Fall Colors and Yoga Workshops

The colors are starting to happen here in the Hudson Valley. Autumn is here and it’s my favorite season of the year. I always loved the colors in the red, orange and yellow hue families. Red is my favorite color of all time and I like to think of it as my signature “pop” color, hence my red dot logo for Heartful Dani stickers.    I wear it as an accent color with my eyeglasses or red boots (did I mention I have 2 pairs of different styles and shades of red), along with red clogs and sandals. Every season deserves a pop of root chakra red for grounding. As I think about it, before it was trendy to wear bright colors, I wore orange baggy palazzo pants in high school that were my “go to staple” for back to school time and red cowboy boots. What was I thinking? Go figure-now Urban Outfitters is now manufacturing something similar. What comes around goes around in fashion and in our seasons. We shift our clothes options from summer to fall – why not our yoga practices? Do you shift your practices to support yourself in the different seasons or with are shifting emotions?

Colors, yoga and the seasons can influence emotions, moods and mental health, as well as ones brain chemistry. I just found out that, Oct 10 was mental health awareness day. Where does one get these calendars for the labels of these days? And should I try keeping up? No thanks. As you know if you are reading this e-news letter, writing is not my forte and face book is not my jam.  I would much rather be teaching and practicing yoga and making art.

I believe that mental health should be on our radar at all the time as a priority in the yoga community. I also know one practice does not fit all beings and in a classroom setting one type of class is not always serving ones needs. I am typically teaching from a centered perspective encouraging options for students to explore along the way.  As a teacher, I need to be mindful for everyone so they are supported in their practice on the mat, physically, emotionally and mentally but the ultimate responsibility is on the person showing up to deeply listen to their body’s physical, emotional and mental health.  

When we are connected to awareness, this is where yoga, art and music can help us heal! We work the body and the breath to gain an easier access to the mind by balancing the body when we listen to its intuitive teachings for ourselves. A teacher is the guide to help you tap into the deeper you of awareness, discernment and skillful action. Yoga asana and breath practices teach us to be in the flow of our own body, breath, mental thoughts and emotions with acceptance, strength, resilience and release through process.

There are so many wonderful techniques and practices of yoga, mindfulness and wellness that support our innate human healing potential if we can just wrap our brains around being part of the ever flowing messy process of humanness with yoga and self love to support our growth potential.