Navaratri – Alessandra Pecorella / Vinyasa Flow Yoga

2.29 am GMT today: Autumn Equinox. New Moon Approaching. Blessings.

I have been ritually honouring the turning points of time ( beginning of a new month, cross-quarters , Equinoxes and Solstices ) on the wheel of the year since an early age – my teens! – in a very spontaneous and nearly religious way, that was dictated only by that inherent connection with nature that we all have as kids.

All transitions in and out of the season are cardinal points of the year and carry a special energy. We can consciously decide to embrace and embody these transitions ( Vinyasas of the Sun and the Moon !) as a ritual, to honour the cosmological flowing of time. Or we can decide to ignore this intelligence built into the cosmos and isolate ourselves from it, going against the grain.

Nature is intrinsically intelligent. Consequentially if we learn to attune our inner clock to its universal micro (hourly/ daily/weekly/ ) and macro cycles ( season/yearly/solar and monthly /lunar) we maximise our chances to live our lives to the fullest, in a happy, enriching and harmonious fashion.

Autumn calls for renewal in the form of letting go. We are urged to reorganise our inner and outer space as thoughts , routines, relationships, and projects . This season calls for inner focus and organised effort, we get to gather all our inner strength and skilfully prepare to approach the end of the year.

Durga: Goddess of Autumn, kills the demon Mahishasura

As this is quite a turning point we get an extra boost of power from the mighty Durga, The Invincible, that represents the courage that comes from staying connected to one’s heart, the impulse to protect ourselves from negative habits and the force to eradicate them and replace them with good ones.

This is the right time to act with more integrity and resolution to and to embrace change if change is needed. Continue reading “Autumn Equinox Sadhana: Inner Revolution with Durga’s fierce vigour.” →

Happy Ekadasi. Twice a month in the Vedic Lunar Calendar ( and 24 times in the cycle of a solar year) is EKADASi… Ekadasi falls twice in a Lunation ( Lunar month , is calculated as a cycle of 30 days) and it is the perfect time of the month to embrace fasting. Normally a cycle of fasting would last for four consecutive days from Ekadasi to the day before Full Moon or to the day of New Moon. Fasting is not recommended if you are pregnant, on your moon or you are ill. Ekadasi is an auspicious day for fasting and this is the right time of the year for cleansing to be aligned with the flow of Spring. Ekadasi means ( eka= 1 and Dasi = 10 1+10 = 11 ) the 11th day of the Calendar Month, before FULL or to NEW MOON .

Fasting, in the tradition, is a sacred observance that is practiced to reclaim your state of inner balance with the cycles of Nature. It is a powerful inner medicine way of healing all diseases and rekindle Agni, your digestive power. Fasting also lightens the body, relieves toxins , cleanses and nourishes all your tissues and cells and strengthened your innate intelligence. Continue reading “Ekadasi: Auspicious time for fasting and other Vedic and Ayurvedic practices for Spring Time.” →