Yoga for the Changing Seasons

October marks a shift in pace. The light fades earlier, mornings feel cooler, and the long days of summer give way to a steadier rhythm. These changes can leave the body a little stiffer and the mind more restless. 

Yoga offers a way to adapt, helping us move with the season rather than against it.

Vinyasa yoga with its steady flow of breath and movement, can help to get the body moving, and give us an energy boost. It also builds strength and flexibility,  keeping joints supple and muscles active as the temperature drops. A flowing practice can feel like it is waking the body up from an autumnal hibernation ! 

Yin yoga works in the opposite way, but it too can also create energy . In Yin yoga we  slow right down, holding postures for longer, finding space in the stillness. It reaches into the connective tissues and joints, creating space for movement and release of tension. The stillness of Yin supports the nervous system, offering calm and balance when life feels busy.

Together, Vinyasa and Yin create a natural partnership. One brings energy, the other restores it. Practising both helps maintain mobility, strength and flexibility and both give you the time to focus on yourself, to allow time for the mind to stay on the mat for the breath to flow and the body to relax and rejuvenate.  Everyone needs a bit of both in their lives , more often that not it is the Yin that is overlooked as we treat the yoga mat as a gym mat, but making the time for stillness is so important for both the mind and then body 

Yoga is not all about chasing flexibility, and trying to create pretzel poses. It is about giving the body and mind what they need in the moment. In autumn, that often means grounding, balancing energy, and creating time to breathe. A short session, whether flowing or still, can reset the day and make the shift into autumn feel less like a struggle and more like an opportunity to pause and restore.