Finding the calm in the storm

The west coast of BC has been hit with fall wind storms! It is amazing! The waters are so choppy, it is a wind surfer's dream! There is so much going on in the air, as my yogi buddy Chantal says "it's a very vata time" - the universe is on the move. In Ayurveda tradition, the vata dosha is characterized by the element of wind - dry, quick, excited, high energy, aggression, impulsive
- changing seasons
- changing weather patterns
- changing winter tires
- gearing up for all the holidays (November is next week?!)
- more more more more

One can get caught up in the Vata of the season, tends to be reactive/impulsive. The need to do more, give more, start new challenges... !!!

 But here is the thing - reaction, reacting - these are impulsive tendencies, so how can we step back for a moment and examine the whole picture.

If one reacts quickly, how likely is it that they could become physically injured and/or imbalanced? Pretty likely.
How can we calm our own storms, the internal storms.... That being said, there will always be a source of drama in the world, something to attach to and get very worked up about... is it worth it? How can we develop strategies to mindfully disengage from sources of stress/drama which do not serve?

I was reading a book on being in the moment and practicing mindfulness - this book likened the human mind to a body of water, deep and vast. Under times of stress/imbalance the waters become choppy. The book was talking about strategies of mindfulness to calm the waters of one's own mind via meditation and yoga (though I believe that meditation and yoga come in many different forms for different people). Once one is able to calm the waters, then they can see clearly, and act mindfully vs. impulsive reaction. Personally, I find that my decisions are always better if I act in a mindful way - the outcomes are more sustainable, more balanced.

I love that the universe can literally show you exactly what you need to see... vague? yes. But what I mean is that my life has been changing a lot and I have been challenged to find a balance that works for me in this moment. So I'm asking myself, how can I calm my own waters... and then I went on a walk with the dog and my husband, Dan, and this is what I saw...

Calm in the storm via physical barriers on Steveston River

I love this picture as it reminds me to take note of my personal "storm barriers". What are the activities/who are the people which support me to live a mindful existence and help me keep a clear head? With those questions in mind, I went to a coffee shop for a chai latte to read my book and went to a yoga class - after which I felt like I had calmed the waters of my mind.