This post is all about Yoga for the Autumn (Fall) Season.

The only constant is change. And I could not be more excited for my favorite season to be starting!

Just like nature, our environment is always changing and we need to be able to adjust and adapt to change along with it.

✅ Top 4 Autumn Transitional Yoga Sequences

✅ What is the Fall Equinox?

▶️ 30 Minute Full Body Yoga Stretch 🍁 Autumn/Fall Equinox Seasonal Flow

✅ Why/How do leaves change color in the Fall?

▶️ 15 Minute Autumn Yoga Nidra Guided Relaxation

✅ Yoga and the Air Element

▶️ 25 Minute Gentle Yoga Flow in Nature for Love & Heart Opening

▶️ 25 Minute Yoga Flow for Feeling Grateful/Gratitude/Thanksgiving

▶️ 10 Minute Metta or LovingKindness Meditation to Reduce Fear, Anger, Frustration

Top 4 Autumn Transitional Yoga Sequences

As leaves start to lose chlorophyl and change from green to reveal their true colors, now is an ideal time to focus on transitions in your life as well.

Maybe you’re moving to a new home, neighborhood, state or country. You’re having a baby or watching your grown up baby graduate from high school and leave the nest. You’re recovering from an injury or dropping a bad habit. You’re starting or ending a personal relationship. You’re going back to school, starting a new job or changing careers.

While practicing these sequences, focus on the transitions between the poses more than the poses themselves.

1. Cow Pose to Cat Pose

I do cat/cow in pretty much every yoga sequence I teach or practice. It’s a great way to warm up the spine and can help release the chest and shoulders a bit (Air element). Focus on the inhale as you transition to cow pose (Bitilasana) and focus on the exhale as you transition to cat pose (Bidalasana or Marjariasana).

2. Thread the Needle to Side Plank Pose

Thread the Needle is one of my favorite twists. Trunk twisting is more Fire element but if you wrap the top arm around your back, you’ll feel more heart & chest opening (Air element). Inhale and focus on the transition of threading one arm underneath the other. Then after a few moments, release the top arm up toward the sky and focus on the transition to supported side plank, extending the top arm and leg outward.

3. Warrior 1 to Warrior 2 to Reverse Warrior to Triangle Pose

One of my favorite standing sequences because it just seems to flow so naturally from one to the next. Slow down and focus on your transitions between each pose, especially feet, knees, arms, shoulders and hips. Repeat it a few times or even do the sequence in reverse order.

Autumn-Yoga-Sequence-3-Warrior-1-2-Reverse-Warrior-Triangle.gif

4. Tree Pose to Figure 4 to Standing Split

This balance sequence is just so perfect for Autumn. One of the first things you think of during this season is the leaves changing and falling off of the trees, which is what this sequence symbolizes. Start with tree pose (Vrksasana). Let your arms (“tree branches”) move up or down or wherever you want for a few moments. Then focus on sliding the bent leg a bit to rest on the opposite thigh. Bring hands to heart center and keep your balance as you slightly bend the supporting leg and lower the hips. After a few moments, focus on releasing the top leg behind you and folding forward into a standing split. After a few moments, slowly release the top leg to meet the bottom and ground yourself.

What is the Fall Equinox?

The Fall (Autumnal) Equinox happens around September 22, 23 or 24. At this time, day and night will be nearly equal (12 hours each) everywhere around the world. Here in the northern hemisphere, it is the first day of Autumn and in the southern hemisphere, it is the first day of Spring. In fact, the word “equinox” is derived from Latin meaning “equal night.”

30 Minute Full Body Yoga Stretch 🍁 Autumn/Fall Equinox Seasonal Flow

Why/How do leaves change color in the Fall?

I recently learned from a Forestry friend why leaves (on deciduous trees anyways) change color every fall. Basically, during the Spring and Summer, leaves are the food source for trees to grow by using chlorophyll - which gives leaves their green color - which absorbs sunlight to help turn water and carbon dioxide to carbohydrates (sugar and starch).

The trees sense changes in daylight and temperature (called plant perception or plant gnosophysiology) in the fall which slows down and eventually stops making food. The chlorophyll disappears to reveal the true red, oranges, yellows and purples of the leaves for a short time until they fall off so the tree can become dormant during winter. Read more in this SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry article.

So just like those beautiful leaves, now is a good time to work on letting go of things that no longer serve you so you can reveal your own true, brilliant colors!

Enjoy this 15 minute Autumn Yoga Nidra guided relaxation to help you rest, relax and discover new and deeper layers of yourself.

15 Minute Autumn Yoga Nidra Guided Relaxation

Yoga and the Air Element

The element associated with Autumn is Air.

Air is associated with the fourth chakra: Anahata or the heart Chakra. It is located in sternum. Air represents love, openness, freedom, mobility, positivity and intellect.

Use the yoga practice and meditation below to release your shoulders and literally/metaphorically open your heart to more love, kindness and gratitude.

25 Minute Gentle Yoga Flow in Nature for Love & Heart Opening

25 Minute Yoga Flow for Feeling Grateful/Gratitude

This beginner-intermediate yoga flow will help you open your heart to feel more grateful (gratitude) for yourself, your body and your life. Personally, I like to practice this flow in November, especially around Thanksgiving.

10 Minute Metta or LovingKindness Meditation to Reduce Fear, Anger, Frustration

The first time I ever practiced this style of meditation was with Buddhist monks in Sri Lanka and it was a pretty profound experience. I hope this makes you feel more warm and fuzzy when you’re done! 🥰

Learn more in my Yoga & the Air Element blog post and How to Plan Your Own Air Element Yoga Retreat blog post.