Monday, October 1, 2012

Nature-al Yoga

It was finally beginning to feel like fall around here, but now it looks as if we are heading back up to near the 100 degree mark during the day, with slightly cooler evenings. While it's a bit warmer, it's not that unusual of a day here in the desert.
What's a good yoga practice for this subtle time of transition?

In our Peaceful Yoga for Women class, we move outside of our casita shala to practice in the lovely garden. We take our cues from the flitting butterflies, the bushes that flower and quickly fade, and the still-biting mosquitos. We practice our balance poses on the unevenness of the patio stones and take in the sounds of the neighborhood around us.

At Horse Yoga, we quietly notice the white dove, the scraggly blackbird, the stately blue heron who join us at the round pen. I scold the little house dog who seems determined to head out to the road (and instead runs to the porch, where he's let in to the house), and we get back to our walking meditation mandala, with Carrma, our teacher for the day.

Taking your cue from the world around us, how do you incorporate Nature into your yoga practice?