Full Moon at Sunrise this Morning
My list of Five Best Practices for Fall
1. Rest & Nest ~ Do less. Breathe deep. Turn inward. Come evening, let yourself go gently into the night: Gaze at the Moon. Gaze at a candle. Gaze at the darkness. Dive into the quiet. Enjoy the stillness.
2. Hydrate ~ Start your day with lemon and water. Drink warm ginger tea with your meals. Sip Spicy Tea throughout the day.
3. Abhyanga ~ Give yourself a vigorous full-body, organic oil massage every morning before you shower. (Yes, oil BEFORE shower!). Massage your feet at night with warm oil and cover with cotton socks before bed.
4. Mineral Baths ~ Soak in a warm bath with Epsom Salts. Add lavender or your favorite essential oil. Do this often. Ahhhhhhh.
5. Yogic Power Nap ~ Lie down in Supported Viparita Karani Mudra (photo below) for 15-20 minutes, three times a week. Let time melt away. Feel the peace of relaxation. Allow your body and mind to be deeply nourished and restored.
Viparita Karani Mudra
Autumn is the Harvest Season. This is the time to rest in your abundant nature and enjoy the bounty of each breath. It takes trust. It takes courage. It takes love. But it is worth it to give yourself the gift of you.
~
How do you relax and renew?
Help inspire all of us by leaving a comment below.
October Nights: San Diego Yesterday Evening
Thank you for sharing your beautiful moment with the full moon at sunrise this morning. I’d like to bring the practice of Abhyanga into my life. This will be my intention for Fall. I’ll see you soon, dear one.
Beautiful, Sally. I will gift you a Prakasha Oil to encourage the practice. Oil massage in Sanskrit is Snehana, another word for love.
Please remind me which Prakasha Oil would be most supportive for my constitution. I have been warming pure organic almond oil, and I’m interested in deepening my “Snehana” practice. Maybe the type of oil shifts as the days grow longer?
Oh Sally, on rereading my reply to your first post here, it looks like I am correcting you! Abhyanga, as you used it, is the correct word. I just wanted to also share another word that also refers to medicated oleation, and that simultaneously means “love.”
Almond Oil is good this time of year, especially if you are warming it. But I wanted to gift you and oil. I’ll bring it to Ginseng.
Thank you!
I LOVE Abhyanga but often feel like rinsing off real quick first to make sure to eliminate toxins before rubbing in dead cells with oil.
I also saw the full moon with sunrise this morning! How fantastic was that?!
Oh Valerie, it is so divine having you as a neighbor!
What kind of Oil do you advise, specially for restless Pitta. Do you think spicy tea even for Pitta?. I am reluctant as it bring so much heat in me.
Hey Sophie,
At the risk of sounding frightfully immodest, I would recommend my Prakasha Pitta-reducing Oil for you. I make them, so I know what good, loving, high quality nourishment is in them. The Pitta Oil will be especially wonderful for you. I’ll have a sample over the weekend for you to try.
As for the Tea, try licorice, or fennel, or a detox tea which is usually made with Pitta-reducing herbs.
Much love!
This is great, Laura. Thanks for the reminders. I will definitely be joining you in these wonderful and nourishing practices. Francesco and I use your Prakasha oils all the time. Love you!
As you know, Snehana means LOVE. So glad you are loved as you should be. We love you, too, Divine Radiant Jenna.
Hi Laura – I love this post. I have been thinking the word ‘nest’ the last couple of weeks!! I have been really slowing it down. I am drawn to slow yin yoga and relaxing music as my choice of yoga. And I take a lot of walks to enjoy the fall colors. And, before doing anything, I ask ‘what does my heart want’? Its been fun listening to that, rather than the busy mind!
I can’t wait to meet in person. You are just such a love!
I’ve been starting each day with an oil massage for the past two weeks. What a wonderful relaxing thing to do in the morning! I also just got a tounge scraper. (Laughing to myself thinking about what’s come off that thing). I love walking outside in fall, admiring colors and wrapping up in cozy layers.
Such beautiful reminders, reflections and revelations, Laura love. I realize, reading this post, how much you’ve inspired me! I do start the day with lemon water or lemon ginger tea. Then Nasya, to send love to my brain, followed with energization/pranayama and meditation. A warm sesame Abhyanga coats and soothes by irrepressible Vata nature. I typically keep it on a while and at night, follow up with a steamy bath of Epson salts, jasmine or lavender essential oils. I allow time to walk and watch the autumn leaves change form, color and place. And la luna, you’ve renewed my desire to attune with her! Much love to you.
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With the new moon I’ve been practicing Chandra Namaskar- Moon salutations. A flow that seems to have lost its popularity in the west. I was reminded that practicing too much heat will cause inflammation, aging and decay……. It is such a soothing, restoring flow and delicious taste of sOMa 🙂 mmmmmmm a drink of immortal nectar.
Laura- how do you heat up your oil in the a.m? Trying to find the best method of keeping it hot as I massage up.
Hold it a moment in my hands, sometimes rubbing them together for more heat. Out here, that is generally enough. Back there, you might run it under a hot water tap, or put a small hot pot in your bathroom and place a glass bottle of oil in the heated water for a few minutes to warm it. Or, you could apply the oil at room temperature, and cover up in warm clothing to warm the oil, open pores with your own body heat. Does the help? XO
Relaxation doesn’t come easy for me. Often, my ambition and desire to accomplish more gets the best of me. I am intentionally moving inward this Fall particularly in response to the gift of time and space granted me this season. Mornings are usually begun with peaceful meditation and asana practice followed by oil massage, a deeply body/soul, nourishing/enriching practice. I take mini-meditation breaks during the day whenever I am aware. I pause, breathe and perhaps close my eyes and sit still. By day’s end I am ready for a longer time of self care and I walk with my husband and/or dog through the field and follow with a relaxing simple supper. I am finding balance in activity and relaxation. I find sleep at night to be deeply restful and restoring.
sounds like a wonderful day. so balanced and beautiful. thanks, kate!
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