and preparation for the dark stillness of winter.

1. Be thoughtful about changing your exercise and meditation routine. If getting up in the morning is difficult, consider planning and writing down an alternate time and committing to it, making sure you have all necessary motivations to get you moving such as warm clothes to grab by the bed or staging your meditation area with blankets or a space heater. Writing down a plan will help keep you accountable, and prevent stress from trying to find time to fit in exercise and meditation.

2. Do schedule self-care. When we are busy, tired, unmotivated AND dealing with the woes of a global pandemic don't let those things that make you feel good fall by the wayside. Schedule bubble baths, spa time, mani/pedis, waxing, hair cuts, date night, massages, etc. Even if you don't feel comfortable jumping back out into society for these little luxuries, it is just as important to pamper yourself at home. These little things go a long way in making us feel grounded and normal in our new normal.

3. Keep drinking water. Although we may not be expending as much energy during the warm and hot months, since Autumn sports both hot and cold weather at any given day, it is easy to become dehydrated because we are not getting as much as a push to hydrate. If you are still active during the seasonal changes, it is important to not only stay hydrated, but to keep the skin-which is starting to feel the effects- supple, elastic and blemish free.

4. Speaking of skin, now is a good time to adjust your skin care routine. Depending on your age or skin type, you may need a lighter moisturizer during the warmer days and a heavier moisturizer for the cooler nights. If you are frolicking in the sun, remember your sunblock or wear a big stylish hat and shades.

5. Eat seasonal fruits and veggies. Fall is the time to find delicious and abundant squash, root veggies, crucifers, greens, apples, pears, figs, etc. Warming soups and roasted veggies make nourishing and wholesome meals to warm you and fuel your body. You will have to chose the right type of fruits, veggies and spices, and how to prepare them depending on your dosha (constitution).

6. Get plenty of rest. The days are beginning to shorten, especially with the fall back time looming. We may want to go to bed as soon as the sun sets, or stay up later to get things done. Either way, time changes can be discombobulating. This is where the schedule comes in. While you adjust to the new time change, it will take willpower to get up on time, schedule self-care, exercise, meditate and do any other types of sadhana. Going to bed at a reasonable time to ensure 7-10 hours of rest will depend on your individual needs. If you wake up a bit earlier in the morning, feeling refreshed, use that time for sadhana or to get ahead of the day's tasks.

7. Spend time in nature. Autumn is an absolutely beautiful time of year. The air is crisp and clean, wildflowers are blooming and it is still warm enough to sit quietly enjoying the reds, browns, yellows and greens of Fall. Mother Nature goes all out this time of year, showering us with leaves and cool breezes. Don't miss this beautiful time of year!

My final tip: Do yoga regularly. Yoga is more than just the asanas (postures), it is how you breath, how you think, how you speak. It is as simple as watching the leaves fall from the trees and as important as your meditation practices. Yoga is about taking nothing for granted, being thankful everything, and seeing beauty in ourselves and in every living thing.

As we move forward into Autumn, take time each day to appreciate the splendor of our changing world, the uniqueness of our changing minds and the complexity of our changing bodies. We are all part of this great machine that is the Universe, nothing and everything but still a wonder to behold.