Embracing the Fall: Lessons in Balance
Wow, did September fly by, or is it just me? The month slips away and suddenly Fall is here, carrying every meaning of “falling” with it. We can trip and bruise, surf and wipe out, fall for a prank, fall asleep into dreams, or fall in love and feel our whole world brighten. Look closely and you’ll see a pattern: falling is stitched into nature’s cycles and into our learning. Leaves drift, seasons turn, and every skill that requires balance asks us to wobble, recalibrate, and try again.
The yoga practice of falling well
On the mat, I like to start simple. In tadasana mountain pose, we notice how attention stacks the body from feet to crown, how breath steadies the mind, and how tiny shifts change everything. Standing still isn’t the absence of movement; it’s movement organized. That quiet organizing principle shows up in daily life, too, one breath, one choice, one step at a time.
From there, I explore a single balance shape. Vrksasana tree pose reminds me that roots and branches are a conversation: press down to grow up, soften the jaw to steady the gaze, and let small sways teach alignment gently. The aim isn’t to banish wobble; it’s to read it like friendly feedback.
A mini-flow for autumn clarity
A short autumn mini-flow you can try today, and usually practice at yoga class:
- Arrive: three slow breaths in tadasana mountain pose, soften the shoulders.
- Balance: step into vrksasana tree pose for five breaths on each side, eyes relaxed.
- Reset: return to tadasana mountain pose, lengthen the exhale, and smile.
Let’s embrace the fall
Yes, that’s me falling on a wave at Honolua Bay, Maui, Hawaii
I’ve fallen on waves at Honuolua Bay more times than I can count. Each spill offers notes: reset, adjust, paddle back out. That’s the broader invitation of Fall. Meet change with patience; let practice be your compass. When life tilts, return to the vrksasana tree pose to listen and to the tadasana mountain pose to organize. Keep moving forward, beyond the unknown are unexpected vistas, kinder strength, and a steadier you.
— David