Season of Vata

Outside, the leaves are shedding their green in favor of vibrant, fiery hues. Even in this warmer-than-usual New England October, the air is turning cooler and drier.

You have likely noticed the arrival of fall, not just in terms of weather but also because it tends to be a time of increased activity and change. The long, lazy days of summer have been replaced by shorter, crisper hours of sunlight, and suddenly everyone seems busier.

The cold, windy, and dry weather of autumn into early winter is mirrored in the physical and mental states we find in our bodies. You may notice, for instance, that in fall your skin becomes drier and you may experience more anxiety or more erratic digestion.

Autumn is the season of vata, one of the primary energies in ayurveda. Vata encompasses light, airy, dry, cold qualities in ourselves and the world around us.

As these qualities increase in our environment, they also increase in us as parts of that environment, and so we can find ourselves feeling frazzled, anxious, and having difficulty sleeping. Add to this that our lives have become increasingly stressful and often over-stimulated, and you have a recipe for vata imbalance.

The good news is that there are many ways in which we can support ourselves physically, mentally, and emotionally in order to work with vata rather than against it.

The main principle to keep in mind is that like increases like, while opposites balance. When you add the cool winds of autumn to too much cold food, for instance, you will likely aggravate a vata imbalance. But when you sooth a cold body with a warm, rich stew or treat dry skin with a warm oil massage, the body will naturally begin to return to balance.

With that in mind, here are some key ways to support balance and centering during vata season:

1. Eat warm, moist food

Delicious dinner at Life Alive in Cambridge, MA

Eat warm, moist food rather than cold, dry food (this is not the season for salads!). Especially favor seasonal vegetables such as winter squashes and root vegetables. Soups and stews, either with meat or vegetarian, are ideal this time of year. Sweet grains such as rice are also very balancing.

2. Add warming spices to your food

Good choices include cinnamon, ginger, and black pepper, which will help stimulate the digestion and aid with any dryness or constipation in the gut.

3. Avoid stimulants

Avoid stimulants such as caffeine as much as possible. If you drink coffee or caffeinated tea, consider adding milk, nut milk, and a dash of maple syrup to your daily cup. These will help to balance the stimulating effects and soothe the body.

4. Follow the rhythm of natural light

Follow a daily routine of rising early and going to bed early. When the body has a routine, the nervous system is able to calm, which allows for greater rest and less stress. Though you may not rise before dawn and go to bed at dusk, you can still mimic the natural pattern of daylight by waking early and turning in early, ideally before 10pm.

5. Practice gentle, grounding yoga

With so much wind and air energy in this season, slow and grounding yoga postures bring stability and balance to the body. Restorative poses are particularly beneficial in autumn.

6. Give yourself a regular warm oil massage

Give yourself a regular warm oil massage using unrefined organic sesame oil. This practice is wonderful for soothing dry skin and nourishing the tissues while also deeply calming the mind.

7. Cultivate a gratitude practice

Cultivate a gratitude practice to ground yourself and reconnect to your core self.

Taking the time to nurture yourself during this busy season will ensure that you feel as balanced and healthy as possible as we move deeper into the fall and toward the holiday season!

Written by Ash Temin