Dear Reader,
September felt like a really long month for me, and in this last week, I’ve found myself already looking forward to its end. It’s interesting how I tend to work my seasons in blocks, as if, by the first of October, life is renewed again.
We are finally moving into the heart of autumn, or Sharad Ritu. The Indian autumn season marks the transition from humid monsoon rains to clearer, cooler skies. Here in Singapore, we are seeing slightly clearer skies too, as the haze ebbs and flows through its own cloud sea.
This is also the period when festive celebrations begin to stack one after another. We have just passed Ganesh Chaturthi, and are now in the midst of the ancestors’ fortnight. Following this, Navaratri celebrates the Goddess Durga for nine nights, culminating in Dussehra — Victory Day.
When I take a closer look at these celebrations, rituals, and their meanings, I see that October asks us to look deeply at our relationships with the past and present, and to make an intentional effort to release our mental gunk. Perhaps it is time to revisit parts of our family lineage or heritage. Perhaps it is time for gathering the willpower to fight our inner battles. Perhaps it is time to remember the names of your divine virtues.
I often regard autumn as my favourite season, as it carries the themes of reckoning. It might have to do with my natural element of Metal, as shared by my TCM physician. The Metal element corresponds with the lungs and large intestine, inviting us to consider what our true capacity is, how we can support it, and whether our decisions generate a life force that feels truly anchored, robust and freeing.
In Ayurveda, the uptake of Vata’s movement during autumn reminds us to slow down and gravitate towards luminosity from a kindled fire and the grounding nature of earth to balance our inner rhythms. Reflected in both TCM and Ayurveda, autumn is a time to turn our gaze towards ourselves for an intentional period of mind-body-heart tending.
I see autumn as the real season of shedding, not winter. Over time, the dried leaves and petals slowly stack themselves into a bed for winter’s hibernation, preparing the ground for rebirth.
Tomorrow, I’ll be away, hopefully allowing the history, generosity and beauty of Taiwan to be the backdrop for my autumn reckoning. I believe I’ll be there for certain reasons I have in mind, but perhaps there will be more beyond what I can conceive.
My soul awaits this adventure.
When I return, there are a few ways we can connect in person. The regular Tuesday evening routine offers a rotation of classes that are seasonally aligned. We will also have the final Study Club for this season on Saturday, 31 October.
Dates:
Grounding Practice | 13 & 20 October
Rituals: Self-Massage | 27 October
Soul Shine Study Club | 31 October
If you feel called to join, you may book a session through the links below.
Wishing you a luminous and clarifying October ahead.
October Schedule 🍂
Grounding Practice | 13 & 20 Oct, 7pm
This is a 90-minute class to slow down and ground the self in the presence of peace. It's an asana (yoga postures), pranayama (breath regulation), and dhyana (meditation) practice rooted in the traditional view of Yoga's primary intention — to free oneself from physical bondage and find lightness and joy from within.
If you're looking for a practice that guides you toward a calmer mind and steadier breath, this is the right class for you. Unlike popular notions of yoga in the modern world, we're not here to chase bendy postures or inversions just to look good. The intention of a yoga practice is to steady the body, breath, and mind, cultivating an open field for a deep state of mental stillness.
Rituals: Self Massage | 27 Oct, 7 PM
Self-massage is one of the most potent and accessible rituals for pouring love and attention into our own body. This 90-minute session invites us to come together and explore this sacred practice, deeply valued in traditional healing systems (particularly Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine), through bite-sized, approachable components.
Soul Shine Study Club | 31 Oct, 2pm
This is a supportive group space for us to live, breathe, and study together, diving into the pillars of well-being that Ayurveda offers generously. Our final series focuses on Energy Management (Brahmacharya).
A dynamic way of learning includes theory, collaborative inquiry, and body-based practices to anchor the learnings holistically. You will be supported by the Study Club with resources designed to help you move through daily rhythms with confidence, clarity, and harmony.
