September Growth Dose
Hello, September! The air is getting cooler, the sun is setting earlier, it’s that time of year again when summer starts to fade. I recently got back from a wonderful hiking trip with my friend in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. It felt really good to unplug and soak up time on the trails before the fall. What are you doing to embrace the end of the season?
As you enjoy the last warm days, and get ready for what the next season holds, here is your monthly dose of personal growth resources, guidance and inspiration:
Read
The Yamas & Niyamas: Exploring Yoga’s Ethical Practice
By Deborah Adele
If you are interested in yogic living that is beyond just the poses, this book is a wonderful places to start. Yoga goes far beyond physical fitness, and encompasses mental and spiritual practice as well. This book is an approachable and insightful explanation of the Yamas and Niyamas and how to incorporate them into a meaningful life. What are the Yamas and Niyamas?
Yamas: “A Sanskrit word which translates literally into the word ‘restraints’ and includes nonviolence, truthfulness, nonstealing, nonexcess, and nonpossessiveness.”
Niyamas: Translates into “‘observances,’ and include purity, contentment, self-discipline, self-study and surrender.”
Here is a wise snippet from the Nonviolence section of the book: "We need to know the difference between the fears that keep us alive and the fears that keep us from living. The first kind of fear is instinctual and built in us for survival. The second kind of fear is fear of the unfamiliar. The unfamiliar can become an abundant place for our exploration once we realize this fear lives only in our imagination. It is only our minds that have created the turmoil in our gut and kept us hostage to the possibility of our own lives."
Listen
Love Your Innate Goodness Meditation on Insight Timer
I recently recorded a guided meditation for Insight Timer (that you can listen to on the app or through your browser). Enjoy this 5-minute guided meditation to find stillness in your body, tap into your mindful breath, connect with yourself, and offer unconditional loving kindness to the light of your innate goodness.
Listen here or search for “Marissa Chastain” in the Insight Timer app.
Write
Take some time to journal about how you are feeling about the upcoming seasonal transition from summer to fall. What do you want to take with you into fall? What do you want to leave behind in summer? What do you want to focus on this season?
Do
Protect your energy this month. Say “no” to draining people and invitations. Prioritize and schedule time with yourself and for yourself. Make time each day to feed your spirit through meditation, yoga, walks, journaling, or whatever makes you feel most alive.
Ponder
What is possible for you this fall?
Wishing you a growth-filled September!
P.S. If you’d like to schedule a Connect & Reset coaching session with me to close out summer with reflection, and start fall with intention, you can find out more and book here.