Fall Tips

Fall + Ayurveda

 

Autumn, in Minnesota especially, is a process of letting go of summer’s growth to slow down for darker days and inward reflection.  This season is full of change and movement, quite literally as we often switch up our daily routines and watch fallen leaves swirl in bitter winds! Vata is associated with cold, dry, light-weight energy.  Too much Vata energy can show up in our bodies and minds as dry skin, brittle hair, constipated digestion, scattered thoughts, and full-on anxiety.  The doshas also cycle throughout the day, with Vata being most present from 2-6 am and 2-6 pm.  Vata is a fast-moving, creative energy so Ayurveda suggests taking note of your sensory input and stimulation during these times.

Feeling scattered?

Center + Ground your energy

 

Eat more warm, moist, heavy foods to balance the cold, dry, light energy all around

  • Enjoy well-cooked warm foods like soups, stews, casseroles, well-cooked oats, rice

  • Eat regularly - small meals three or four times a day in a calm environment

  • Use oil, ghee and butter liberally in cooking to combat dryness

  • Avoid dry and crunchy foods like crackers, chips, and raw foods. If eating salad, please use plenty of oily or creamy dressing

Get into Routines

  • Oiling the feet or the entire body (abyhanga) is recommended daily. Sesame oil is especially warming for cold Vata energy.

  • Consistency is important for your nervous system as change and movement overwhelm in this season. Feeling lost or isolated is typical in Vata season, so be sure to cultivate routines that connect you to an internal source of strength and to loved ones.

Focus on grounding and calming breath practices

  • Take time for slow “belly” breathing - allow the belly to expand on the inhale as the diaphragm pushes the internal organs out of the way for the lungs to fill. On the exhale, sense the centered pull of the belly back towards the spine. This type of breathing can also help release the psoas muscle, which can be unconsciously clenched when we feel anxious.

How we balance
Vata energy

 

Practices for grounding Vata

  • Choose asana (physical yoga practice) with longer holds, rather than moving from pose to pose quickly. Standing poses and seated forward folds will ground energy.

  • Navel-centered practices can gather scattered energy and warm up the body quickly. Belly backbends, twisting, and poses that really engage the core are good examples.

  • Try using sama vrtti breathing: translating to “same wave”, this type of breath invites balance by inhaling and exhaling equally. You can count the breath to help think of the length as equal, but also concentrate on the force and texture of the different stages of breath being the same wave, smooth and continuous.

  • Ujjayi breath (slight constriction in your throat that creates an audible sound like the ocean) can also be a great accompaniment to any physical practice or meditation. This breath is heating which can be helpful for the cold Vata energy.

General guidelines for balancing vata:

  • Keep warm

  • Keep calm

  • Avoid cold, frozen or raw foods

  • Avoid extreme cold

  • Eat warm foods and spices

  • Keep a regular routine

  • Get plenty of rest

Ayurveda’s
3 Doshas

 

According to Ayurvedic philosophy the entire cosmos is an interplay of the energies of the five great elements—Space, Air, Fire, Water and Earth. Vata, pitta and kapha are combinations and permutations of these five elements that manifest as patterns present in all creation. 

Vata is the subtle energy associated with movement — composed of Space and Air. It governs breathing, blinking, muscle and tissue movement, pulsation of the heart, and all movements in the cytoplasm and cell membranes. In balance, vata promotes creativity and flexibility. Out of balance, vata produces fear and anxiety. 

Pitta expresses as the body’s metabolic system — made up of Fire and Water. It governs digestion, absorption, assimilation, nutrition, metabolism and body temperature. In balance, pitta promotes understanding and intelligence. Out of balance, pitta arouses anger, hatred and jealousy. 

Kapha is the energy that forms the body’s structure — bones, muscles, tendons — and provides the “glue” that holds the cells together, formed from Earth and Water. Kapha supplies the water for all bodily parts and systems. It lubricates joints, moisturizes the skin, and maintains immunity. In balance, kapha is expressed as love, calmness and forgiveness. Out of balance, it leads to attachment, greed and envy. 

This information is excerpted from Dr. Vasant Lad’s website, full of incredible information on Ayurveda. 

https://www.ayurveda.com/resources/general-information