Autumn Retreat + 3 Practices to Support Seasonal Transition

Join me in Blausee for a Yoga and Self-Care Retreat. Centered around supporting you in developing awareness in your practice, taking the breaks you need and caring for yourself so you can resource and replenish from within. Learn more.

It feels good to reconnect with you again. I hope your summer was just as you needed it to be, and that time slowed down enough for your body and heart to receive, welcome, and appreciate the moments that mattered most.

I recently returned from Thailand, where I spent time immersed in restorative yoga and physiology teacher trainings, complementing the Therapeutic Restorative Yoga Teacher Training I’ve also been studying this year. These studies offered a wealth of insights from neuroscience, somatic awareness, trauma and somatic memory, the role of fascia in movement, Buddhism, Ayurvedic practices, and much more.

I’ll be sharing more with you, but for now, at the heart of it all is a question I keep circling back to, given that September has a certain pull, urging us toward new commitments and a more structured routine. This month fuels motivation and a can-do attitude, yet it can also carry a restless urgency, pushing us to meet deadlines and fulfill external goals before the year is out.

How can we release the tension we carry, the knots that creep in and tighten when we’re stressed, and gently listen to and meet what lies beneath?

When we begin to soften, it’s not unusual for old feelings or memories to surface. Tension often tries to protect us from the unknown or past experiences. Our practice, then, is not simply to relax (because it’s not always simple!), but to set conditions so that we can be present with what arises.

In this spirit, I’m sharing three simple, effective practices that have been supporting me lately. There are layers to this work, but to begin with, these offer gentle ways to reset when it all feels too much.

These practices do not avoid or run away from reality, but ask you to stay present and meet yourself with care, awareness, and compassion.

1. The only thing we can truly control is where we place our attention.

It’s a concept that has roots in Stoic philosophy, popularised more recently by Neuroscientist Andrew Huberman.

I’ve been using this as an anchor, giving my full attention to the simplest of moments, when I feel reactive.

• noticing the quality of my breath
• feeling the ground beneath my feet
• the weight of one foot pressing into a bike pedal, then the other
• shower water flowing down my spine
• after a lake swim, watching a large flock of geese move together across the water, then walk in single file, in an orderly fashion, across the lawn to rest.
• noticing how the layers of distant mountains seem to shift into different shades of blue beneath a pale sky

2. Find Awe in the Ordinary

September often brings a push toward striving. We live in a culture that rewards productivity and achievement, suggesting that our true happiness can only be found on the other side of significant success.

Yet, what is the point if we don’t have time for those simple, fluid, beautiful moments of joy and appreciation that are right within our reach:

The taste and aroma of a quiet cup of coffee in the morning. The breath of fresh air when you step outside. The hug you almost forgot to give. A warm smile to a stranger. The gentle yoga practice you weren’t in the mood for but did anyway. Finishing a small task you’ve been putting off for days. Finding stillness in the moment. Reading a few pages from a book. The sweet treat you share with another. Taking a 15-minute savasana in the middle of the day. The moment of gratitude before you sleep.

What would your 80-year-old self be proud that you noticed today?

3. A 15-Minute Reset (Better Than a Nap)

This was shared by one of our teacher trainers as her go-to when the days are full. Adopted by many of us during the short break between afternoon theory sessions in Thailand. It proved remarkably effective, shifting my energy — a true reset for the nervous system.

Put the timer on. Lie down for a 15-minute savasana (no longer than 20 mins). Simply rest on the floor with arms and legs relaxed, prop head or knees as needed — it releases fatigue in a surprisingly refreshing way.

If you’d like to share, let me know what felt helpful, I’d love you hear.

I’d be curious to know how they land for you.

Send me an email, if you’d like to share and I’ll respond. It’s always lovely to hear from you.

Join me and deepen your practices even further while immersing in the beauty and effortless ease of nature’s transitions,

Autumn reminds us that change is inevitable. This an invitation to explore celebrating autumn as a beginning rather than decline, cultivating absolute presence in order to become more resourced and resilient.

Please reach out with any questions and forward this invitation to anyone who may be interested or could benefit.

With warmth
Karen x

P.S. Enjoy a collection of pictures from my Thailand visit. Click through to see them all.