Breathe into the Fall Energy

What do you experience when the seasons change?

As of September 22nd, we officially moved into Fall Season in the northern hemisphere and it's always a good time for an energy check-in.

Fall is an opportunity to be more present as the days grow shorter and the nights longer.
This can be a time for personal growth, healing, and spiritual development for all of us - but for some of us, it means back into that fall funk.

It's ok to be there, and here's how to allow it to be, and to see it as part of your healing cycle and not a fallback.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, this is the season of grief and letting go. I co-hosted the Sacred Seasons – Fall event on the 22nd, and it always brings ease, clarity and even excitement for this season, and I'd love to share some insights with you.

I have chosen to embrace GRACE this season. In the past, my subconscious tried to outrun or outwit the fall funk, forgetting that emotions deserve to be honored. I now allow myself to step into a natural shift in energy towards introspection and inner work during this season.

Fall is the season to honor grief and sadness. Let's embrace these emotions when they arise, but not give them power. 

I have been doing much better at being present and breathing into my emotions. Truly honoring the feeling of them. In the past, I may have hurried and attempted to “tap” the emotion away. Yes, it worked, but I have found that breathing into and “allowing” feels more sacred. It’s more expansive for me if I have to capacity to do it.

This practice has become my beautiful dance with presence and GRACE. I have chosen to set time for this as one of my Fall Rituals.

Try it out and see how your energy shifts!

Fall Ritual Practice:

· Allow yourself to get still and feel your body. Notice any discomfort.

· Question the emotion affiliated with the discomfort. If you cannot label the emotion simple call it “discomfort” in your mind’s eye.

· Measure on a scale of zero to 10 how uncomfortable this emotion or discomfort is,10 being the most uncomfortable. This will allow you to see how powerful your breath can be. I have found the higher you can get the number the more we can get the pendulum to swing the other way.

· Focus your energy on your heart center and breathe with your heart. See yourself inhaling through the front and back of your heart space and exhaling through the front and back of your heart space. As you breathe see and feel that energy getting bigger and bigger allow yourself to tap into that loving compassion for your essence.

· Observe this energy you're allowing it to get bigger and bigger.

· Once this energy feels full in your body, quietly say to yourself, "I breathe into this emotion/discomfort." And see the breath going into that space on your body. Feel it going into that space and continue to breathe into that space until you feel a shift.

· Once you feel the shift remeasure the feeling, and if there is not a significant amount of movement I would add the butterfly tap technique to this routine and see if maybe you can go a little deeper to find out the underlying cause of the emotion to tap into that energy a little bit more.

· Continue this practice until you have significant movement within your energy.

Please also allow yourself to become aware of the shifts in any physical pain that you may have been experiencing. A lot of times that physical pain is associated with stuck emotions and by honoring the emotion and breathing through it it truly helps to clear that dense frequency.

As an additional practice this month I encourage you to breathe in into any challenging moments that you find yourself dealing with during the day. Our breath is so much more powerful than we give it credit for. My husband can always tell when I'm working through something based on my deep breaths.

Also, simple mindful breathing is a great way to keep your energy centered. Try these step-by-step instructions for the Box Breathing technique and 4-7-8 breathing, and let me know which technique helps you!

Box Breathing Technique

Box breathing is a simple yet effective breathing technique that can help reduce stress, anxiety, and improve focus. It involves inhaling, holding, exhaling, and holding in a rhythmic pattern, creating a square shape on a graph when visualized.

Here's how to do it:

1. Inhale: Slowly inhale through your nose for a count of four seconds.

2. Hold: Hold your breath for a count of four seconds.

3. Exhale: Slowly exhale through your mouth for a count of four seconds.

4. Hold: Hold your breath again for a count of four seconds.

Repeat this cycle several times, adjusting the count as needed to find what works best for you.

Visualization Tip: Imagine drawing a square on a piece of paper. Each side of the square represents one of the four steps: inhale, hold, exhale, and hold.

Benefits of Box Breathing:

· Reduces stress and anxiety

· Improves focus and concentration

· Calms the nervous system

· Promotes relaxation

Remember: Box breathing is a simple technique that can be practiced anywhere, anytime. Give it a try and see how it affects your overall well-being.

4-7-8 breathing

Another example of mindful breathing is 4-7-8 breathing. This technique involves inhaling for a count of four, holding for a count of seven, and exhaling for a count of eight.

Here's a breakdown:

1. Inhale: Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose for a count of four.

2. Hold: Hold your breath for a count of seven.

3. Exhale: Exhale slowly and completely through your mouth for a count of eight.

Repeat this cycle several times.

This technique calms your body and reduces stress hormones by activating your parasympathetic nervous system. Repeat until you are aware that you feel calm and relaxed.

As you navigate your way through the fall feelings, remember that you are not alone! We all experience the ebb and flow of emotions, and it's okay to feel them. Embrace grace and honor your feelings, and may your rituals bring you peace, clarity, and a deeper connection to yourself.

Much Love,

Dena