Waking Up, Taking Flight, and Deep Rest: What the season offers

Meditation is a process of lightening up, of trusting the basicgoodness of what we have and who we are, and of realizing that anywisdom that exists, exists in what we already have. We can lead our lifeso as to become more awake to who we are and what we’re doing ratherthan trying to improve or change or get rid of who we are or what we’redoing. The key is to wake up, to become more alert, more inquisitive andcurious about ourselves. ~Pema Chodron

I offer this wise and simple thought on meditation from Pema Chodron as akind reminder that right here, as we head into late Autumn, the colderwinds of the season can bat us around, emotionally and physically. Thisis the season some of us start to draw inward and some of us shut down.There can be a fine line between the two: it is undoubtedly a fruitfultime to begin or reboot a seated meditation practice. It doesn't have tobe 30 minutes, it could be 10 minutes a day. My teacher's generalguiding principle is wake, bathroom, and then directly to your cushion,before the day has a chance to pull you into task mode. If you havenever had a meditation practice and don't know how to start, or justneed a little guidance to bring you back into practice, there are (ofcourse!) apps that can give you a little help, as well as numerousguided meditations on sites like yogaglo. And, if firing up a deviceseems counter to the business of unplugging and going inward, there islots of written guidance as well to ignite your practice.  Often I willdo some reading before sleep that I can pull from when I awake the nextmorning and make my way to my meditation cushion. Whatever your way in, Ihope you will explore and renew your commitment to what is an essentialand rich companion to the physical practice of yoga. Guaranteed, itwill feed your soul and lighten your heart as we move into the darkmonths.

Love,
Leslie