That back to school feeling

Welcome to our brand new, shiny blog - and there's no better way to kick things off than by pondering on the significance of the new 'Back to School' year.

September carries a particular resonance for most of us: memories of new School and University terms, and, with that, shorter days, a new nip in the air, the almost-tangible feeling of things changing.

It's a bitter-sweet time, and - since we humans have thankfully yet found ways to silence the natural laws of nature - perhaps the only way to approach the inevitable turning of the seasons is to open our arms and minds to its pleasures: the crop of the best Autumn food; the chance to take up a new project; the simple pleasures of long, crisp walks and sharing a meal with loved ones.

For those of us in the yoga world, running retreats and/or classes, September and January are the busiest months, perhaps for the reasons mentioned above.

Perhaps, also, because the colder months demand more from us, physically and mentally; and - especially when bolstered by a good diet - the ancient yoga and meditation practices help build our psychological and physical resilience.

The challenge, as always, is to weave a yoga and/or meditation routine into the fabric of daily life. I say to students (and this has always been said to me) to set aside just ten minutes a day for practice. Almost always, the best time is in the morning, before the demands of the day obliterate good intentions.

And once the ten, or 20 or 30 minutes of practice is done and dusted, you're (far more) set for the day. I teach quite a bit of yoga, and often feel I need a sitting meditation practice more than I need the physical postures. The decision is made from day to day, and - without exception - I feel better after practice than before. This is my primary motivation.

And with less natural daylight, lighting a candle and dusting off the incense burner feels in keeping, and sets the tone.

There's no use fighting or resisting September, and the winter months it heralds; they will unfold anyway, with or without our approval. There's nothing for it but to roll out the yoga mat, don the puffer jacket, and dive headlong into Autumn, whatever it brings.

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