3 yoga poses to create balance in autumn

Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.

F Scott Fitzgerald

Welcome to a new season – autumn. We are now entering the most yin part of the year as the days slowly become darker and cooler. Autumn season will take us all the way up to the winter solstice, leading us into the depths of yin before we begin the inevitable climb back towards yang through the winter season.

I love this time of year, the world seems to burst with colour, I get to wear my hats again and feel cosy too. Everywhere you look there seems to be an autumn buzz with pumpkin spiced everything taking over the cafes and shops. There’s also a threat of seasonal cheer in the air as shops begin to stock their festive gifts – but that’s another blog post altogether.

According to 5-elements of TCM, autumn is associated with the metal element. It’s all about structure, strength, a solid foundation and, something of value hidden within. We may have noticed the change of season within ourselves long before the autumnal equinox – this can be a feeling of energy dropping, tidying & letting go of things and the desire for more space. These are all characteristics of the metal element.

What can we expect from the autumn season?

The associated organs for the metal element are the lungs and large intestine – it’s all about letting go, creating structure, reflecting and adding value. An imbalance at this time of year might be evident if you’re catching every cold or flu doing the rounds or you feel that the balance between your work and home life is a little skewed. Here are some Top Tips to get you started with embracing the autumn season, and some yoga poses that might help you along the way.

Wrap up warm and head outside to enjoy the beautiful colours around. Grounding at this time of year is beneficial so spending some time in nature is a great idea to boost our wellbeing – this also helps us accept and appreciate the cycle of the seasons. Warrior 1 is a great pose for grounding as we can begin building the posture from the feet up.

Have a clear out – a bit like a spring clean, but it’s time to dig out the woolly jumpers and hats, while saying goodbye to the clothes we’ve enjoyed all summer. This is also a great time to release and let go of things – maybe start with your email inbox (personal and work!) It’s about balance and embracing the cycle of the seasons – Warrior 3 is a good pose to encourage this as we are stretching forwards (towards the new season) while still reaching back (towards the previous one.)

Both of these ideas above will create more space for you – heading outside will allow you to breathe deeply, taking in all around you and gaining a bit of perspective. While having a clear out can physically release a lot of un-used items giving you more space to enjoy your home. Eagle pose is a good twisting posture to bring into your practice as it helps to bring focus to the mind and attention to the breath.