November: Embracing the Call to Shift 🍂
Finally writing unapologetically and creating spaces for healing and growth
Happy November, sweet friends.
Welcome to The Pause.
It has been a minute since I last wrote here.
Truth is, I had a solid writing routine and posting schedule for a while, dropping new words (almost) every week. I was comfortable with what I was sharing with you and making sure my content was palatable enough for white folks everyone.
But that was before I survived both hurricanes Helene and Milton within days of each other, and before the DANA storm that claimed more than two hundred lives in my native Spain.
Those tragedies reminded me of the indomitable power of Nature, sure, but they also brought focus once again on how little leaders and governments around the world care about “their people’s” well-being, safety, and equitable access to resources.
I remembered that we must learn to show up and care for one another, and for that to occur I must step into my truth and my power in all aspects of my life, including this community.
A Shift with the Vata Season
I went to the Blue Ridge Mountains to teach yoga, write, and frolic in the forest with a group of BIPOC storytellers, to welcome Vata Season amidst the changing foliage.
Yet I had one of the wildest weeks of my life and I returned shaken as fuck. After a few therapy and community care sessions, I feel grateful, connected, and empowered.
This empowerment is fueling a shift in intention for this publication, bringing a renewed focus to The Pause, transforming it into a true source of support for BIPOC, Queer, disabled folks, and anyone seeking to explore wellness practices unapologetically through a decolonized and trauma-informed lens.
You'll learn to reconnect with your creative truth and nurture a more intentional lifestyle through yoga, meditation, breathwork, and community care practices beyond the mainstream and gentrified approaches.
So welcome to The Pause once again, my friend.
Cultivating Inner Warmth Through Words
November is often a time to draw inward, both literally and metaphorically, a chance to slow down and find warmth within ourselves and our communities as the days grow shorter and colder.
Vata season, in the wisdom of Ayurveda, embodies the qualities of air and space. It is marked by coolness, dryness, and movement—a season that brings the crisp wind of change, which can be both invigorating and unsettling.
It’s an invitation to integrate practices that ground and stabilize both body and mind, helping us maintain balance through the shifting season.
For writers, November also brings the challenge and excitement of NaNoWriMo or Writevember, a time of year when we gather across the globe to dust off manuscript ideas that have lingered in the corners of our minds for far too long, and let them take shape.
Whether it’s a novel, short story, or poem that’s been calling to you, this is your sign to begin if you’re choosing to follow the calling.
Weekly Livestreams
To help you navigate this time of year, and especially for those who want to dive into creativity and productivity in a slow, cozy, and sustainable way, I’m offering a variety of live streams that blend self and community care this week, and I’d love for you to join me:
Tuesday, November 5th on YouTube
11:00 am EST (17:00 CET) - Cozy Productivity Session | Write with Me
Wednesday, November 6th on Insight Timer
8:00 am EST (14:00 CET) - Mellow Yoga for Renewed Energy
10:00 am EST (16:00 CET) - Cozy Productivity Session | Writevember Edition
Thursday, November 7th on YouTube
11:00 am EST (17:00 CET) - Cozy Productivity Session | Write with Me
Friday, November 8th on Insight Timer
8:00 am EST (14:00 CET) - Relaxing Yoga for Stress Relief
10:00 am EST (16:00 CET) - Cozy Productivity Session | Writevember Edition
Saturday, November 9th on YouTube
11:00 am EST (17:00 CET) - Cozy Productivity Session | Write with Me
Come explore these practices with me in a super chill community of folks who want to build resilience and find warmth as we move through the Vata season and beyond.
**To make these practices accessible to BIPOC, Queer, & disabled folks, these online events are free to attend. Donations are always welcome and appreciated, but never expected.
ICYMI
In these times of shift and uncertainty, our nervous systems can get out of wack, often feeling stuck in fight/flight/freeze mode.
Try this Yoga for Nervous System Reset class to release tension and reconnect to the rest/digest/relax state:
Alright, friend, that’s all from me today. Thank you for being an essential part of this community. 🥰
As The Pause (and ourselves) continues to evolve, may we embrace the shifts, support each other, and move through each season with care and intention.
Until we meet again, pause often, breathe deeply, and be kind - especially to yourself.
Much love,
Laia. 💛
I will see you tomorrow morning for yoga and I really needed to read this post today. Thank you for the work you are doing in our community!
I've been practicing yoga with you nearly everyday for most of November, and feel so grounded in my body. I'm so grateful to have found your corner of the internet!