The Wisdom of the Seasons: Using Seasonal Energy to Guide Your Yoga and Wellbeing
Staying balanced and vibrant as the seasons change isn’t always easy—while some of us thrive in the warmth of summer or the crispness of autumn, others find their energy aligns best with spring’s renewal or winter’s rest.
Before I moved to Norway I considered myself a summer person, it’s the time of year I feel most energized and after the dark winter months the light is a wonderful balm.
In recent years, I’ve explored the seasons through the lens of the Wheel of the Year, a calendar rooted in the seasonal changes and festivals of pagan tradition. This journey has enables me to deepen my connection to the spiritual and energetic rhythms of the seasons. Integrating simple rituals and seasonal routines into each day have allowed me to honor what’s happening in nature and align my energy with it. These practices have helped me tune into my physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual needs, allowing me to move through each season with greater harmony instead of resistance.
The Wheel of the Year is based in pagan traditions. It focuses on nature’s cycles and is divided into eight festivals, called Sabbats. These Sabbats celebrate the solstices, equinoxes, and the midpoints between them.
The Wheel of the Year aligns with the solar cycle and the changing seasons. Its dates are based on natural events, like the longest day (summer solstice) or the midpoint of winter. This is different from the Gregorian calendar, which is a fixed date system for marking months and years.
As we move from autumn into the depths of winter, from Samhain towards Yule we can take our cue from nature as she shows us how to shift gears. The energy of Samhain is reflective and inward, encouraging us to honour endings and the wisdom of the past.
Notice the glimmers
As Yule approaches, we start to notice glimmers of new beginnings and the return of the light, but it’s still a time of rest and restoration.
This transition is all about slowing down, conserving energy, and tuning into the natural cycles around us. It’s the perfect time to nurture our wellbeing and prepare for the renewal that follows winter.
We can take this opportunity to nurture and support our wellbeing holistically as we move from Samhain energy of release into the glimmer of light and new beginnings symbolised in Yule time.
Slow Down Your Yoga
Try yin yoga or restorative yoga. In your home practice focus on poses that ground you, like child’s pose, seated forward folds, and legs up the wall.
Make time for regular Yoga Nidra (daily if possible) to keep you rested and feeling rejuvenated. Try this grounding Nidra
Experience a sound bath for deep relaxation and restoration.
Experience Reiki Energy
During this darker, quieter time, reiki can help release energetic blocages helping bring balance of mind, body and spirit. Book a session or do self reiki if you are attuned to the energy of reiki. Self-reiki is a peaceful ritual to end the day
Meditate
A simple meditation tapping into Samhain energy to reflect on what you’re ready to release, such as old habits, worries, or limiting beliefs. Try simply visualizing leaves falling from a tree, representing what you’re letting go of, with each exhale see the leaves release and float to the ground
A meditation to prepare for Yule may be to shift your focus to cultivating inner light. Sit quietly with a candle or imagine a warm light growing within you, representing hope and renewal.
Breathwork
Find calm and clariey with focused breathwork
Extended exhales to calm your nervous system and match the slower energy of the season.
4-7-8 breath (inhale for 4, hold for 7, exhale for 8) can help with deeper rest and relaxation during these darker, introspective months.
Nourish yourself during autumn and winter
Include more warm food and soups into your diet.
Drink herbal teas, such as cinnamon, ginger, or chamomile.
Connect with Nature
Take Nature Walks as often as possible- wrap up and take mindful walks in nature, even in the cold. Notice the stillness around you, the bare trees, and the crisp air—it’s nature’s reminder that rest is essential.
Journaling
Reflect on the past year – the energy of Samhain invites introspection. As Yule approaches, write about your hopes and intentions for the return of the light. This is such a great thing to put your mind to now. When the new year comes you will be clear on where your focus will be and not feeling caught up with the flurrry of new Years resolutions, often made in the moment and rarely last beyond the first few weeks of the year.
Create a Simple Yule Ritual
Intentionally decorate your space with natural evergreens (symbolizing life even in the darkest days) and light a candle to symbolize the sun’s return.