We are transitioning. Days are getting shorter, nights are getting longer. Autumn is upon us & before we know it all the leaves will be vibrant oranges, yellows, & reds. Kids are back to school & the energy of summer is tucking itself in for the winter ahead. It’s easy to notice the shift happening all around us. It’s so obvious in so many ways.
But what about the subtle shifts? The ones that exist deep within your core?
You are shifting, too. Your circadian rhythm is shifting & finding new alignment every single day.
How do we ease through this month of transition between summer & autumn?
Ayurveda provides some simple, sweet ways to transition, so let’s dive in.
In my last post, I talked about the five elements as they relate to personalities. Well, the three doshas - Vata, Pitta & Kapha - are made up of the elements. Vata is made up of ether & air. Pitta is made up of fire & a little bit of water. Kapha is made up of water & earth. The doshas are what determines our own prakruti, or constitution. No two people are exactly alike in their doshic breakdown, so your constitution is completely unique to you! Your constitution is determined by your physical body & how it functions, the mind, your speech, your karma & your samskaras (tendencies).
Just as we are made up of the three doshas, the seasons can also be broken down into the doshas.
Vata is highest in fall & early winter when it’s dry & cold. Kapha is highest in late winter, early spring when it’s wet. Pitta is highest in late spring & summer when it’s hot. We are shifting from warm pitta season into cold, dry, & mobile Vata season.
First & foremost, Vata season requires you to GET GROUNDED. That begins with the food you are bringing into your body. It’s time to start phasing out the cold, raw foods like salads & reach for those grounded root vegetables, soups, stews & warming herbs. Bring in healthy fats & oils daily to keep your body moist to protect you from illness. Everything should be well cooked & well spiced to keep you warm & keep your agni (digestive fire) strong. Earth gives us the perfect foods to help us through each season, so invite those seasonal foods into your rotation such as apples, plums, pears, beets, broccoli, carrots, kale, garlic, & squash. Bring in spices such as ginger, cinnamon, asafoetida, cardamom, cumin, cloves, mustard seed, tumeric, coriander, & fennel.
One of the most important things you can do is create a stable routine for yourself. Routine means you should do everything at relatively the same time every day - waking, sleeping, eating, etc. Here are some ideas to inspire you:
Waking/sleeping
Consistent meal times
Meditate
Recite mantra or affirmations
Walking
Yoga
Abhyanga (oil massage)
Pranayama (breath work)
Nighttime skincare
Weekly date night
Additionally, start to slow down your lifestyle. Vata season is light & mobile already, so invite calm to balance that. Instead of spending every weekend out & about, dedicate a weekend to rest & recharge. Dedicate a whole day to being out in nature & away from the hustle of daily life. Carve out a corner of your home to find stillness, to find your roots.
Change will happen whether you want it to or not. It is inevitable in all aspects of life & the best thing we can do is to flow with it. So, as this transition flows, flow with it. Don’t resist & choose joy - even in the challenging moments.
As always, I am here to support you. Know that I am struggling to find my footing in this period of change, too.
Love you, sweet beans!
xx