Moving into Fall: Change your yoga practice, lifestyle and props

While a regular daily routine is one of the keys to a more balanced, calm, productive and healthy lifestyle, we benefit from the fact that things change from season to season. We humans are animals, just like the birds and squirrels outside, and before we transitioned to domesticated indoor living, we were deeply connected to the subtle changes from season to season and would have adapted our lives accordingly. These days, however, we need to be a little more intentional about seasonal living and make more conscious choices when it comes to how we live, what we eat, and how we practice yoga year-round.

Think of your daily routine as your anchor point - maybe you drink a large glass of water every time you wake up; Maybe you always practice yoga for a few minutes in the morning. Maybe you always take a break to eat lunch, or always take a moment to cultivate calm when you come home with yoga nidra, or a few moments of meditation before going to bed. Once you find a daily routine that works for you, keep it as an anchor, but let the season influence a changeHowyou go about your day. For tips on how to change your yoga practice, props, lifestyle and diet as we transition from summer to fall, read on!

How to refresh your yoga practice

Summer and fall are two very different seasons in an energetic sense. While summer is the peak of 'yang' energy of the year, autumn quickly moves us towards a significantly more 'yin' feeling, and our practice benefits from reflecting this change. Like Dallas Hartwig in the . writes4 season solution,Summer is very conducive to a “Yang” lifestyle where we socialize more, stay up a little later, do lots of fun activities and explore the world in a more extroverted way. As you can imagine, living in summer mode can be tiring. When autumn comes, it is important to recognize this as a signal to slow down. Try changing your sun salutations to moon salutations, switching one of your powerful vinyasa flow classes for a slow and stretchy yin session, or give yourself more rest by choosing meditation instead of a sweaty hot yoga class. Restorative yoga is one of the best decisions we can make when choosing a yoga practice that will support us through the yin seasons - back into action when the warmer months return. For more advice on seasonal yoga practices, see (link removed)

How to make more conscious food choices

When we consume local, seasonal foods, we give our body exactly the nutrients it needs. Take blackberries, for example, which are ready to harvest in early September; These delicious berries are full of antioxidants that help our cells recover from the natural oxidative damage that occurs when we are exposed to a lot of sun, stress or exercise in the summer. Blackberries are also very rich in vitamin C, which strengthens the immune system in preparation for fall and winter. Not only do we eat seasonally, but we can also draw on the wisdom of... turn to Ayurveda (yoga's 'sister science' and an ancient health system) for guidance. Ayurveda argues that autumn is a season that includes more of the qualities of cold, dryness in the form of dry air, irregularities of changeable weather and lightness in the way plants and trees lose their leaves and halt their growth. If we are exposed to too much of these cold, dry, irregular and light characteristics, we can become unbalanced and feel uncomfortable. For this reason, we benefit by bringing the opposite qualities of warmth, oiliness, heaviness and regularity into our lives. Try eating more cooked foods, use coconut or sesame oil in cooking (and oil on your body too!), use ghee in recipes, enjoy warming spices like cinnamon and ginger, and eat regular meals at regular times - your digestive system will thank you! For more seasonal meal ideas, grab a copy of (link removed) which is full of vegan and vegetarian seasonal recipes.

How to update your yoga props

While summer may have been all about grippy yoga mat towels, cork mats that work better the more you sweat, and eco-yoga shorts, it's time to add some coziness to your fall practice, especially if you practice another style of yoga like Yin or Restorative. Try Yogamatters Wellness Pilates Mat, which is super cushioning at 8mm thick. Use the Yogamatters organic relaxation set for your restorative practice. To truly relax your nervous system, a lavender-scented sandbag and eye pillow are wonderful additions and worth adding to your home yoga practice set.

How to refresh your lifestyle and home decor

After the extroverted nature of summer, autumn invites us to rest and nest and live in a more introverted way that allows us to make deeper connections with friends and family. Instead of cavorting with acquaintances, fall is about strengthening the relationships we already have and getting to know ourselves a little better. Is there a friend you haven't seen in a long time? A family member you would like to call? In contrast to the expansive energy of summer, think of fall as a time to pull yourself inward a little more—finishing projects and not making new plans until spring. Focus on completing tasks you've been working on throughout the year and get organized with The Positive Bullet Journal. A regular practice of journaling is a great way to give your mind a chance to process thoughts and emotions and at the end of a long day treat yourself to a bath with Epsom salts and the (link removed)

What are your favorite seasonal practices? Here you will find all the important things you need for your yoga journey. Read our yoga mat guide!