Have you noticed how the leaves drop their leaves in Autumn? Without worrying about whether new buds will emerge, they trust and let go. As humans, we tend to struggle with this process of letting go.

But before we dive into this theme of letting go, let’s take a step back. I’m a huge fan of seasonal yoga - both on the mat and off, but what is it? Well, in a seasonal yoga practice, our aim is to align with the changes that are happening outside in nature. A modern day lifestyle makes this increasingly difficult as we spend less time outdoors than our ancestors. Our air conditioned / heated homes and workplaces provide us with the ability to control our environment; and so we feel less impacted by the change of seasons, pay less attention to them and subsequently we don’t change our schedules or activities to align with them.

But we are missing out on the magic that comes with aligning with the season! For me personally, as I’ve learnt to embrace the seasons and align my activities, work and goals with them; I feel more present, grateful and balanced. I am able to support my physical body better through movement, breath and nutrition, but the cycle of the seasons also inspires me to grow, take action, evolve, rest, reflect and let go.

So how do you start to learn more about this so you can align with the seasons? Yoga of course! Like so many things, we can exploring this on our yoga mat, and then it starts to ripple out into other areas of our lives.

In the Five Element Theory of Chinese Medicine, it’s the metal element which governs Autumn. Metal symbolises energy moving inwards and contracting - if you think of nature at this time of year, trees drop their leaves and pull their energy inwards. Nature let’s go of what it no longer needs.

In the body, the organs that are associated with this season are the Lungs and Large Intestine. The function of both of these organs is purification and eliminations. Our lungs purify the air as we breathe in oxygen and expel carbon dioxide and other waste gases.

The Large Intestine has a similar function - that of elimination. Absorbing water and nutrients, and eliminating waste.

Just like the trees dropping their leaves, neither of these organs question whether they should hold onto what is no longer needed. They simply let go.

On an emotional level, the lungs are associated with sadness and grief. So if we balance our lung energy, we help ourselves to let go of these emotions and to move on; plus strengthening our lungs helps us to deal with change, loss and grief.

When we open our bodies in our yoga practice, we also open our minds to what is possible. The 60 minute Restore class “Let Go” provides an opportunity to observe, reflect, and then shed whatever is holding you back.

In the Surfside Yoga studio we teach classes in person and live on Zoom, at the same time.

This means the lighting and room is set up for those IN the studio, and we let go of the need for perfection with camera angles and lighting. This aligns perfectly with the theme of this class - letting go of control and perfection!

Roll out your mat, use the affirmations and oils below and let go of anything that’s no longer serving you.

Affirmations

I let go of the need to conform
I let go of the need to fix
I let go of any dead leaves
I let go of the need for perfection
I let go of control
I trust what I feel, not what I think
I grant space for true rest
I see miracles everywhere

Breathe Mantra

If you love words and affirmations, this simple breath mantra is a great tool to practice anytime, anywhere:

Inhale deeply and repeat silently or out loud: Let
Exhale fully and repeat: Go

Reflections or Journaling Prompts:

What feels heavy? What is weighing me down?

What is no longer bringing me joy, happiness or positivity?
Can I dare to shed something?
What can I throw onto the compost pile?
Do I dare to walk away?
If I let go, what space might that open up?
What can I throw onto the compost pile?

Poetry

When I was lesson planning for this theme, I found the perfect poem by Donna Ashworth. I shared it in my class, and I hope you love it too:

Let go.

Let go of your dead leaves.

Dare to be bare.

To start afresh.

To believe that new buds will grow and new life will emerge again.

Dare to shed the things that are not bringing you positivity, or joy, anymore.

Dare to walk away.

To welcome the new.

After all, you cannot reach out for anything new, if your hands are full of yesterday’s trash, right?

Put it all down my friend.

Throw it away.

It’s heavy.

Don’t fear the cold.

Your warmth comes from within, and these heavy burdens, have been dimming your fires for too long.

It’s time.

The Essential Oils

Cilantro - The oil of releasing control

Cilantro supports us in detoxifying our mind, body and soul of negative emotions. it will assist you in releasing what is not in alignment with your true self, so you feel lighter and free. If you feel like you need to work on letting go of controlling other people or your circumstances, this is the oil for you.

My favourite way to use this is to place 1-2 drops in a veggie capsule, so I receive it’s cleansing benefits but do not have to taste/smell it! If you’re looking to use it for emotional support, I would suggest applying to the throat or solar plexus, or inhaling from the bottle.

Console - The Oil of Loss & Grief

in Autumn one of the organs and meridians we work with is the Lungs. The emotions associated with the Lungs are sadness, loss and grief and we can release the heavy burdens of these by using Console.

Diffuse or apply topically, particularly to acupressure points Lung 1 and Lung 7 - these are referred to in the video, or you can google them.

Bergamot - The Oil of Self-Acceptance

The cleansing properties of this special citrus oil, creates movement in our energy body and help us release stagnant feelings. Pair it with affirmations to really help you to let go of of self-judgment and anxious feelings, and to welcome in confidence and hope. Diffuse or apply topically over the heart and solar plexus.

If you would like to explore yoga classes that draw on elements of yoga, breath and affirmations, join us in person at our Mona Vale studio, or online.

Keen for more online yoga that you can do whenever, wherever?

Access our unlimited zoom classes + our library of recorded classes for just $97/month! We add fresh classes to our library every week.

Namaste,

Lou x

PS. To learn more about essential oils head over to our Facebook Group or to get started, please contact me

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