The Cycladic Edition
We travelled the Cycladic Islands lately with the MAATÏ MAATÏ team and soaked in all its End of Summer Magic and learned how to preserve the Greek way of living to stay lightful and keep some rays of summer sun within throughout the wintertime.
Here’s how to align with the changing season, drawing from Greek island traditions with accessible, practical tips for anyone, anywhere.
Holistic Spiritual Health This Autumn: Cycladic Island Inspirations with MAATÏ MAATÏ
- Cleanse and Renew: Herbal Rituals
Greek islanders have long used herbs like sage and rosemary to cleanse their spaces and spirits. As autumn draws in, it’s the perfect time to refresh your surroundings and release stagnant energy.
Even if you can’t gather wild herbs like on the islands, you can incorporate the power of herbs by burning sage or using herbal mists. Use this cleansing ritual in your home, or while seated on THE MAT, letting the smoke clear both your mind and space. This practice helps create a fresh start as you settle into autumn’s energy. (Read all about the Cleansing Ritual on our Product Page of: THE KIT Energy Cleansing )
- Mindful Movement and Nutrition
The Cycladic diet emphasizes seasonal, nutrient-rich foods like figs, pomegranates, and olives, all of which are deeply nourishing. This autumn, embrace seasonal foods wherever you live. Practice mindful eating, focusing on the textures and flavors, honoring the earth’s harvest as a way to connect with nature.
Additionally, gentle movement such as stretching, walking, or slow yoga can help ease your body into autumn. Doing it with grace, gently. Whether on THE MAT or outdoors, take time to breathe deeply and move mindfully, allowing your body to adjust to the season’s slower pace. Me (Leonie) personally I love THE MATS from our Core Collection with the purist Eye print during this season – the eye (which I always see and honor especially during my Down Dogs) is a daily reminder to myself to focus within, onto my third, inner eye and to shift my consciousness onto the more silent, peaceful inner spaces.
- Ground Yourself: Find Stability and Earthing on THE MAT
On the islands, grounding practices are essential to finding peace in the shifting seasons. As temperatures cool and energies slow, connecting with the earth becomes crucial for balance.
Create a grounding ritual using THE MAT. Lay the mat in a quiet space and dedicate time each day to sit or stretch on it, visualizing your connection to the earth. Honour the cork, this raw material mother Earth gifted us. Feel the material, feel nature. Whether through meditation, yoga, or simple breathwork, this practice helps you release tension, connect deeply with Earth energy and find stability in both body and mind, especially as autumn’s energy encourages us to turn inward.
- Wrap Yourself in Reflection: THE SHAWL Laozî
As the air cools, the Aegean sea storms come up and the people of the Cycladic islands often wrap themselves in shawls for warmth and protection, particularly during moments of meditation or prayer. This act symbolizes a retreat into oneself, where stillness and reflection flourish.
THE SHAWL Laozî, crafted from cashmere and modal at beautiful Lake Como, provides a perfect way to embrace this ritual. Wrap yourself in its warmth during meditation or journaling, letting it cocoon you in comfort as you reflect on the transitions in your life. The shawl can act as a tangible barrier to the outside world, deepening your sense of peace and introspection. By the way: Did you know that the Minoan dolphins on THE SHAWL are an ode to the temple of Knossos on the Greek Island Crete? Feel its energy to sustain the dolphin-like lightful playfulness-frequency also during the colder and darker months.
- Honor the Light: Sunset Rituals
Islanders often mark the end of the day by watching the sunset, pausing to reflect and give thanks. This daily ritual reminds us to appreciate life’s beauty even as the days shorten.
Leonie´s Small Sunset Consciousness Practice:
As the sun sets, wrap yourself in THE SHAWL Laozî, feel this Ascended Master´s energy guiding you, find a quiet spot, whether indoors or outdoors. Sit on your Mat, root deeply, connect with this earth through your root chakra and take a few deep breaths, allowing the fading light to symbolize the end of one chapter and the start of another. Let this time serve as a moment of gratitude for the day, helping you wind down with peace and intention. With every inhale you think: “LET” and with every exhale: “GO”. Feel how you slow down and find peace within – keeping the golden sun close to your heart.
