At The Yoga Space, we honor both movement and stillness, effort and ease — cultivating a practice that supports not just the body, but the mind, heart, and spirit.

As the season shifts and the air begins to cool, we invite you to step into our Fall Seasonal Flow — a grounding practice designed to gather your energy, honor your growth, and prepare for the inward journey ahead.

This season calls for thoughtful integration, rooted presence, and quiet strength — In late summer, the earth is full—bending with the weight of what’s been growing all season long. Fields are golden. Trees are full. The garden is alive with the reward of steady tending. This is the season of harvest—a time to gather what you’ve grown and honor your effort.

But nature doesn’t stop here.

After the gathering comes the sorting.
We compost the husks. We save the seeds.
Some we’ll use now. Some we’ll bury for the future. And some we’ll let go, knowing they’ve run their course.

The trees begin to do the same.
As the days shorten and the air cools, they begin releasing their leaves, not out of loss, but wisdom. They know what to keep and what to let return to the earth.
They send their energy inward—not to disappear, but to prepare.

Its a refinement of energy. The discipline of honoring cycles. The quiet strength to discern what stays and what must go.

So we practice like the earth—
Harvesting the fruits of our labor.
Rooting down into what sustains us.
Letting go of what we no longer need.
Saving the sacred seeds for another season.

🍂 Let your practice reflect this rhythm: anchor through the breath, move with presence, and root down. This is more than a transition—it’s an invitation to prepare space for wisdom, clarity, and warmth to emerge from within.

🔥 SEPTEMBER — Digest & Transform: Acknowledge the effort and intention behind your growth

🛡️ Durga and the Buffalo Demon: Power with Purpose. Long ago, the gods were overwhelmed. A wild, shape-shifting demon named Mahishasura was wreaking havoc — no one could defeat him. He was too cunning, too powerful, too chaotic.

So the gods did something radical.
They combined their power, their wisdom, their strength —
And from this collective force, Durga was born.

Radiant and fierce, riding a lion with ten arms each holding divine weapons, Durga did not flinch.
She met Mahishasura in battle — not with rage, but with clarity and grace.
Even as he transformed into a lion, a man, a buffalo — she stayed centered.

At last, she struck the final blow.
Not just to destroy him — but to restore harmony.

Durga reminds us: true power doesn’t dominate.
It arises when we are whole — bold, compassionate, and unshaken by chaos.

Theme: Integrate, Refine, Transform
Chakras: Sacral (Svadhisthana) + Solar Plexus (Manipura)
Dosha Influence: Pitta lingers, Vata increases — transformation & imbalance possible
Ayurvedic Focus: Agni (digestive fire), core strength, clearing heat
Myth: Durga slaying Mahishasura — reclaiming personal power, facing chaos
Yogic Principle: Tapas (discipline) + Svadhyaya (self-study) 

ASANA: Peak Pose: Revolved Triangle
Signature Transition: Pyramid → Revolved Triangle (digest + twist from experience)

🧘‍♀️ Postures:

• Chair

• Pyramid

• Revolved Triangle

• Revolved Crescent

• Boat Pose

• Camel (gentle)

✨ Mantra: “I transform my experience into embodied wisdom.”

🌀 Intentional Energy: Burn through what’s no longer aligned. Strengthen the core — physically and emotionally.

🔥 Tapas (तपस्) – A Niyama

Definition:
Tapas comes from the root word “tap,” meaning “to heat” or “to burn. ” It refers to self-discipline, inner fire, and the willingness to move through discomfort for the sake of growth.

Sutra II.43: "Kāyendriya-siddhir aśuddhi-kṣayāt tapasah"
“Through tapas, the body and senses are purified, and strength is gained.”

🌿 Deeper Meaning:
Tapas invites us to:
– Cultivate commitment and consistency in our practice
– Embrace challenge as a catalyst for transformation
– Burn away distractions, ego, and old habits
– Show up even when motivation fades

I want to take a moment to talk about discipline—a word that often carries a harsh or rigid energy. But in the context of yoga, discipline is something much deeper, something sacred.

Yoga is the art of living.
And like any art, it asks for our presence, our attention, our devotion. Discipline in this sense isn’t about gritting your teeth or pushing through pain to prove your worth. It’s about showing up—again and again—not because you have to, but because something within you longs to grow, to deepen, to remember.

In yogic philosophy, we call this Tapas—the inner fire.
Not a fire that burns us out, but a fire that refines.
It’s the steady heat that softens what’s rigid, that clears away what no longer serves, that strengthens us from the inside out.

As Alan Watts once said,

“When you’re learning to dance, you don’t begin with the notion that you must get it right. You begin with play — with curiosity. And slowly, with repetition and attention, it becomes something beautiful.”

That’s what real discipline feels like: not forced, but invited. Not rigid, but alive. It’s what allows us to stay connected—to keep showing up for ourselves, for each other, and for this life we’re learning to move through with grace.

So whether you’re on the mat or off it, let your discipline be rooted in love, not lack.
Let it be the sacred rhythm that carries you forward.
One breath, one movement, one moment at a time.

🔥 Tapas is how we transform.

📖 Svādhyāya (स्वाध्याय) – A Niyama

Definition:
Svādhyāya means “self-study” or “study of the self.”
“sva” = self, “adhyāya” = study or lesson

Sutra II.44: "Svādhyāyāt iṣṭa-devatā saṁprayogaḥ"
“From self-study arises connection with one’s chosen divine or higher Self.”

🌿 Deeper Meaning:
Svādhyāya invites us to:
– Reflect honestly on our thoughts, behaviors, and patterns
– Study sacred texts that awaken deeper truths
– Observe the mind with curiosity, not judgment
– Learn from life’s experiences with humility

Svādhyāya is — about tuning in. It’s a call to know ourselves intimately so we can live with greater clarity, authenticity, and alignment.

🍂 A Personal Note to Close

As the leaves fall and the air turns inward, I’m reminded that this path — like the seasons — is never linear. I may be the one offering these stories and flows, but I’m learning right alongside you. Each class, each breath, each conversation at The Yoga Space teaches me something new about surrender, strength, and what it means to live fully awake in our bodies and hearts.

This season, as we gather what we've grown and begin to prepare for what’s next, I hope you know how much your presence matters. Whether you're stepping onto your mat for the first time or the hundredth, you're part of something sacred — a living, breathing community rooted in intention, reflection, and care.

Join me each month for new moon check-ins, they offer a quiet space for honest self-assessment — a time to acknowledge where we are, what we truly need, and what is ready to be nurtured with care and intention.

Thank you for trusting this space with your practice.
Thank you for letting yoga meet you exactly where you are.
And thank you for allowing me to grow with you.

With gratitude and steady breath,
Noelle