This past weekend, like many Canadians, I went home for Thanksgiving. I grew up near Niagara-on-the-Lake, a section of Ontario that is filled with farmland. It’s a truly beautiful place. A place my heart aches to be. Every time I go home I take long, country walks to get my nature fix.
I weave in and out of fields and vineyards, walk along bike paths, or down smaller wooded trails. I take deep, fulfilling breaths of fresh air. The familiar smells of grapes on the vine, fresh tilled earth, maple trees, lake breeze and wildflowers fill my lungs. My mind starts to clear and my body comes back to life. I feel grounded and set free in the same moment.
My first job was working in the vineyards. I spent all summer in the dirt, working the fields. I still remember the deep satisfaction of looking down a row of vines I’d just finished pruning. The instant gratification of seeing the results of hard work was intoxicating. At days end, I’d go home with a wicked farmers tan, very achy and sore in the best way. I felt at home in the fields.
After University, I found myself drawn back to the grapevines. My first job after graduation was at a winery. I took sommelier courses, learned the art of wine-making and spent several years talking about and drinking amazing wines. It was a tough gig. I honestly don’t know how I survived. It was a job that had me back in my beloved vines, giving tours and talking about the soil I had worked as a young woman. Intoxicated in a different way, I fell in love with my homeland all over again.
As I grow older, I find myself drawn to anything that brings me back to a feeling of home. Yoga does exactly that. By bringing me back in contact with breath, body and mind I feel grounded and free in the same moment. When I lay down in sivasana, I could be laying down in the vineyards safe in the shade of the vines, feeling the warmth of the summer sun and soft breeze kiss my skin.
One of my favorite yoga teachers has a quote that sums it up perfectly,
“Imagine if the goal of yoga-asana was to create a sense of return.” — Annie Carpenter
Mic drop.
When we practice yoga it is a constant return to self and our connection to the world around us. It is a discovery of the present moment and a journey back to the body’s baseline. We feel the heart rate, take slower breaths and move mindfully, all with the intention of returning to our center.
So find that special something that helps you return to yourself. Whether it’s yoga, long walks, conversations with friends, or a good book; find the things that help you feel at home in your own skin. Return to yourself the best way you know how. Me? Namaste in the vineyards 😉
