October 2025

The Fall of the Leaf: Autumn’s Invitation to Let Go

Dear Yoga Shala Community ,

As the leaves begin their graceful descent, painting our world in amber and gold, we’re reminded of an old English phrase: “the fall of the leaf.” This poetic expression, which gave us the American term “fall,” captures something profound about this season—it’s not just about change, but about the art of letting go.

Nature’s Perfect Teacher

Watch a tree in autumn. It doesn’t resist the changing season or cling desperately to its leaves. It doesn’t mourn what must fall away. Instead, it surrenders with quiet dignity, trusting in the rhythm of life that has sustained it through countless cycles. The tree knows what we so often forget: that holding on too tightly is exhausting, and that release is not loss but transformation.

Those falling leaves will become the rich soil that nourishes new growth come spring. Nothing is wasted. Nothing is truly lost. Everything is part of a larger dance of becoming.

A Buddhist Reflection

There’s a beautiful Buddhist teaching that feels especially resonant as we move through this season:

“In the end, only three things matter: how much you loved, how gently you lived, and how gracefully you let go of things not meant for you.”

How much you loved. How gently you lived. How gracefully you let go.

These words invite us to examine what we’re holding onto - old grievances, outdated versions of ourselves, expectations that no longer serve us, relationships that have run their course, or simply the illusion that we can control everything.

This Season’s Invitation

May this autumn be a reminder to gracefully embody life’s natural rhythms. Just as the trees trust the wisdom of the seasons, we too can learn to trust the timing of our own lives - knowing when to grow, when to rest, and when to release.

What leaves are you being called to let fall? What needs to compost in your life so that something new can take root?

As you walk through falling leaves this season, let each one be a small meditation on impermanence, a gentle teacher reminding you that change is not something to fear but something to allow.

May you love deeply, live gently, and let go gracefully.

With the turning of the seasons,

In wisdom and in peace 🙏🏻

Evelyne