Changing seasons, familiar places, and the simple pleasures of practicing yoga in autumn.
One of the things I've always loved about living somewhere with four distinct seasons is that just about the time I've had my fill of one, another comes along and gives me something new to enjoy. I love the first really warm days of spring, the long evenings of summer, the quiet beauty of winter, and just about everything in between. Having lived in different places, I've come to appreciate how each season has its own personality, no matter where you happen to call home.
But there's something especially wonderful about fall here in southeastern Minnesota.
Maybe it's because the changes happen so quickly. One morning, I look outside and notice a little yellow creeping into the trees. A few days later, there's red and orange mixed in, and before long, the hills around Big Raven Farm look completely different from the way they did just a week earlier. Some years, the colors are so beautiful that I find myself stopping in the middle of whatever I'm doing just to look around. I know it's coming every year, and it still manages to surprise me.
Fall also changes how I spend my days, including the time I spend on my yoga mat. After a summer filled with outdoor projects, gardens, and long afternoons, I start looking forward to being inside a little more. I think about soups and homemade bread, creative projects I've been meaning to tackle, and finding a sunny place in the house where I can unroll my mat. I rather like that my yoga practice changes along with everything else.
The Best Part of Living Somewhere with Four Seasons
I've never been particularly good at choosing a favorite season. Ask me in October, and I'll probably tell you it's fall. Ask me again when the lilacs are blooming in May, and there's a good chance I'll change my answer.
In spring, I love watching everything come back to life. There's a particular excitement that comes with seeing the first green shoots appear and knowing the gardens will soon be full again. Summer brings long days, warm evenings, and plenty of opportunities to spend time outdoors. Even winter has its charms, especially when snow covers the fields and everything looks wonderfully clean and peaceful.
By October, we still have beautiful sunny afternoons, but without the heat of July. The trees are full of color, the gardens are winding down, and the light takes on a softness that makes even familiar places look a little different.
I especially love those afternoons when the sun is warm enough to sit outside comfortably, but there's just enough chill in the air to remind me what month it is.
It's also a lovely time to practice yoga. I enjoy having the option of taking my mat outside when the weather cooperates, but there's something equally appealing about bringing it indoors and stretching while the afternoon sun comes through the windows. Both have their advantages, and I'm happy to enjoy whichever one suits the day.
Watching the Farm Change Almost Overnight
Living at Big Raven Farm means I get a front-row seat to the seasons.
The Driftless Area is beautiful any time of year, but fall puts on quite a show. The hillsides become a patchwork of colors, and the trees seem to change a little every time I look at them. There's always something new happening outside, even as the growing season comes to an end.
Our gardens have a completely different personality in October. The flowers that were so full and colorful in summer are giving way to seed heads, dried stems, and the last few determined blooms. Some plants are still putting on a show, while others have clearly decided they're finished for the year.
I rather like that combination. The shapes and textures become more noticeable, and things that were hidden behind leaves and flowers all summer suddenly stand out. I find myself appreciating plants that I might have overlooked a few months earlier because something else was blooming nearby.
Maybe that's part of why I'm drawn to botanical artwork and natural designs when we're creating yoga mats for Big Raven Yoga. I spend so much time looking at what's growing around me that it's hard not to be influenced by it. A leaf, an interesting branch, or an unexpected combination of colors can catch my attention and stay with me long after I've gone back inside.
Of course, enjoying the gardens also means taking care of them. By fall, there's plenty to clean up, cut back, and prepare before winter arrives. I enjoy the work, but after an afternoon of bending, reaching, and hauling things around, my back and shoulders usually have a few opinions about how I've spent my time.
That's when unrolling my yoga mat starts sounding like a particularly good idea.
What Fall Changes About My Yoga Practice
One thing I appreciate about yoga is that it doesn't have to look the same every day. I certainly don't expect it to look the same throughout the year.
During summer, being outside and moving around the farm keeps me pretty active. There's gardening, walking, and any number of things that need attention. In fall, I'm still doing plenty outdoors, but I also spend more time inside working on creative projects or sitting at my computer.
After a few hours at a table, I can usually tell exactly how long I've been sitting. My shoulders get tight, my back reminds me that I haven't moved much, and getting down on my yoga mat suddenly seems far more appealing than it did an hour earlier.
Sometimes I want to stretch my back and legs after working in the gardens. Other days, I might spend more time moving my shoulders, opening up my chest, or doing a few familiar yoga poses that feel good after sitting too long. And there are days when I have plenty of energy and want something more active.
I don't have a particular set of poses reserved for fall. I prefer choosing what feels comfortable based on how I've spent my day rather than following the same routine regardless of what my body is telling me.
Where I practice changes, too.
I've used a hallway in my own home when there wasn't room anywhere else, or when I simply didn't feel like venturing outside. It wasn't a beautiful, dedicated yoga space, but there was enough floor space to roll out my mat and move around. That was all I needed.
In October, I'm particularly fond of finding somewhere with natural light. A spot that might not have interested me much during summer becomes much more inviting when the afternoon sun is coming through the windows. I can stretch, move around, and occasionally look outside to see what's happening around the farm.
Sometimes I practice for twenty minutes. Other times, a few stretches are enough, especially if I'm heading back to something else I want to finish. I've also had those times when I intended to stretch for only a few minutes and ended up staying on the mat much longer because I was enjoying myself.
I wrote about this flexibility in The Anti-Schedule Challenge. There's value in having a routine, but I also like being able to make adjustments when life has other plans. Some days I have more time for yoga than others, and I've never seen much benefit in making myself feel guilty about that.
The Little Things I Look Forward to Every Fall
Coming inside after spending time outdoors on a fall afternoon is especially nice when the house smells like something good is cooking.
A big pot of soup, homemade bread, or something wonderful Darin has been making in the kitchen can make the entire house feel inviting. Having a husband who's a chef certainly doesn't hurt when it comes to enjoying the food side of fall.
I also look forward to bringing out sweaters, getting comfortable with a good book, and spending more time on creative projects. I even like the sound of leaves blowing around outside, although I'm considerably less enthusiastic when they all need to be cleaned up.
As the gardens wind down, I find myself thinking about projects that can spread out on a table, things I can work on a little at a time, or ideas that have been waiting for a chance to get started.
I love sitting down with a project and getting completely caught up in what I'm making. The trouble is, I can become so involved that I lose track of time. When I finally stand up, my neck and shoulders are usually quick to remind me that I probably should have moved around a little sooner.
Having my yoga mat nearby is useful on those days. A few gentle stretches or some easy movement can be a welcome break before I return to whatever I've been working on. I don't have to set aside an entire afternoon or follow a complicated routine. I can simply get up, move around, and give my body a change of position.
Of course, there are afternoons when a project has my full attention and yoga doesn't happen at all. I'm not going to pretend otherwise.
Fall is a busy season around here, even if the pace looks different from summer. Between taking care of the farm, preparing for retreats, working on artwork, and everything else that needs doing, there are plenty of ways to fill a day.
But I do enjoy finding those opportunities to spend time on my mat, particularly when the house is quiet and I have a little room to myself.
A Little Fall Inspiration from Big Raven Yoga
I suppose it's no surprise that the seasons influence some of the artwork we create for Big Raven Yoga.
I spend a lot of time looking at colors, patterns, plants, and interesting details in nature. Fall gives me plenty of inspiration, particularly when it comes to the richer, darker colors that begin appearing around the farm.
There are the obvious reds, oranges, and golds, but I also love the deep greens, rusty browns, muted purples, and almost-black shades you find in branches, seed pods, and plants that are finishing their growing season.
Those colors and details fit naturally with our Witchy Garden Collection.
I love the old-fashioned botanical feeling of these designs, along with their slightly mysterious personalities. They're different from some of the brighter, more playful artwork we've created, and that's part of what makes designing new collections interesting.
Working on the collection has also made me pay closer attention to the less obvious parts of the autumn landscape. It's easy to admire a hillside full of colorful trees, but there's wonderful inspiration in a dried flower head, a twisting branch, or a plant that's lost most of its leaves.
Those little details often interest me just as much as the bigger picture.
And while Witchy Garden feels particularly suited to fall, I don't believe a yoga mat needs to match the season. If you love bright summer flowers in January, enjoy them. If darker botanical artwork makes you happy in June, there's no reason to put it away.
I like creating a variety of designs because people have such different tastes. What catches my eye might be completely different from what catches yours, and that's exactly how it should be.
Enjoying Fall While It's Here
The thing about fall in Minnesota is that some of its prettiest moments don't last very long.
A hillside that looks spectacular this week might be nearly bare after a windy afternoon. Flowers that were still blooming yesterday can be finished after one frosty night. And that perfect October weather can change dramatically before you've had a chance to put away the garden tools.
I've learned to appreciate those beautiful days when they come along, because there's no guarantee we'll get another just like them.
Sometimes that means taking a walk to see the colors or spending a little extra time working outside. Other days, I might settle in with a creative project, enjoy something Darin has been cooking, or find a sunny place to unroll my yoga mat.
I like that yoga can be part of my day without needing to be the whole focus of it. A few stretches after working in the gardens, a longer practice on a quiet afternoon, or some time moving around after hours at my computer all fit comfortably into the way I spend my fall days.
And if you're finding yourself spending more time practicing yoga indoors as the seasons change, you might enjoy taking a look at our Big Raven Yoga collections. We create yoga mats featuring original artwork with plenty of personality, including our botanical-inspired Witchy Garden designs.
As for me, I'm going to enjoy the colors while they're still here, appreciate the changing light, and probably have another cup of coffee. There's still plenty to do around the farm before winter arrives, and I'd like to enjoy as much of fall as I can.
When winter does arrive, I'm sure I'll find plenty to love about that season, too.