WELCOMING THE BIG DARK
(And how yoga can help)

Today I took a walk in the rain. I had a lot on my to-do list and since the sun is setting on the early side of 5pm, this morning was my only chance of getting out. It was spitting when I put on my longest raincoat that covers my knees. I put the hood over my head and set out, noting that the hood did little to prevent the drizzle from almost immediately covering my face with a light sheen.

I feel like I was made for the Pacific Northwest. I grew up in the desert, but I was always pining for rainy days and green forests. When the summer monsoon season started in New Mexico every late summer, I would wait with anticipation for the afternoon rains that would come, sometimes for no more than 5 minutes, often torrential. I would go outside and stand in it, let it wash over me. Soon it would clear, there would be sun again and the world would be bathed in a vibrant glow.

Here, it’s something all together different. Once the fall rains really begin, it can feel somewhat constant – often simply drizzly, but soaking everything in a heavy dampness. Once the time changes and the sun starts setting before 5pm, we’ve descended into the big dark. It’s almost as if a giant has pulled a comforter over the whole region, the sky heavy and gray, the air thick with cold moisture. You know. It’s here now.

It’s extra important that we attend to our mental health here in darker months. For many, it’s a difficult time of year when the big dark descends. Here are some of my strategies (these tips are likely nothing new to those of you that are longtime PNW folks):

• Light candles. Not just in the evening, but in the gloomy afternoons. Create some light inside during these darker months!

• Cozy sweaters and socks. So many cozy socks. And heating pads. Anything that brings the warmth.

• Go outside anyway. Rain? Cold? Constant drizzle that soaks everything? As they say, there’s no bad weather, only bad clothes. Get your raincoat, your boots, get in nature and go for a walk. There’s so much life and color and vibrancy to see when you go out in it.

• Move your body and breathe! Here’s where our yoga practice comes in. Keep your joints mobile, your muscles working, your breath flowing. Join a class in person, or if you just can’t seem to get yourself out of the house, join one of our online classes. I promise you will feel better.

• Find ways to be in community! Another way yoga helps – moving and breathing and being with others is one simple way to feel the connection of community. Even in our online classes you have the opportunity to greet familiar faces and know that you are practicing with others.

• Last but not least – can you welcome rather than resist the darker days? Remember that all of nature has cycles of darkness, including ourselves. We all need time for slowing, for hibernating, for resting. We know that light and warmer days are ahead.

With care,
Erin Joosse | she/her
Source Yoga | studio director

• Restorative Yoga with Live Music – THIS FRIDAY – 1 spot left
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• Intro to Yoga 3 Week Series with Megan begins December 1st
• Kirtan with special guests Rob and Melissa, Sunday, December 7th

• SAVE THE DATE
  • Source Yoga Journal Release and Holiday Party December 13th, 1-3pm
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  • New Year’s Eve Sound Bath with Andrea December 31st