Thursday Sept 22 at 9:03pm ET is the Fall Equinox. After the intense heat of summer, we begin to cool down as the light wanes and day and night are of equal length, if only for 24 hours. When the trees lose their leaves, they send their strength back to their roots as they prepare for a long winter’s rest. That rest is important to prepare for the new season of growth in the year to come. As in nature, so with we humans.
In Ayurveda fall is considered a season of transition, a season of change as we move from the heat of summer to the cold of winter. During any time of change, it is important to embrace that which remains steady in our lives. Yoga philosophy teaches that there is a ground of being that remains steady, unchanging, and dependable even through shifts of season and life changes. That ground of being lies within each one of us, and when we still the mind, we can access that deeper support. It takes practice, but it is possible to recognize that experience of consciousness that is larger than our own selves and yet nothing other than our own selves.
Nina Zolotow writes in her book Yoga for Times of Change, “Learning about yoga philosophy provides you with alternative ways of thinking about your life, enabling you to be more content with what you have and what you don’t have, and to become more comfortable with change. This in turn can make you a better citizen of the world.”
The world needs better citizens right now. Please keep on shining your light in this world!
