Mindful Walking

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// Mindfulness: the ability to maintain a moment-by-moment sense of acceptance and awareness of our thoughts, feelings, sensations, and environment.  Letting the past and the future inform the present, but not control it.

Fall is one of my favorite seasons to spend time outside.  In the Pacific Northwest, the leaves change slowly, allowing the autumnal feelings to linger. With a sweater on, and the crisp air on my face, I touch a greater sense of what it means to be alive.  

Mindful walking, also known as a walking meditation, is an active practice used to promote slow and mindful living, to improve concentration, and to more deeply connect with nature and our body.  It is about breathing in the now, being present with where your feet are at any given moment, and moving forward with intention.  

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A Lemony Apple and Thyme Olive Oil Cake

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A Lemony Apple and Thyme Olive Oil Cake

// In Seattle, apple season is in full swing.  Honeycrisps, braeburns, ambrosias, and many more varieties line the stalls at our local farmers market. The abundance is overwhelming, and for that I am grateful.  With a zing of lemon and the earthy undertones of thyme, you will find that most apples that can hold their shape will do nicely for this cake.  Enjoy as an end to a fall meal or as a morning treat.  

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Featured Pose: Tadasana, Mountain Pose

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Featured Pose: Tadasana, Mountain Pose

// Tadasana: Mountain Pose

The autumn equinox has passed, and slowly the days grow shorter. The mornings are cold, the wind blows the colored leaves from their homes high above the street, and we find ourselves moving inward. It is a time for introspection and reflection. In our Yoga practice, we work on the art of letting go. We let go of what no longer serves us; we release attachments to things, beliefs, and visions that keep us from being present, finding peace, loving, and letting ourselves be loved. In the time of year when the night overtakes the day we work in the dark places to clear away the old destructive behaviors and manifest an open space that can be filled, a vessel that can be used.

Tadasana, mountain pose, is the foundation for all standing positions in Yoga.  Physically, it creates space, making it an appropriate feature for this month. The space created by the strengthening of the legs and abdomen and the lengthening of the spine encourages good posture, steadies breath, improves circulation, and promotes healthy digestion. In turn, the subtle sense of dullness begins to fade, leaving only enthusiasm, energy, and increased awareness of the unity of mind and body.

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Breathe

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// Pranayama: the formal practice of controlling the breath, the prana, the life-force.

“The practice of pranayama removes the veil of ignorance covering the light of intelligence and makes the mind a fit instrument to embark on meditation for the vision of the soul. This is a spiritual quest. “- B.K.S. Iyengar, Light on the Yoga Sutras,

Pranayama falls at the heart of our yoga practice.  It is the 4th limb of the 8 limbs of yoga. Preceded by asana (postures) and followed by pratyahara (withdrawal from the senses).  It is the bridge between the outward expressions of yoga and the inward manifestations.

The practice of breath control is the experience of the now. In the rhythm of our breath we are able to calm our mind and rejuvenate our spirit.  It is through our breath that we can understand the subtle qualities of the elements (sound, touch, shape, taste, smell) and move our consciousness into stillness. The heat of the breath moves through our body exhaling out our past attachments and beliefs, creating a space that is ready to be filled with the new. It is this space that we approach the core of our being and become internally cleansed in thoughts, words, and actions.  This is the beginning of a meditation practice. Breathe in and breath out.

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