September Theme of the Month: Inner Wisdom (Buddhi)
“You can carry ancestral wisdom without carrying ancestral wounds.” – Dr. Mariel Buqué
September rocks us softly from Pitta Season into Vata Season. As the air turns crisp and the foliage shares a rainbow display, we may feel the need to ground ourselves more frequently.
Turn towards these sensations!
Release your socks and shoes and feel the fertile Earth beneath your toes. Take time to talk to your favorite tree, give it a hug and feel the warmth pulsing into your arms. Nature reminds us to release the ego and to be FULLY present in the gifts that surround us. Let this soft, silent communication be balm to your mind. In order to hear our inner wisdom (buddhi), we need to quiet the mind. Yoga invites us to disconnect with the outer world and arrive into our inner landscape. The beauty of practicing this self-awareness is that the more we cultivate this relationship of listening to our buddhi – the easier it becomes to quiet the mind.
As you soften your external awareness and turn inward, you may feel subtle messages that you might have missed when living in a state of reaction with life. These messages may come from a deep, ancient place; since your ancestral wisdom is woven into your very DNA. When we practice yoga, this wisdom becomes part of a greater tapestry of universal knowledge, rather than belonging to one family or lineage alone. You remember, again and again, that you are divinely guided, protected and blessed.
One challenge we face is that ancestral knowledge is not monolithic; it can include both gifts and unresolved traumas. Your buddhi acts as the discerning faculty, helping you identify and choose the qualities you wish to cultivate while healing/releasing negative ancestral patterns.
Allow time in nature to bring you back to your buddhi, allow time on your mat or in meditation to bring you back to your buddhi, and then repeat. As you create this routine, standing in your power and living authentically from your values, you will find that this time to yourself becomes non-negotiable in your schedule. If you have generational trauma around “busy” being related to productivity, this is a powerful way to create a new legacy, one of deep awareness and softness from an elevated consciousness. And guess what? You are supported and guided with each step.
“Walking, I am listening to a deeper way. Suddenly all my ancestors are behind me. Be still, they say, watch & listen. You are the result of the love of thousands.” –Linda Hogan
This Month at Moonflower: Turning towards Inner Wisdom
🌀 In Practice
Allow yourself to slow down in your practice to ground into the present moment and to find your center. Savor the breath in asanas like cat/cow marjaryasana/bitilasana, seated forward fold paschimottanasana, child’s pose balasana , mountain tadasana and corpse pose savasana.
✨ In Breath
Alternate-Nostril Breath Nadi Shodhana, is supportive for grounding during Vata season. By reducing stress hormones like cortisol and promoting a state of calm, balancing breathwork may help to "turn down" the expression of genes associated with stress and inflammation and "turn up" those related to well-being.
🌿 In Daily Life
Foods and spices to include in your fall shopping basket: ginger, garlic, basil, cumin, cloves, turmeric, oregano, oats, sweet potatoes, carrots, beets, butternut squash, dates, and mung beans.
💬 In Communication
Engage in rituals like creating an ancestor altar, journaling about ancestors' stories, or simply giving gratitude – these practices open up the channels of connection. Create an intention to hear ancestors guidance and wisdom and allow yourself to be grounded within your values. My dear soul sister and Life Coach, the late Sandra Haber, taught me to “Acknowledge yourself for being…” at the end of each day. Check in with HOW you showed up as yourself; this allows you to build self-trust, tapping into your buddhi with gratitude and acceptance.
A Gentle Practice to Try: 5 Daily Minutes for YOU
Set aside 5 minutes a day for you. Morning, Afternoon or Evening. Take a few yoga asana to ground yourself (perhaps the ones mentioned above), and activate a pranayama to calm the mind, rest for the remainder of the time in meditation, following the breath in and out of your nostrils and being aware of the present moment. In the evening, take a few moments to acknowledge yourself for being, either writing in a journal or simple self-reflection. Notice your progress, in a week, a few weeks, and in a month – you will have deeper awareness with your buddhi, and your practice will flow into new realms of consciousness.
May all your blessings multiply,
Emily