Ski Season Approaching | Fueling Mind, Body + Soul

Full on fall. Autumn is in full swing in the mountains. The senses know, ski season is on the way. You see the colors, you breathe the must and decay of fallen leaves, you feel the cool air on your skin, you taste the hot chocolate {even if only in your imagination}, you hear the rain as it lightly taps on the window and roof, foreshadowing the coming snowfall. Your body knows winter will soon arrive, and you start craving the heavy, warm foods of the season.

Here is how I prepare my mind, body + soul for ski season.

Fueling the Mind:

I find it easy to slip into the doldrums during the shorter days of the year. Reading paper books keeps me sharp. The tactile feel of paper, especially an older book, connects me to the writing in a deeper way than electronic books.

• paper books for that tactile experience

• taking courses, for me it’s finance and French and Spanish, with maybe some Japanese and Dutch peppered in

• watching old or art house films- where much is left to the imagination

Older films often skip the violence. The door closes, or the action is just out of the shot. I am thinking Match Point by Woody Allen for one. When you cannot see what happens, it’s up to your brain and mind to recreate it. Instead of being fed gratuitous violence, you are called on to summon the scene. It makes you more creative and more in tune with people and planet. It also gives you a choice as to what you see. I am not really into violent films, to be honest. I prefer a good Wes Anderson film. Which I highly recommend, the art house type films as they are more artistic and again, devoid of gratuitous violence.

Fueling the Body

This is the time of year we slow down in every way. Metabolically included. This is the time for cooked and warm foods, soups and teas. Root vegetable breakfast smoothie and fresh sliced ginger in hot water, these are my go-to’s.

• Sweet potato smoothies

• Sliced ginger in hot water {heat up water for tea and throw some fresh sliced ginger in the cup, fill with water}

• Neti Pot with Nasaya Oil {when I am a little stuffy or dry in the nose, Neti pot and oil is essential}

• Abhyanga, or oiling the body. A good self-massage improves circulation and just feels good

• More slow movement {yoga Nidra, Yin Yoga, deep stretching}

• Plenty of high octane exercise {for me, I need plenty of endurance and high intensity on the bike, running or skiing} Cross country and backcountry skiing, riding my Wahoo on Zwift if I can’t ride inside, trail running or skiing uphill}

• Dancing

I need my hard workouts, so I do as much as I can in the winter. The indoor trainer {I use the Wahoo} on Zwift keeps me motivated and in shape in the event I am unable to get my endurance exercise outdoors. If it’s raining and too wet too ride, I can be found riding indoors, AKA going nowhere fast. I add more slower yoga during the winter. It helps me nourish my body and slow down enough to be able to take advantage of the winter, the time of rest.

Fueling the Soul

For me, my soul is filled with everything listed above. But specific spiritual practices are key to balance. A solid meditation practice focusing on the sunrise in the morning keeps me positive.

• Meditations focusing on the sun and sunrise

• Pulling a card in the morning. I love Tarot, but if you’re not into that, many writers have created card decks. They can be affirmations or any plethora of ideas. I love to pull a card and journal or meditate on its meaning for me at that point in time. It’s a greta practice, and if you take note of the card you pull each day, you can see evolutions and patterns in your life even better.

• Sage or Creosote, Palo Santo or incense clearing. I love to clear the stuck energy of winter. With the windows closed all the time, we need to do more frequent clearing in our homes. I recommend cracking a window and burning a little something to help renew the energy.

I hope that through seeing a little into my fall and winter routine, you can be inspired to lean into the seasons and find your own ways to nourish your mind, body and soul this winter.

namaste,
~Tonya

Tonya is a certified Dharma + Spiritual Life Coach, Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, Certified Ski Instructor, MBA and former professional cyclist. She practices and coaches using yoga and Ayurveda principles. Follow along for more like this.