Fall in Love with Ayurveda

Today’s blog is all about transitioning into the Fall season.  We started down this road last week when I showed you a couple of yoga poses that are perfect for balancing the energy of the season!  We dive deeper today as I share simple lifestyle practices from Ayurveda to ease into the season with greater love and alignment. 
 
What is Ayurveda?
Ayurveda is a sister science to yoga.  It is a holistic system of well-being that traces its roots back to the Vedic era in India (thousands of years ago!).  Ayurveda sees all of Nature, including ourselves, as being composed of 5 basic elements – ether, air, fire, water, and earth.  These 5 elements govern our body (on the physical, mental, and emotional levels), the seasons, weather, time of day, foods that we eat, and more! 
 
What does this have to do with feeling good in the Fall?
For this, I will give an example.  My own body-mind constitution is Vata-Pitta; Autumn is the season governed by Vata (air and ether).  Since Vata is in my constitution and it also predominates this season, the Vata in Nature can exacerbate the qualities of Vata within my body and mind.  These qualities are dry, rough, cold, mobile, and light.  These qualities can give rise to dry skin, restless mind, constipation, feeling ungrounded, and anxious. I have always noticed that I feel a bit unsettled and ungrounded as I transitioned into the Fall season, but I never knew why until I discovered Ayurveda!  Now that I understand this dynamic of excess air/ether in the climate exacerbating those same qualities within myself, I have specific tools from Ayurveda that I can implement every Fall to help ease my transition into the season. 
 
Here are some of those tools that you can also use today:
1. Oil Massage
To counter the dryness of the season, Ayurveda offers us Abhyanga, a daily self-massage with oil.  Sesame oil is generally a great option this season! 

2. Eat Root Vegetables
Eat food that grows close to the Earth.  These foods naturally carry grounding qualities of heaviness and moisture that help counter the qualities of excess Vata (light and dry).  Examples of such foods are carrots,beets, potatoes, and pumpkin.  Cook these vegetables in soups for added moisture and easy digestion.

3. Grounding Activities
Examples of grounding activities include restorative yoga asanas gentle walks in nature, and spending quality time with friends and family.

Leave a comment to let me know how these practices work out for you!  Need further guidance specific to your constitution?  Schedule your complimentary coaching call here
Keep Reading:
What is Ayurveda?
Yoga Poses for the Fall Season
Letting Go