These last few days of the year can often feel aimless and untethered. They are a wonderful opportunity for us to return to mindfulness practices in daily life to increase our sense of groundedness and presence in the moment. Engaging our senses in our daily activities is an easily accessible way to practice. Some ideas for practicing are noticing the scent of our soap or shampoo, tuning into the sensations of water running over our skin when washing or the texture of clothing, furniture, or bedding, savoring the first sip or taste of a beverage or bite of food, allowing our gaze to rest on an object or image and observe without needing to label or understand, or pausing to listen to the sounds around us. Try out some of these ideas or others you think of a few times a day, take a few deep breaths as you practice, and notice how the practice impacts you.

This week many of our friends and neighbors are celebrating Hanukkah and its celebration of light amidst the darkness. They are doing so with heavy hearts as we continue to face and process violence on many fronts both at home and abroad. Through our words and actions we can contribute to peace and community building or we can contribute to hatred and violence. We each make choices every day to build the world we want to live in. I encourage you to be the light of kindness, understanding, acceptance, and joy, to honor and value every life, and to do the good in front of you each moment of each day. Let us close out this year as we mean to begin the next.

On this day after Thanksgiving I am reflecting on the joy of gathering with those I love and sadness of missing those who were elsewhere or who are no longer with us. Consequently, my heart feels both full and aching. I am practicing being with my emotions, breathing in and breathing out, letting smiles bloom and tears fall as they rise. Allowing ourselves the full range of what is encompassed in the present moment is often difficult both due to societal and family expectations as well as the demands of our lives. Holding myself in my own heart is a gift I am offering myself today. I hope you can take a few moments to do the same.

This week’s New Moon in Scorpio has brought an intense energy pushing us to face challenges and issues that we may have put on the back burner. Many people may be feeling unsettled or cranky as a result. It can be easy to default into resistance when difficult emotions and situations arise. However, once we notice our resistance, we can pause, breathe, and make a choice about how to move forward. Acknowledging the difficulties while at the same time finding beauty, love, and joy in them can help us to find a greater sense of balance in the moment rather than being overwhelmed by it. Each time we find ourselves resisting is an opportunity to practice, to learn a little more about ourselves, and to offer ourselves lovingkindness and compassion. Celebrating when we notice we’ve gone down the rabbit hole again is an opportunity to both honor our wisdom of noticing, to breathe, and to try something different.

As the days continue to get shorter I have noticed my body yearning to follow the rhythm of the light, spending time in the midday sunshine, finding time for solitude, and going to bed earlier. While it isn’t always possible to completely synchronize our schedules with the season, exploring small ways to slow down, rest more, and turn inward are ways we can honor the rhythm of the season. Rather than continuing with our habitual routines, we can pause to check in with ourselves about what may serve us better during this time of increasing darkness. As we move closer toward the winter solstice, slowing down and caring for ourselves allows us to nurture the light within us and let it be our guide.

Today I am reflecting on the fragility of life and how mindfulness practices support us in being present in the moment for the fullness of our lives. I encourage you to spend a few moments each day fully experiencing a cherished person in your life. Savoring the uniqueness of their image, their touch, their scent, the sound of their voice or their laugh. Give yourself permission to soak up what makes them who they are and how being with them makes you feel. The only moment we are promised is the one we are in right now.

This week I have been thinking about community and how connection and mutual support are essential components of our well-being. Many of us will be connecting with and supporting others this weekend through celebrations of Halloween and Dio de los Muertos.

We have shifted into Scorpio season with its sensitive energy and opportunity for introspection. This correlates with our moving deeper into fall bringing shorter, cooler days and longer, cozy nights. Following the rhythm of the seasons is something we have moved away from in our modern culture, yet we are still of the earth and our internal rhythms are tied to it.

I recently came across the quote above and was reminded, again, of the power of my daily yoga practice. Every time I roll out my mat I am showing up for myself. Each movement and breath gives me information about myself physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

Today I filled my cup by spending time with a dear friend on a hike. As we ventured out we heard a warbling sound that we couldn’t identify. We swept the area searching for the source and finally looked up higher into the sky to see a large flock of birds swirling above us. Using an app we discovered they were Sandhill Cranes. We were in awe of the sound they made and the beauty of their flight. As the first group began to fly away we saw another large flock flying in V formation making the same beautiful warbling sound.

This week we are exploring the final Niyama, Ishvara Pranidhana, translated as dedication to the highest. It is about turning to and honoring the sacred in our lives, in whatever form that takes for each of us. I associate moments of awe and wonder with Ishvara Pranidhana.

The Niyama we are exploring this week is Tapas, typically translated as austerity or discipline. Tapas represents the heat, passion, and discipline of learning or change in our lives. It is committing to ourselves and applying the energy and focus to achieve that which we seek, whether it relates to our yoga practice or some other aspect of our lives.

This week the Niyama we are exploring is Santosha, typically translated as contentment. Santosha is about practicing contentment with or acceptance of the present moment without striving for something different or wishing it away. On the mat we can practice by honoring our bodies as they are with gentleness and kindness and releasing judgement and expectations. Off the mat we can practice through being mindful of our consumption, desire to have more, or to reach whatever version of perfect we hold in our minds. It can be acknowledging the glimmers of light and joy amidst difficulty and holding that as our truth in the moment.

Over the past few weeks I have shared about the 5 Yamas in yogic philosophy, which we strive to avoid or restrain from in our practice. This week we will move on to the Niyamas, which are concepts we strive toward in our practice.

This week’s yama is Brahmacharya, translated as energy moderation or preservation of vital energy. Historically, Brahmacharya has often been interpreted to mean celibacy, but can be more generally applied to how we use our energy across the board. We can practice by using mindful awareness to notice how much energy we are expending in various aspects of our lives, including our asana practice, doom scrolling on social media, interpersonal relationships, or the food, media, or music we take in.

This week’s yama is Aparigraha, translated as non-grasping or non-hoarding. In western culture we are encouraged to have all the latest things and lots of them, so practicing Aparigraha can often feel quite challenging. When we feel driven or compelled by our need to have “things,” it can be a signal for us to check in with ourselves about what is beneath our desires. Mindfulness practices such as pausing and taking a breath or two before taking action can support us in our practice to resist the impulsive, reactive actions and respond thoughtfully or delay our gratification. When we have too much, we become focused on maintaining or protecting what we have, often grasping greedily rather than experiencing what we have with gratitude and practicing letting it go when it no longer serves us. Remembering that we are enough as we are regardless of the things we have is an essential part of practicing Aparigraha.

As we are living in a time where an extremely small number of people hold the most of the wealth in the world while millions of others go without minimal basic needs, the concept of this week’s yama, Asteya, is quite relevant. Asteya is translated non-stealing and responsibility, including not stealing material items and wealth from others as well as time, energy, ideas, etc. Practicing asteya leads us to take on the responsibility of reflecting on what we truly need, to be mindful in what we purchase and ask of others, and to increase our awareness of how our words and behaviors impact others so we are not stealing their joy, strength, confidence, or wealth.

The Yama we are focusing on this week is Satya, translated as truthfulness. Truthfulness involves honoring our own inner wisdom, being willing to expand our perspective and understanding, and being honest in our words and deeds.