Ever have those days where the whole day goes by in a fury? All of a sudden, it is nighttime, and you wonder where the day went.
In our highly-industrialized, non-stop, plugged-in way of life, often lived on screens, we get so disconnected from natural rhythms. These are the rhythms of day, night, moon and sun, seasons and nature. These are also our own rhythms.
When we are off balance with outer rhythms our inner ones get thrown off too. We feel ungrounded. We don't know where to go or what to do. It's hard to make decisions. We fight for power and control. We can't go with the flow. We lack natural confidence. It is hard to give and receive love freely. We have a hard time seeing or speaking our truths clearly. It's challenging to be in the present moment and we lack a sense of connection to community, purpose or whole.
If this is happening for you, there's a natural, simple way to balance it out. Just going outside, focusing on the natural world, IS practicing yoga.
We are, after all, animals, remember. We aren't separate. So just like the leopard who waits in the leaves for the sunlight to shift so she can pounce on her prey, we too are intimately connected to natures shifts. With some mindfulness, we can pounce into balance.
It is as basic as where we place our attention, and as John Tarrant Roshi says, "Attention is the most basic form of love."
Once in about 200 B.C.E. a gathering of ancient yogis and Ayurvedic doctors was called together. They were worried about how so many people were moving into cities. They were concerned they would get sick from this disconnection with natural cycles and they brainstormed about healing techniques to support these changes.
In yoga and her sister science Ayurveda, the ancients understood we are not separate from nature. We bring our inner nature into balance by harnessing the power of the world around us. We will celebrate and harness nature's balance to heighten our own transformative balance within as we align with the energy of the sun and moon. We celebrate inner and outer vibrancy, color, re-birth, potential and life!
When I pay attention to moon cycles, I feel more centered, more grounded, more connected to my own power, my own magic. More humbled and in awe.
Sun and moon cycles are a natural marker to chart the passage of time in an organic way.
Remember too, we made up calendar time. But day and night go on, despite whatever names we give them. Why not embrace on our own harmonious rhythm?
In yoga and Ayurveda there is the concept of dinacharya or daily chariot, our daily rituals that carry us through the day. We have a certain individual rhythm needs to match or plug into a bigger rhythm of the world such as the sun rise, brightness at noon, moon cycles and also of the seasons. Yoga is all about connecting ourselves to the natural rhythm to life.
- So go outside.
- Take a hike. A walk.
- Meet up with your sisters or brothers and howl at the moon.
- Sit with your children and throw leaf-boats into the lazy water.
- Throw on the layers and walk around the block... as long as weather permits and its safe to do so.
"Yoga is a balancing factor, a substratum across all of your life, so you do not get shifted in one direction or another. It gives you freshness, gives you light, recharges your batteries. You become a stable person. You realize what balance is." -- Birjoo Mehta
Go ahead and head outside. Connect. Be. It's a simple way to get your yoga on.
See you on the outside,
Susanna Barkataki
Inspired to deepen your practice? I'd love to talk.
I work with individuals 1 on 1 in online-learning custom coaching programs to transform your life with the tools of yoga. I also run online yoga business trainings and in-person Yoga Teacher Trainings.
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If you are in Orlando, let's get outside and harmonize together! Check out this New Moon Intentions Walk for Women
More at www.susannabarkataki.com