“In the midst of movement and chaos, keep stillness inside of you.” – Deepak Chopra
Weekly Focus: Vata (ether + air)
Vata comes from the root word “va” meaning “to move,” “to inform,” “to impel.” It is one of the three doshas producing qualities of air + wind. This Dosha rules the Autumn season. As Vata settles in, we embrace it’s qualities of subtleness, capacity + potentiality by turning inwards towards Self reflection.
This season of transience can leave us feeling flighty or spacey. Nature is changing rapidly around us, we can see this, hear this, and feel this. In this moment we look to balance these qualities of rapid motion. Can we pull ourselves back from the constant movement and redirect those energies towards our connection to Self? This week is all about reeling in this movement + concentrating the action. Let’s find ways to embrace the ether like qualities of vata this autumn. Ether is everything + nothing all at the same time. It is still, while it is also the very thing that makes all movement possible. We need space to move. We need space to self reflect. Make a container for your space this fall to collect yourself and turn inwards.
Passive Pose of the Week: Equal Pose Flow
This gentle flow is excellent to help you find balance + pacify excessive vata energy. Ease into this soft movement and fine big full breaths to help with your fluidity. Resist any urges to speed it up. Find yourself in a comfortable seat. Bring your right hand behind the head with your opposite hand resting on the ground next to you, and take a big side bend to the left. Open your chest up towards the sky, then turn your chest down and draw the elbow towards your left knee knee. Repeat slowly, with the breath a few times, then switch sides.
Active Pose of the Week: Pillar Pose
Pillar pose is one of the more grounding, balancing postures — this pose asks you to find stillness amongst movement. We are always in flux — even when we stand still, there are subtle shifts and sways. Be aware of this balance between and see how long you can find this posture. From mountain pose (standing), lift you right leg into the air, bending your knee to 90 degrees. Hold the leg at about your hip height. Hands can be anywhere that helps you find a place of rooting and stability — we like hearts center or something lower, towards the base of the body. Repeat on the second side.