It's 5pm, it's dark, and I'm already thinking about my pyjamas.
I'll be straight out honest with you. Every year when November rolls into Coquitlam, I feel it in my body before I see it on the calendar. The days get shorter, the air gets colder, the rain settles in, and something inside me starts to feel a little heavier. A little scattered. A little "off."
If you're feeling it too, you're not imagining it.
Why Fall feels heavier
In Ayurveda, yoga's sister science, Fall is known as vata season. Vata is the energy of air and space. Think of the wind blowing the last leaves off the trees. It's cold, dry, light and always moving.
When there's too much vata around us, there tends to be too much vata within us too. That can show up as:
A busy mind that won't switch off at night
Feeling anxious or ungrounded for no clear reason
Cold hands, cold feet and dry skin
Low energy one minute, restless the next
The good news? Nature also gives us the antidote. When the world around you speeds up, you slow down.
What "grounding" actually means
Grounding sounds a bit fluffy, but in practice it's really simple. It means doing the opposite of what vata is doing:
A slower pace. Fewer quick transitions, more time in each shape.
Longer holds. Staying in a pose long enough for your nervous system to say "ok, we're safe now."
Warmth. A warm room, warm layers, a blanket at the end of class.
Steady breath. Long, slow exhales that tell your body it can let go.
That's it. No fancy tricks. Just giving your body the stillness and warmth it's craving.
Three grounding classes on the schedule this season
Alignment 6:30am on Monday [One or two lines: what it feels like and who it suits.]
Vinyasa 6:15pm on Wednesday[One or two lines: what it feels like and who it suits.]
Stress Release Flow 8:30am on Saturday [One or two lines: what it feels like and who it suits.]
Not sure which room temperature suits you best in the colder months? Have a read of our Room Temperature page, or see all our Class Styles.
My 5-minute evening ritual
This is the one I come back to every single Fall. It takes five minutes, you need nothing but a wall, and you can do it in your pyjamas (I do).
Find your wall. Sit sideways with one hip touching the wall.
Swing your legs up. Lie back as you bring your legs up the wall. Scoot your bum as close to the wall as feels comfortable. A little gap is totally fine.
Settle in. Let your arms rest by your sides, palms facing up. Pop a pillow under your head if you like.
Breathe. Inhale through your nose for a count of four. Exhale slowly for a count of six. Repeat for 10 breaths.
Just stay. For the rest of your five minutes, let the breath do its own thing. Notice the weight of your body sinking into the floor.
Come out slowly. Bend your knees, roll onto your right side, and rest there for a breath or two before sitting up.
That's it. Five minutes, and I sleep like a baby.
Staying consistent when it's dark at 5pm
I asked [Teacher name] how they keep showing up on the mat when everything in them wants to stay home on the couch. This is what they said:
“It is through the alignment of the body that I discovered the alignment of my mind, self, and intelligence.”
— B.K.S. Iyengar
I couldn't agree more. Fall is the season of letting go. But the one thing I never let go of is my practice, because it's exactly what helps me let go of everything else.
If you're inspired to ground yourself this Fall, come and join us in the studio. The candles are lit and your mat is waiting!
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