We of the Oversized Hearts

“Like the Hummingbird, an animal with the largest heart-to-body ratio of any species in the world, some days it seems like we’re the ones walking around with oversized hearts. How do we stay rooted, focused and engaged?”

- The Bioneers e-newsletter

Hi Yogi Friends,

How’s your heart today? Could be your physical, emotional or spiritual heart … you might allow a quiet, replenishing breath to consider … How’s your heart?

For me, Autumn can bring a range of feelings … relief that Summer’s heat & humidity are subsiding, reluctant acceptance that gardening season is coming to a close, enthusiasm about renewed creativity in Yoga class themes … and this year, a sweet sorrow that it’s one year since we said goodbye-for-now to our boys, Baxter & Tortilla.

I’ve learned from my mentors in Tea (Sooz) and in Grief (Pixie) that Autumn is the natural season of Grief, letting go and transition according to Traditional Chinese Medicine. And that sometimes our oversized hearts gently ask for tending:

< As trees shed their leaves to conserve energy for Winter, the cooling weather and shorter days prompt us to look inward and release what is no longer serving us. (Personally, I find that rather than Spring cleaning, I’m more inclined toward Autumn cleaning.)

< In Eastern philosophy, Autumn links to the lungs, which govern both breathing in inspiration and letting go of the old.

< Suppressing seasonal sadness can manifest as physical fatigue or shallow breathing; giving space to feelings allows them to move naturally through the body.

Ways to Honor Autumn Energy:

Practice Diaphragmatic Breathing: Slow, gentle inhales through the nose into the belly, followed by slower, effortless exhales through the nose.

Declutter and Release: Clear out physical spaces or mental expectations that feel heavy or depleting.

Balance with Appreciation: Sometimes “gratitude” can feel too much of an ask when we’re in deep feelings … and that’s ok. Find a quiet moment to just BE WITH emotions (e-motion, energy in motion) while acknowledging a few small things you appreciate.

Our Yoga community is filled with big-hearted humans … and I believe our world needs our big-heartedness more than ever. That said, I encourage each of us to balance our natural inclination to pour our hearts out in service with Yoga practices that nourish, replenish and offer our hearts spaciousness and ease.

How’s your heart today? I look forward to hearing from you <3.

See you and your tender heart on the mat soon, Erica