There’s something deeply comforting about the scent of baked apples and cinnamon filling the kitchen. These oatmeal cups bring that feeling into your mornings — a little bit of fall coziness you can hold in your hands.
They’re simple to make, nourishing for the body, and grounding for the soul — everything autumn breakfasts should be.
Ingredients
2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 ½ cups unsweetened almond milk (or milk of choice)
2 tablespoons maple syrup (or honey)
1 egg (or flax egg for vegan option)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon melted coconut oil or butter
1 medium apple, diced (Honeycrisp or Fuji are great)
Optional: ¼ cup chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease or line a 12-cup muffin tin.
Mix dry ingredients — oats, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt — in a large bowl.
Whisk wet ingredients — milk, maple syrup, egg, vanilla, and coconut oil — in another bowl.
Combine wet and dry mixtures, then fold in the diced apple (and nuts if using).
Spoon mixture evenly into muffin cups, pressing down gently to help them hold shape.
Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the tops are golden and set.
Cool completely before removing from the pan.
Store in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for longer storage. Reheat gently and enjoy with a drizzle of maple syrup or a dollop of yogurt.
Mindful Tip
As these oatmeal cups bake, take a moment to breathe in the scent of cinnamon and apple. Let it remind you of the sweetness in simplicity — nourishment doesn’t have to be complicated.
As autumn unfurls her golden shawl and the air turns crisp with change, nature invites us to slow down. The trees whisper ancient lessons in letting go. The wind hums reminders to breathe deeper. The earth softens, making space for rest.
If we listen closely, fall becomes more than a season — it becomes a teacher. Here are three soulful ways to stay grounded this fall and to walk in rhythm with nature’s wisdom.
1. Practice the Art of Letting Go
The trees do not mourn their leaves; they release them with grace, trusting the cycle to bring new life in time. Let your practice this season be one of gentle release — old expectations, heavy emotions, the endless striving. Take a few quiet moments each day to breathe out what no longer serves you.
Try this: Stand beneath a tree and imagine your worries as leaves drifting softly to the ground. Whisper gratitude for what they taught you, then let them go.
2. Root Down into Ritual
Just as roots reach deeper when the air grows colder, grounding rituals can anchor us during times of change. Light a candle at dawn. Stir cinnamon into your tea. Walk outside and feel your feet press into the earth.
Consistency in small sacred acts reminds the body that it is safe — that stillness can be a sanctuary.
Try this: Begin or end your day with one slow, intentional breath of gratitude. Feel your breath connect you to everything that is steady and alive.
3. Rest in Rhythm, Not Resistance
Nature never rushes. The sun tilts earlier into twilight, the soil gathers its quiet strength for spring. Instead of pushing against the darker days, allow yourself to move in harmony with them. Rest more. Reflect. Dream.
Let your inner pace match the pace of the season — slow, rich, and full of unseen growth.
Try this: Keep a “slow journal” — write one sentence each night about something beautiful you noticed, no matter how small.
As the world turns inward, so can you. Let fall remind you that surrender is not weakness — it is wisdom. The wisdom of knowing when to pause, when to soften, and when to simply be.
May this season root you in peace, and may you trust that even in stillness, you are growing.
When you hear the word alignment, what comes to mind? The dictionary defines alignment as arrangement in a straight line, or in correct or appropriate relative positions or a position of agreement or alliance. This can mean a multitude of things as it relates to decisions we make, how we conduct ourselves, and even how we literally move our bodies in space.
To be “out of alignment” can be simply understood as an arrangement in which two or more things are not positioned correctly in a straight line or parallel to each other. In Yoga we hear a lot about the body being in alignment, but can that statement also relate to how you show up in the world?
Living Alignment
Remember last month I asked you to determine what makes up the roots or foundation that sustains you when life gets hard? Now it is time to put the proof in the pudding and see if your words, thoughts, and actions are in alignment with that.
Let’s say that integrity is a value you hold as something that keeps you steady. Then your actions dictate otherwise; you mislead people, you are a doormat for others to mislead you, you often fudge or hide the truth, or possibly you make decisions that are anything but ones packed with integrity. Simply thinking, if you say being healthy is important to you and you consume crappy food and toxic media, it is probable you are out of alignment with what you say you find important.
Alignment in Yoga
If you have been paying attention for long you may notice that I am big believer in living yoga and not just practicing yoga. I believe that far more of the yoga principles are implemented off the mat (or chair) and teach this all the time. The shape our bodies create while practicing is just a small part of it.
In Yoga, the principle of Alignment is closely related to principles like: balance, symmetry, precision and harmony – all are fundamental principles in yoga practice. Iyengar Yoga is the practice of precision. Poses are held for long periods and often modified with props. This method is designed to systematically cultivate strength, flexibility, stability, and awareness, and can be therapeutic for specific conditions. B.K.S. Iyengar, an Indian teacher and guru, founded Iyengar Yoga. Iyengar says:
Alignment is to bring balance between the flow of energy and intelligence to connect the body to the mind.” And then, he says “We adjust not the body, but the awareness. The moment the awareness is brought to function, then the body finds its right alignment and adjusts; as water finds its level, the awareness, too, finds its level.”
Having Awareness
Practicing yoga on the mat (or in chair) is a sure way to bring awareness to the language your body speaks. It invites you to pay close attention the nuances of the shape your body is in. It encourages you to listen and make adjustments along the way.
Imagine having this type of awareness in the thoughts you have? Or the words that you speak? How about the actions (or lack of) that you do everyday?
Putting the principles of alignment into your daily life following the “practice” will integrate the principles of this beautiful lifestyle into your life.
Join me on Youtube this month as I walk you through a weekly practice of alignment. There I will suggest ways to align yourself with what you said keeps you steady.
The Greatest Gift of Alignment
We have all had that magical feeling when everything in our life is flowing well. Our relationships are easy and fulfilling and we feel balanced. Or, when it seems that everything we attempt becomes a success. When life feels “easy” and we are rarely agitated by everyday things, it is likely we are in alignment. You might say it is as if you are in the beautiful flow of life where a gentle reciprocity exists in all areas.
