Let this fall yoga break inspire you to find balance and strength, helping you to feel energized whenever you need it: morning, afternoon or evening.
As autumn brings its own unique rhythm, with cooler weather and shorter days, it’s easy to feel a bit sluggish. Combat that with this brief yoga routine designed to awaken your body and mind. No need for spandex or a yoga mat; simply kick off your shoes and use a blanket or shawl to enjoy.
Whether you choose to extend this practice to 20 minutes or breeze through it in five, you’ll feel refreshed and mentally focused, ready to tackle whatever comes next.
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Spinal Balance (Dandayamana Bharamanasana) helps kindle your inner fire and create focused strength from the inside out. In this day and age, we often move quickly from one activity to the next with a focus on our feet, hands and head. Spinal balance helps you thoughtfully return to your breath and the steadiness at your center so you can expand fully and with clarity.
- Start on hands and knees with your wrists under your shoulders and knees under your hips.
- Exhale to engage your core as you work to maintain a flat back.
- From your center of strength, extend your right leg behind you while keeping your toes pointing down.
- Hold that as you lift your left arm straight forward, palm facing in.
- Take a few breaths as you balance on your left knee and right hand, energizing the line from your fingertips to your toes.
- Come back through the center, releasing tension as you inhale fully into your belly.
- Exhale to engage your core before switching sides, extending your left leg and right arm.
- Maintain balance and deep support for yourself as you take a few breaths.
- Continue switching sides for another moment or two, moving faster or slower if it feels good.
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Warrior 2 (Virabhadrasana 2) is an expansive pose that helps you feel grounded in steadiness while you open your heart. As the days get shorter and the earth freezes, it often takes deliberate practice to keep our minds and hearts open to whatever the changing season has in store for us. The steadier we feel inside, the easier it is to meet whatever comes our way with gratitude and ease.
- Begin in a standing position with your feet about 3-4 feet apart.
- From your center, rotate your entire right leg outward so that your knee and toes are facing the side, keeping your left foot at a slight angle.
- Exhale strength into your core and bend into your right knee to find a challenge that feels good. Keep your left leg straight and steady.
- Open your strong heart to stretch your arms out to your sides, parallel to the ground; maintain your gaze over your right fingertips.
- Take several breaths here, making sure to release shoulders, neck and jaw.
- Shift with care to the other side when you’re ready.
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Tree pose (Vrksasana pose) helps you explore balance and trust amid so much seasonal change. Fall can feel a bit chaotic as the wind whips, nights freeze and then daytime temperatures soar. I love to look to the beautiful, ever-changing, trees in fall for a lesson in embracing change and letting go. This pose can be done near the wall for support, or in the center of the room.
- Start by rooting your feet into the earth and lengthening the crown of your head skyward, arms resting at your sides.
- From the steadiness at your center, shift your weight onto your right foot, and lift your left foot off the ground.
- Bend your left knee and place the sole of your left foot against your right inner thigh or your ankle. (Avoid placing it against your knee, to protect the joint.)
- Press your hands together at your heart, connecting to the strength in the front and back of your body as you breathe deeply. If you choose, you can stay here, or expand your arms overhead.
- Fix your gaze and/or use a wall or chair as you explore your balance.
- Hold the pose for a few breaths before switching to the other side.
- Before taking a seat for meditation, notice what else you might be needing, and give yourself a moment to take any other movements or poses that may feel helpful for your body or mind.
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Supta Baddha Konasana (reclining bound angle pose) is an opportunity for calm and stillness, and, depending on what you have time for, you can be still for five breaths or 15 minutes. Start by finding a comfortable rug or blanket so you can rest on the floor, using a blanket to support your legs.
- Begin by sitting on the floor with legs extended.
- Bend your knees and bring the soles of your feet together, allowing your knees to open outward.
Support your hips by placing a rolled-up blanket or towel over your feet and under your ankles.
- Gently draw your heels as close to your pelvis as comfortable.
- Lie back on the mat while keeping your feet together and knees apart.
- Rest your arms at your sides with your palms facing up, open to receive ease as you relax deeper.
- Fill your belly with breath, as your hips open.
- Stay in this pose for as long as feels comfortable, releasing tension with each belly breath.
- Focus on an affirmation or mantra. Try, “I stay rooted in love during times of change and transition,” or, “I trust the natural cycles of the Earth; it is safe to open my heart to the growing darkness and cold.”
If you plan to stay in meditation longer, you may want to reduce distractions by using headphones to listen to gentle music, nature sounds or even a guided meditation.
When you are done, take a moment to thank yourself for taking a break and honoring your needs before jumping back into the demands of your day. Notice that after moving your body and giving your brain a break, you feel lighter and have better focus.
Petterson lives in Moscow with her husband and their two children. After a decade of teaching high school social studies, she left public education to become a yoga instructor, certified sleep coach and mindful parenting educator. You can learn more about her monthly yoga workshops at the 1912 Center in Moscow at kristinepetterson.com/services/yoga.