Atha Yoga: September and the art of Beginning. . . again.

As September arrives, and the long loose days of summer give way to more structured schedules, there’s a sense that life is once again gathering itself into rhythm —our energy reshapes, our routines reestablish, and we feel both the possibility, and often the weight, of starting anew.

In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali begins with the simple but profound phrase: Atha yoga-anushasanam—“Now, the teachings of yoga begin.” That word now is important. It is a reminder that yoga is not confined to a season, a time of day, or a particular stage of life. It begins -now - when we are ready to arrive. Every breath, every posture, every moment of presence is an invitation to begin again.

This sutra feels especially resonant in September. The cultural pull that accompanies this season (at least here in the west in a city so achievement focused!) is that we “get it all together.” We expect ourselves to dive headfirst into productivity and new goals - to instantly create a September 2.0 version of our lives. But yoga offers us a gentler, more spacious way: to meet our transitions with openness, to start fresh with resolve - but not grasping, with enthusiasm- but not urgency. On the mat, this could look like releasing the need for progress and instead embracing a beginners mindset where you really notice each breath, each movement, each sensation. Off the mat, it may mean remembering that our goals are guides for growth, and not obstacles to overcome - that each task, each sunrise is another chance to show up fully.

This September, we invite you to join us in this spirit of beginning again. Meet your practice not as a continuation of what has been, or a race toward what might be, but as a fresh unfolding in the present. Let your yoga be a space where you don’t have to have it figured out, but instead where you allow yourself to begin—softly, curiously, wholeheartedly—again and again.

Getting "back at it" this September!