As today marked the first day of Fall it also solidified something i’ve been fearing. Indeed, my head has once again become detached from my body. Yup, once again, the crisp fall air, the cool breeze, the return of more clouds and less of the bright and shiny summer days has bamboozled my body and brain into thinking they don’t belong in the same space. Grounded? Pshaw, hard enough to find the ground much less stay on it.
So i’m making that commitment, slow down, drink more of it in….release the dry and flighty Vata Energy on a conscious level and get back to the roots.
Tips for grounding yourself on and off the mat:
Eat your comfort foods! include lots of warm soups and stews made from well-cooked vegetables, lentils, basmati rice, squash,
sweet potatoes are all good examples of balancing foods for balancing Vata energy.
Slow your roll! More SLOW exercises, less high energy movement. Include more deep yoga stretches and restorative or yin postures in your daily routine to turn inward and observe rather than ride to vinyasa wave for your entire practice.
Sit and Simmer. Meditate morning and night. And take small opportunities throughout your day to watch the breath, feel your feet, observe your surroundings. Vipassana or mindfulness meditation is a great place to start.
“When going, the monk knows ‘I am going’, or, when standing, he knows ‘I am standing’, or, when lying down, he knows ‘I am lying down’. Or in whatever position his body is placed, he is aware of it….Whether he goes, stands or sits, sleeps or is awake, speaks or is silent, he is acting with full attention. ~ Digha Nikaya“
Mmmm Hot Oils 
abhyanga, the practice of self-massage with warm oil. Feel your body to truly be in your body. Check out the benefits of this ancient and truly enjoyable practice here. How to do abhyanga for your dosha
So there you have it folks. My commitment to myself and to you. Come to class and expect to work with me through a slower and steadier pace of flow– at least until nature decides to clear out the vata. Find the intensity and resulting tranquility that will arise from observing our bodies react to 10 breaths of bound side angle rather than 3, 5 breaths of balancing ardha chandrasana instead of 1, 7 of plank rather than a brief inhale…you get the idea. You’ll be surprised just how challenging both physically and emotionally this will be and how rewarding the end result will be as you leave the room feeling a little more connected.
Try it on your own mat, followed by some lentil stew, a lit candle and a hop on the meditation pillow, and a nice luke warm shower followed by self massage. Delightful, yes? 
Namaste ya’ll,
J-to the-C-to the-C
Want some mat guidance? Check out these flows that are meant to be grounding and slow them down to reign in that Vata energy.
And of course some tunes to flow to:
