As Autumn descends slowly into Winter, the plants and animals around us start to prepare for hibernation. Leaves continue to fall from the branches, and the once blossoming hedgerows are now heavy with Winter red berries and holly leaves. If we take a moment to look around us, it’s clear that nature has made a lot of changes over the last few months, but have you? Even though we’re about to enter the darkest and coldest months of the year, are you still filling your schedule with an overwhelming amount of commitments? Are you still allowing yourself to feel stressed and overly busy each day? Are you still eating sugary foods or imported fruits that are far more suited to hot and sunny Summer weather? When it comes to entering into the more ‘yin’ phase of the year, it’s time to focus on deeply nourishing the body and mind, so we prevent burnout, and we can then Spring back into life again in the next phase of the year. This month’s intention is to deeply nourish your body and mind, so read on for 5 ways to get started:
Slow Down: If you’ve read any of my seasonal blogs before, you’ll no doubt already know that humans evolved to live intimately in tune with the seasons. Our lifestyle, diet and sleep patterns would have naturally shifted according to the time of year, allowing us to maintain a sense of physical and emotional balance and harmony internally and externally. When humans made the shift from a nomadic hunter-gatherer way of life however, we turned a corner that would see us arriving eventually in the regulated, domesticated, artificial world we live in today. In the natural world, we would have no choice but to slow down in Winter, because there would be very little left to forage and hunt, and the shorter days and colder weather meant we would spend much more time in close-knit groups, and less time travelling or exploring lands around us. If there’s ever been a time to let yourself rest and rejuvenate, it’s now. Take a moment to reflect upon how stressed or overwhelmed you’ve been recently; not only is this constant state of anguish entirely unnatural for us, it’s damaging too. Give yourself the gift of rest by swapping a couple of your dynamic yoga practices or workouts for restorative yoga.
Make Space: Look at your schedule. Does it look full and overwhelming? Are there deadlines and urgent ‘to-do’ lists littering your desk? Autumn and Winter are the time to wind down projects and start creating a lot more space in your weekly schedule. Whilst Summer was the time to say ‘yes’ to adventure, you’re now invited to say ‘no’ to whatever you feel you need to; social gatherings, meetings (when possible!) and over-the-top demands from others. Use the The Positive Planner to clearly write down your schedule for the next few weeks, so you can see in front of you just how busy things might be. Then, look to create more ‘white space’. Try to leave one day per week with no commitments or plans, and schedule in specific times in the day to take breaks. In your breaks and days carved out for relaxation, take a look at the book Rest + Calm.
De-Stress With Scent: Our sense of smell is directly linked to other parts of the brain that govern memory and emotion, which is why aromatherapy is so powerful, and why the scent of your ex-partner’s aftershave can elicit a strong emotional response! Nourish your nervous system and help reduce stress by dabbing on the Scentered de-stress therapy balm to soothe you all day, and fill your space with Tisserand’s mind clear diffuser oil, with notes like chamomile and neroli, rosemary, jasmine, rose and grounding cedarwood.
Adopt Abhyanga: Abhyanga is the Ayurvedic practice of self-massage. Translated as ‘oiling the limbs’, this ancient tradition is all about deeply rejuvenating your body and providing yourself with a dose of self-love. Practically speaking, self-massage helps strengthen the skin’s natural barrier, which is an important part of the immune system, as well as helping maintain healthy supple joints. Energetically, abhyanga relaxes the nervous system and is a great way to nourish yourself regularly. Use the super light, fast absorbing Wilder Botanics Body Oil, designed to leave the skin and hair feeling silken without the use of volatile silicones. Simply spritz on and massage into the skin.
Sleep Soundly: Above everything else, sleep is by far the most important way we can nourish the mind and body. When we sleep, the body repairs itself, removes old and unwanted cells, and the mind processes experiences and emotions so we can awaken refreshed and revived the next morning. Without proper sleep, it’s very difficult for us to feel well, so when you care for your sleep, know that you’re simultaneously caring for every other aspect of your health.
If you’re much more used to living life on-the-go and nourishing yourself is new to you, take it slow and pick a couple of practices that resonate with you most. What are your favourite ways to nourish yourself? How will you slow down and re-set this season?
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