The Lazy Person's Guide to the Autumn Equinox

"Every leaf speaks bliss to me,
fluttering from the autumn tree."

~Emily Bronte

 

Greetings Creative One,

 

It equinoxed into Autumn today here in the Northern Hemisphere.
 
I figured there ought to be some sort of celebration other than drinking pumpkin spice lattes we can do without getting out of our chairs, so I just pulled two out of my horn-of-plenty.

The Enlightened Lazy Person’s Autumn Equinox
Two-Part Celebration:

Part One

Equinox descends from “aequus”, the Latin word for "equal" or "even," and nox, the Latin word for "night"—a fitting history for a word that describes days of the year when the daytime and nighttime are equal in length.
 
I taught yoga in various settings for 30 years and one of my favorite breathing (or pranayama) exercises that can “even” out our brain and elicit more creativity, is the alternate nostril breath. I’ve modified it for the equinox and just did it so I feel great. Feel free to do it as you read this.
 

1. Hold your right nostril shut with your right thumb, breathe in your left nostril for the count of six, hold both nostrils shut for the count of six - using your right index finger on your left nostril, release your thumb and breathe out for the count of six.
2. Repeat on the other side- holding the left nostril shut, breathing in for six, hold for six, out on the right for six.
3. Keep going five more times,( six all together!) and the last time, breathe in as much as your lungs can take, hold for six, release both nostrils, and let a beautiful, slow exhale out, feeling it’s release all along the way.
4. You will feel relaxed, balanced, creative, generous, magnanimous, inspired, mischievous, smarter, taller, and thinner. Or maybe just more relaxed - I keep mixing it up with caffeine.
    

Part Two
Gratitude - Whenever possible, take advantage of reasons to ponder your good fortune. Gratitude is scientifically proven to reduce depression · lessen anxiety and crankiness · support heart health · relieve stress · and improve sleep, relationships, and perspective .

1. Since it’s now Autumn, it’s a good time to take a minute to write down two projects you’ve “sown” throughout the year.
2. Don’t panic if you don’t think you have any… you do.
   
   1. You’re a project. You’re a work of art. How have you progressed this year? If you’ve endured the current crazy climate in the news and the ways of reality in general, you’ve cultivated resilience. Phew!
   2. If you’ve done one nice thing for another person, you’ve cultivated kindness.
   3. Or, maybe you wrote a book, painted a picture, had a huge event, took a great photo, told a joke well, smiled at a stranger, or made a delicious meal. Those count! Feel some gratitude toward yourself and the opportunities.
   4. I’m grateful you read this far so you can count that. Thanks!
   5. Shuck some corn on the cob, smear it with butter and chomp away, grateful for your teeth, for fresh corn, and for life. (candy corn doesn’t count, ew)

Crunching dead leaves,
Jill

 

 

Art As a Solution for Reality: The Power of Creativity 

(I make art so I don't die of reality)

 

I've been loving teaching art and mentoring for the last few years, but have been yearning to get back to giving talks with performance poetry and various and sundry forms of inspiration.

 

I will be back on stage 10 am pacific, October 6 giving this talk (and optional workshop) and would love the support of friends and newsletter subscribers there in person or if you're not in town, you can be there for me as it's streaming live here.

 

I'll be speaking from the book I've been working on for the last .... 92 years. Singer Songwriter Mark Montijo will be sharing his original music during the workshop.

 

If you're in or around San Diego, come join this lovely group of people this day. I hope you can make it

4780 Mission Gorge Place, Suite H San Diego, CA 92120

It will be streaming live here.