This is the first fall season I will be spending in the tropics for the entire duration. My body is remembering the excitement of the leaves beginning to turn orange and yellow and the smell of pumpkin spice at coffee shops. There are seasons in the tropics of Costa Rica as well, just a bit different. We are coming into “Rainy season.” Appropriately named because, well… it rains, a lot. It is only starting to rain here and for the most part, we have been lucky I hear from the locals. We had one torrential downpour 2 weeks ago and then it’s only been scattered showers since. I love it when it rains here. Since our place is only screened in and there are no windows and earth walls, we get to experience the thunder storms with incredible surround sound. It’s amazing. Rainy season is also known as, “Green season,” also aptly named because everything comes to life here when it rains. The forest is lush with reverent fervor. There is this magical hummingbird who sips from the blossoms every day, literally drinking in the beauty. Fall is also a great time of reflection as it brings in external and internal changes. Here are some of the ways I honor the, “Season of Change,” no matter where I am in the world.
- Self love. Change can bring restlessness and irritability, fear and resistance. Breathing into the moment and going with the cycles of change with self love make change a miraculous unfolding. Remember, God wouldn’t bring you to it, without bringing you through it.
- Pumpkin Spice, Vanilla, Cinnamon, & Nutmeg. I put it in everything and anything. I love adding it to coffee, quinoa/oats, banana mush. Your favorite fall spices are really good for your system as well, read more on this here.
- Pumpkin Seeds. I love roasting pumpkin seeds in the oven and playing around with new healthy treats like this healthy carrot bread. The heat from the oven on those cooler fall days is a nice bonus.
- Meditation. Being still through change brings a greater perspective with non-attachment! See what I have to say about meditation here.
- In Ayurveda, we suggest cleansing every season and eat foods that are locally grown in that season for optimal health. See here for suggestions.
- Marathons/Triatholons. All of that hard work has paid off and most of you thon-ers are about to run/bike/swim through the finish line. Way to go!
- Gratitude. Gratitude has improved the way I live my life in the most profound way. When we find things to be grateful for, we can know no fear.
- Yoga. Create space in your day for yoga, even if it’s 5 minutes. Yoga helps you connect with your Divinity. A great reminder that you are eternal and this moment will come and it will go but you remain the mountain through the seasons.
- Family time. While being able to sit with you alone is important, the importance of establishing a sense of community is too. This of course means our roots but also our extended community. We all are so deeply connected. I know this and so I greet you into my family as so many of you have welcomed me into yours. In my personal journey I am looking to create more space for celebrating togetherness for the sake of being together. Aho.
- Staying inspired. What motivates you? What is that one thing you have been thinking about doing all year but haven’t started? Feel blocked? Find someone who has done what you are trying to do, ask them how they did it. Or start slowly, and ask yourself, “What is the first step of making this become my reality?” For instance, I always wanted to world travel and 5 years ago I realized that in order to get the ball rolling, I should get a passport, even if I did not have an itinerary. Taking that first step opened my creative center and began my initiation into what faith in action really means. Everything fell into place after that, it just took a beginning. If travel is something you have been thinking about doing, but haven’t made the leap, check out my upcoming retreat in Costa Rica! Explore the possibilities!
No matter where you are in the world, you can always stay inspired by fall. Every fall I am always brought to the song lyric by Bob Dylan, “And the times, they are a’ changing.” Fall, for me represents change with radical acceptance, breathing into the moment, and remember that the only constant is change.
What inspires you in the Fall season? I’d love to hear you!
With love and light
Alana Roach
CYT, RYT, Reiki, Life and Wellness Enthusiast, Writer, Globe Trotter
Alana’s love for yoga came from firsthand experience with just how powerful the practice is. “In 2009, Yoga found me. Inside the studio, she experienced a deep sense of belonging, but the most profound part was what happened after. “I felt as though I was at true peace. I finally knew what the word meant. Until that moment, I had just understood it cerebrally. There is something profound to be said about Peace dropping into the heart.”
What inspires me in the fall?
I get so anxious about change. I don’t sleep and my mind races. When I think about fall I think “Oh no the cold is coming!”. So I am forced in a way to face some of my fears or anxieties. I am inspired this fall to let those fears fall off me like the autumn leaves. Also, not only to let those fears fall away, but to take an honest look at them and change my perspective.