dinacharya: fall edition

ayurveda and seasonal transitions

According to Āyurveda, seasonal transitions, in particular the transitions from spring to summer, and from summer to fall, are times when more care and attention must be given to maintain doshic balance.

Successfully navigating a seasonal transition while maintaining good health and wellness requires a level of self-knowledge and awareness so that one can learn to cultivate balance between ourselves and the environment that we live in.

If we do not go about taking care of our bodies during these transitions, imbalances in the body may manifest as allergies, cold, flu, congestion, or any number of ailments.⁠

“When the seasons change, we experience a sympathetic internal shift. All life-forms open themselves up to receive cosmic redirection from nature during these crucial seasonal transitions, so we are likely to be more vulnerable and unsettled. ”

— Maya Tiwari

vata dosha

The qualities of Vata dosha are cold, dry, light, rough, mobile, subtle, and clear. With a dominance of these qualities in the macro environment in the fall, we must find ways to pacify, or balance Vata dosha so that we do not become overwhelmed with Vata.

Vata shows up in many ways in the external environment during this transition; cooler temperatures, more movement/mobility (in the form of wind), drier air, the manifestation of rough qualities (think dry, crunchy leaves), and a quality of lightness in the air.

The micro environment of the body begins to take on these qualities, which can look like:

Cold: coldness/numbness in hands and feet, poor circulation
Dry: dry skin, lips, and scalp, constipation
Light: feeling ungrounded, busy mind
Rough: cracking skin, carelessness, rigidity
Mobile: restlessness, racing thoughts, insomnia, irregular appetite
Subtle: feeling ungrounded, insomnia, weight loss, fear/worry/anxiety
Clear: forgetfulness, losing things (where are my keys!)

practices to cultivate balance

Creating a healthy, seasonally appropriate dinacharya goes a long way ways to pacify Vata dosha. Vata is inherently mobile and irregular, so stability and regularity will be keys to Vata pacification. Remember that in order to balance dosha, you must utilize opposite qualities. Introduce qualities of hot, oily, heavy, slimy, static, gross. Here are some of our favorite ways to pacify dosha to stay balanced this fall:

Cultivate Stability. Perhaps the most effective way to manage excess Vata is to create rhythm and routine. Having places to anchor meal times, wake/sleep times, and other activities is very grounding and calming to Vata dosha. Consider finding stability in one of our weekly asana classes.

Eating Appropriate Foods. Ahara (food) is comprises our largest daily input. So you what and how you eat will have a big seasonal impact. Make sure you’re eating warm, soupy/stewy, well-spiced meals. Need some inspiration? Check out an upcoming Ayurvedic Cooking Class.

Practice Abhyanga. We love abhyanga! A very effective way to combat stress, anxiety, and overwhelm, abhyangha promotes joint health, nervous system regulation, and deep sleep. It also helps to balance the doshas, promote deep relaxation, and a peaceful mind. Visit our blog to read more about how to perform this ritual, and shop the apothecary to get your doshic daily massage kit.

Use Oil Everywhere. Oil is Vata’s most therapeutic substance, so lean in. Besides abhyanga you can practice Karna Purna (ear oiling) and Nasya (nasal oleation) to keep Vata and the spaces it occupies calm.

Tanmatra Cikitsa. Subtle therapies offers powerful medicine for Vata’s often sensitive system. Calming, rhythmic sound; compression clothing or weighted blankets; and Vata-pacifying scents like Jatamamsi and Hina Attar work wonders to ground and soothe.

Herbal Tea as Medicine. It’s easy to forget that your delicious cuppa is also serious medicine. This season Vata Root Down, Mental Clari-Tea, Sereni-Tea, and Medhya Rasayana all fit the bill.

It’s also the time of year to consider your Rtucharya (seasonal routine). An Ayurvedic Fall Rejuvenation can reset doshic patterns in BIG ways. Check out the AWC calendar to catch our next Ayurvedic Cleanse.

These seasonal supports make tending your Vata easy and enjoyable. 👇🏼