Ayurveda and the autumn equinox
As we transition from Summer into Autumn and look towards the equinox, its time to take note of how impactful the changing of the seasons is on us and what we can learn and do to help ourselves transition through this time with the utmost care.
Every day until the Autumn Equinox on Friday 23rd September, I’ll be giving you tips and ideas on how to gently ease into the seasonal shift with the introduction of new warming foods and offering compassionate and mindful practices of yoga, meditation and more.
Over here at Sansaar Ayurveda HQ we have also been preparing for another change. This run up to the Equinox will also serve as a gentle reveal of something we have been working on behind the scenes for a little while and we are excited to be sharing it with you. Hopefully by now you have spotted the change!
How is Ayurveda linked with the changing seasons?
We are taught in Ayurveda that the five elements; fire, water, air, earth and ether, that make up our beings are found within us in different amounts and its these varying combinations that make up our constitution or dosha. Throughout our lifetimes, our core dosha doesn’t really change, but external factors do and it is these changes that can affect the balance of our doshas. Around the changing of the seasons, these changes and imbalances are felt so much more strongly, more so to those of us who are in tune with bodies to some degree already, and therefore it is more important than ever to look for ways to help ourselves stay in balance throughout these times.
Examples of how we might be affected are where in summer, those of us with a Pitta dominant dosha overheat very easily, in winter, Kapha dominant dosha types nest and hunker down and Vata dominant constitution feel a little fuzzy around the edges, finding it hard to concentrate.
As with all things, an excess of one thing is never a good thing. Autumn is known as the Vata season. When in balance, Vata is full of vitality, lightness and exuberance. This abundance is perfect for the transition from Spring to Summer, the spring Equinox, but not so good for this time of year when we need re-balancing and grounding back into the earth as we approach the time for rest and quietness, and this is where we introduce Kapha.
If you would like to explore your dosha in more detail, why not book a consultation with Nina.
