One of the reasons I hated living in the tropics is that it’s hot and sunny pretty much all year round (or hot and rainy). Same sunshine every day…It’s boring.

 

Nature is cyclical: birth, growth, decline, death.

 

We are cyclical beings.

 

Society makes us go at full speed from January to December, like a straight sprinting line, whereas life is a circle. Everything has cycles:

• Moon
• Days
• Menstrual cycle
• Solar system
• Plant growth
• Water movement
• The Earth

 

Nature adapts to her own cycles, so do the animals. We, too, go through the various seasons of life throughout our lifetime (birth, childhood, adolescence, adulthood, ups and downs…) and should adapt to (and adopt) the natural evolution of life in Nature.

 

I remember the teacher of a Buddhist lecture I attended years ago who said:

‘ We don’t expect flowers to bloom all the time. So why do we expect as much from ourselves?’

 

There is beauty and healing in living in accordance with the rhythm of Nature and her seasons.

When we align our energy to the energy of the earth, we deepen our alignment with ourselves.

It increases our awareness of self and of the environment around us.

It helps us connect more deeply to ourselves.

It invites us to be more conscious of subtle shifts and how they might impact us.

It keeps us balanced.

We ride the flow of waves of life more easily.

It helps us feel less stressed.

We become more sensitive to environmental needs.

 

Seasonal living is an invitation to further contemplate and awaken to life.

It is a practice in becoming more mindful and appreciative of the changes around us.

Just like life and energy transform in Nature, so does it in our own body, mind and energy.

 

I think that more and more people are experiencing burn outs because they lead an unnatural lifestyle of continuously pushing themselves for a toxic job, unrealistic expectations, living a life that is not in alignment with their essence.

 

Developing seasonal living would greatly rekindle a sense of connection to self, which would guide us to live in accordance with Nature and with who we are.

How about you?

Are you in tune with your season?

How is the ecosystem of your life feeling?

 

Key Characteristics of Each Season

Spring

You may have noticed that Spring is a time for rebirth. After the long rest of Winter, we slowly feel ready to sprout and grow, we feel renewed. The energy is rising, it marks new beginnings. Spring is a great time to clean, clear and make space for your new plans and intentions. Give them space to develop and blossom.

 

Summer

Summer has an outward energy: days are long, sun is warm, we feel more social and active, we want to spend time outside, we want to move more. It is an active time and the moment of the year when we have the most energy to try new things, meet people, etc.

 

Autumn

In Autumn, the energy starts to slow down, it is starting to get colder, days are starting to be shorter. We see visible changes in Nature with its colours changing and trees becoming naked. The leaves falling are representative of the downward energy. Autumn brings your awareness more inward after the external expression of summer. It is a great time to finish projects started in spring, to nurture gratitude for the abundance of warm foods and to tune into your intuition, as it is a more intuitive time of the year.

 

Winter

Winter is probably my favourite part of the year. It is a time to rest, go within and take stock. Nature is bare and hibernating, and so are we, deeply listening in. Stillness and reflection are a highlight of the season: ask your heart what is most wants. How can you nurture yourself? It is the perfect time to re-assess your values.

 

To help you nourish and support your energy through natural cycles, I have designed Seasonal Yin Yoga Workbooks for each of the 4 seasons.

They include:

•  Yin Yoga sequences
•  Journaling prompts
•  Element of each season according to Traditional Chinese Medicine, including its properties, emotion, spirit, diet, etc
•  Acupressure sequence
•  Acupoints
•  Meditation
•  Visualisations
•  Energy balancing practices
•  Self-reflection and self-evaluation checklists
•  Poems
•  Affirmations
•  Quotes
•  Vision board
•  List of suggested activities
•  Suggested readings

 

 

  “For good or for ill, life and nature are governed by laws that we can’t change. The quicker we accept this, the more tranquil we can be.” – Epictetus