Fall is slowly drawing to a close and winter is creeping in. We're making the necessary changes with our homes and clothes, but are you making any changes with your body to prepare it for the winter ahead?
In Ayurvedic medicine they believe that our bodies are in line with nature. Therefor with each season our body changes. Our bodies are made up of constitutions that determine how we react to things physically and emotionally. This system is in depth and I recommend if you are interested, to do further reading as this blog will only scratch the surface.
The three constitutions, or dosha's as they are called in Ayurveda, are pitta, vata and kapha. We have a bit of each dosha in us, but are generally dominated by one or two of them. Each dosha represents a season. Kapha is strongest in late winter and early spring. Pitta peaks in late spring and summer and vata is strong in the fall and early winter. When we're feeling healthy our dosha's are in balance, when we're sick or feeling a particularly strong emotion over a long period of time (like depression), our dosha's are out of balance.
When you're in a dosha's season, that dosha can easily get out of balance. We're coming into winter so we're still in the vata season, which started in fall and will continue till kapha takes over in late winter. If you have a vata constitution, you're more sensitive to the affects of this season, but even pitta and kapha dominate dosha's can be afflicted with excess vata. To find out your dosha, take a quiz here.
When vata's are out of balance, we feel out of control. Our nature is to constantly be on the go, but when we're imbalanced we're like an aggravated bee hive. We can't focus, our anxiety levels rise and we tend to over extend ourselves causing fatigue. We'll toss and turn when we sleep and become short tempered because we're tired all the time. With all the chaos, we may not eat well, causing us to lose weight and our digestion will become irregular.The best thing for a vata, when we feel out of control, is to ground ourselves.
Vata's are flighty, so in order to balance us out we need to get our feet on the ground, literally and figuratively. We're also cold and dry by nature so we crave warmth and moisture. We need stability and consistency in our lives, which during the holiday season can be hard to find so we have to make a point to pamper ourselves before we implode.
Make sure to dress warm and most importantly cover your head. We lose a lot of heat through our head and vata's get cold easily. Stay moist by doing a sesame oil rub each morning, this will keep your skin moist and prevent the dry cracking skin vatas are afflicted with in the winter months. Eat warm food with a bit of spice like ginger or garlic. Get regular sleep by going to bed and getting up at the same time each day. Optimum sleep times are from 10pm to 6am. Vata's tend to tire easily as well, so when you can take a nap and don't go to the extreme with exercise. I find that in the dark days of winter, instead of going to bed at ten, I make sure to be asleep by 8:30 or 9. I know it sounds early to go to bed, but I'm more refreshed the next day.
To calm your out of control vata go get a hug. Vata's love to be touched by those we love. Snuggle up with someone in a nice warm blanket or if no one is home to cuddle with, head out for a massage. Play some soothing music and light some candles. Vata's are calmed by sweet, heavy smells such as lavender, cinnamon, citrus, cloves, pine, sage and vanilla.
A balancing yoga practice for a vata is slow and deliberate. Focus on the feel of your feet on the ground and your breath. Your inclination may be to move fast through the poses, but what you need most is to slow down. A restorative practice is perfect for this.
I'm a high vata so I tend to struggle this time of year. I feel like I'm constantly rushing to get something done, when all I want is to sit still as my reserves feel depleted. When I get overwhelmed, I make sure to carve out some time for myself and I find that it helps considerably. When I can't take a break, if I'm inside, I like to take my shoes off and give myself a quick foot massage and then walk around in my socks a bit to feel my feet on the ground. I make myself take a slow breath or two. If I find myself speeding through this routine, I'll start over. The effect is amazing. It calms me and I feel like my thoughts have slowed down and I can concentrate better.
Instead of fighting the changing of the seasons, embrace them by knowing how to tame your dosha's. Happy dosha's make for a happy person.
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