Yoga Reflections for the Long Weekend
May 24, 2026
It's Memorial Day Weekend here in the US and the themes of remembering, honoring, and letting go feel timely. This weekend also symbolizes the official beginning of Summer for many Americans. We gear up for travel, picnics/cookouts, and parties.
And yet, if it feels impossible to conjure up the carefree attitude of summer at this moment, you are not alone.
Season by season, month by month, day by day, hour by hour, the world (seems?) to be speeding up. We are all becoming addicted to "quick," "instant," and "more - NOW!!" Everything online is trying to grab for our attention. We rarely go anywhere or do anything without our phones in hand. We commit to never having a dull or truly present moment by keeping entertainment constantly available. Subsequently, we rarely take a full breath, have a complete conversation with someone without multitasking, or spend time alone in nature.
If we apply the Ayurvedic wisdom of opposites to this spinning cycle of chaos, we will do well to put some energy toward slowing down. Consider slowing down one or more of the following activities:
Reading
Chewing
Walking
Breathing
Listening
How does it feel for you to even consider this with these frequent activities?
Memorial Day offers us a lens Aparigraha (non-grasping) which is one of the Yamas from the first limb of Yoga.
Take a moment to journal (actually write with pen and paper) about the following:
- what truly matters to you now?
- what needs to simplify in this era of your life?
- where can you let go of a feeling of urgency and rushing?
- how could you live more from your essence instead of pressure to perform?
Notice how you answer these questions and commit to one small experiment you can run today from your answers. Maybe it's prioritizing a certain relationship in your life, pausing more often between activities throughout the day, allowing yourself space to "play" and explore what lights you up, or giving yourself some boundaries with technology so your brain can slow down.
These themes resonate deeply with peri- and postmenopausal transitions, as we lean into the “wise woman” archetype.
Notice in this moment how you can BE more of who you desire to be - I suspect it has less to do with doing and more to do with being!
Take A Break: Move and Breathe with me!
Here is a "Clearing Through The Chaos" yoga practice I taught recently that I hope you will enjoy today or tomorrow, while you might have a little time to yourself.
May you be deeply nourished during these unprecedented times of change and transformation. Namaste.
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