GATHERING

As autumn deepens, the world around us begins to turn inward. The days grow shorter. The light softens. We feel the cool air in our nostrils as we inhale. There is a quiet invitation in this seasonal transition. It is a call to gather.

Throughout the year, our energy often becomes scattered. We move from one task to another, pulled by demands and constant activity.  Our attention understandably stretches outward, dispersed across responsibilities, conversations, and digital distractions. In this ongoing outward flow, we can lose touch with our inner selves and to our own rhythm.

November offers a chance to pause. Nature itself is gathering. The trees draw their sap toward their roots, animals store food and prepare for rest. Similarly, we can begin to gather what has been scattered, refocus our attention, and bring our awareness inward.

Gathering is not withdrawal. It is not about closing ourselves off or retreating from life.

Instead, it is about integration, gently bringing together the threads of our experiences and energy into a coherent whole. Our breath can guide this process. Practicing slow, smooth breath with a gentle pause at the inhale and exhale can be supportive:

Inhale 6 counts

Pause for 3 counts

Exhale for 6 counts

Pause for 3 counts

With each inhale, we gather what feels fragmented and, with each exhale, we move into stillness. Over time, this breathing rhythm begins to weave our body and mind back together. We reconnect.

Our yoga practice this month mirrors this natural shift from outward to inward. We start by expanding, stretching, reaching, and opening, before gradually turning toward our inner landscape through folds, twists, and moments of stillness. Each posture presents an opportunity to gather our awareness and notice how it feels to return to the simplicity of breath and presence.

Gathering is also a form of compassion. It is a tuning in. An opportunity to reconnect with ourselves. To find a flow of self-compassion inwards to balance the flow outwards. The warmth and energy we collect now becomes the light we carry into the darker months ahead.