Finding Stability Amidst Change

Welcome to week two of our continuing discussion of change!

While I was studying abroad in Denmark, I found the white sand beaches of my host neighborhood to be a steady, grounding presence.

How Does Stability Support Change?

Just as transformation can be driven by seemingly opposing forces, 

Navigating  change requires a degree of stability. Practically speaking, this can come from maintaining healthy habits such as eating nutritious meals and getting enough sleep, ensuring you’re prepared for whatever the day may bring. 

Practicing mindfulness is another effective way to find stability amidst change. By being mindful, you can better observe your thoughts, distinguishing between those worth believing and those rooted in fear or anxiety. In the present moment, you can also discover strength and energy for your transformation by acknowledging your feelings and learning what your body is communicating – perhaps you’re on the verge of burn out and need to slow down. Or perhaps you are holding yourself back due to old fears. 

Additionally, reading a physical book can be a very grounding practice. The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle is an excellent resource for learning about mindfulness. As a bonus benefit of reading, according to Scientific American, flipping through the pages of a physical text helps your brain to ground information in a mental landscape, making the material more intuitive to understand.

Grounding rituals can be simple. I loved having dinner with my host family, where we would  regroup and relax over delicious food. Pictured: the dining table at Stammershalle Badehotel

Grounding Through Vedic Practices

Early fall marks the beginning of Vata season. According to Ayurveda, a practice complementary to yoga, the Doshas – or energetic forces of nature- include Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. Vata has the qualities of lightness, mobility, and dryness. Picture dry leaves crunching underfoot as the first chill breeze fills your lungs. This energy can be refreshing and invigorating, especially if you are prone to lethargy and heaviness – traits associated with the watery, grounded Kapha energy.  However, balance is key. Too much fluttering Vata energy can lead to feelings of anxiety or ungroundedness. 

Now imagine your favorite Fall foods. Maybe you love butternut squash soup and hot apple cider from the farmers market. Or perhaps you love classics Thanksgiving dishes such as pumpkin pie, mashed sweet potatoes, and roast turkey with thyme and rosemary. These are all warming, soft, moist, and sweet foods, reflecting Kapha qualities which help balance out Vata. 

Grounding poses in any yoga practice – whether it’s a slow Yin flow or a classic Sui Soul class – can also help you find stability and view the shifting landscape around you with greater clarity. Notice how it feels to be still in Tree Pose (Vrksasana) and Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II) during your next Sui class. These poses can help you to cultivate stability and strength this season and through any changes in your life. 

Journal prompt: Identify areas in your life where you feel unsteady. What practices help you find stability?

The botanical garden in Copenhagen was another wonderful spot to find peace and stability.

We hope that Sui Yoga’s beautiful home in SoHo serves as a grounding place for you to find strength and stability this September. See you on your mat!

Sources

• Banyan Botanicals (you can take the dosha quiz here to learn about your Ayurvedic body type!)