Hi friends,

With back to school excitement in the air, fall is the perfect time to refocus. Here are a few ideas to help bring a little more calm this season.

xoxo,

Sukey

It's a common paradox: you've finally got a few moments to yourself to relax or meditate, but your thoughts refuse to be silent. Mind chatter plagues us all, but yoga is here to help. In fact, some say that yoga is the stilling of this mind chatter.

While some see yoga as merely an exercise trend or even a religion, it is often said that yoga has more to do with psychology. Think of your yoga practice as a form of mental training and begin to collect yogic tools that will help you in moments of mental chaos as well as in growing periods of mental clarity. Start with these simple actions.

Let go. Releasing preconceived notions is the first step to accomplishing most goals. You must let go of your expectations for quieting your mind chatter before you can let go of the chatter itself. Just starting a meditation practice? Don't set a time limit. Sit with yourself and see what happens.

Take it to the mat. During yoga class, let go of your past experiences of each pose and let the pose be brand new. Don't try to simulate a remembered physical or visual sensation stored away in the grey matter of your mind. Simply accept each action the teacher describes in the present moment.

Practice. Once the skill of letting go during your physical yoga practice becomes second nature, take it into your everyday. Approach work projects and social gatherings with the same presence of mind and open heart with which you greet yoga poses. The worries and lists swirling around your psyche will slowly fall away and you will be free to dwell on that which is most important: right now.

The Well Wisdom: Yoga strengthens us physically as well as mentally. If your thoughts are running a mile a minute because of a stressful or chaotic situation in your life, summon the strength you feel in a pose like Warrior I. Try this powerful yoga sequence to help you face your most difficult moments.