Seasonal Transitions: An Ayurvedic Approach

Most of us have a favorite season; the time of year we feel most like ourselves, most comfortable, and most at ease. We usually also have a season when things go awry (eg. allergies, congestion, intolerance to excessive heat or cold, trouble sleeping, etc). Seasonal transitions can be particularly challenging in geographical locations experiencing drastic changes from one season to the next. As Minnesotans, many people experience health issues with the extreme changing seasons.

Thankfully, yoga’s sister science Ayurveda offers many tips and tools to live more harmoniously with the constant changes in our environments. One of the oldest consistently practiced forms of medicine, the Sanskrit word “Ayurveda” means “science of living” or “knowledge of life.” A holistic system, Ayurveda cares for the body, mind, and spirit with precise application of herbs, foods, oils, daily practices, exercises, and breathing techniques. Ayurveda teaches that suffering comes from disconnection from our natural habitats, and uses a one-size-fits-none approach to healing. Each individual is a microcosm of the macrocosm, made up of the five main building blocks of life (earth, water, fire, air, and ether) in different ratios. Our unique constitution is known as our “dosha,” with three doshas: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha.

Just as humans have a unique constitutional makeup, so too do the seasons hold special properties and characteristics. Late fall and early winter is Vata season. Air and ether elements make up Vata dosha, characterizing this time of year with qualities of dryness, lightness, mobility, roughness, subtlety, and coldness.

From an Ayurvedic perspective, when our external environments shift, so do our internal environments. As the world changes around us, we must also change our daily practices in order to move through these shifts with grace and harmony. If we do not live in accordance with the seasons, imbalances can build, overtime leading to more significant illnesses and conditions.

According to Ayurveda, one main cause of disease is resisting, fighting, or negating the seasonal changes, whether that be actual weather or phases of life. How often do you hear people getting upset about the weather, wishing things were different? Acceptance is an integral aspect of Ayurveda. When we stop fighting what we cannot control, and begin learning how to best navigate the ever-changing winds around us, we become more resilient. Hence why we sometimes refer to Ayurveda as the “quest for longevity.”

Ayurveda abides by two maxims in order to find harmony: like increases like, and opposites bring balance. Therefore, as we move into a drier, colder, lighter, rougher season, we bring about balance by incorporating the opposite qualities into our food and lifestyle practices. In this time of year, favor warming, grounding, stable, heavy, and moist foods. Get out your instapot and lean into the season of soups, stews, and comfort foods.

Transition with ease into Vata season with these tips:

-Sip warm water throughout the day. Not only does warm water in the morning cleanse the digestive tract, it also stimulates your appetite and hydrates the tissues more effectively than cold water.

-Favor foods that calm, warm and ground air and ether elements. This is the time of year for hearty soups, stews, and roasted vegetables. Add ghee (clarified butter) and warming and grounding spices like cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, black pepper, turmeric, cardamom, fennel, mustard seed, and cumin.

-Incorporate abhyanga, Ayurveda’s frequently prescribed full body self-massage done with warm oil, ideally in the morning on an empty stomach.

-Practice warming and balancing breath techniques, and favor yoga slightly heating to the body, but deeply grounding for the mind.

-Mirror nature’s ability to shed its leaves and turn inwards. Let this be a time to also self-reflect, journal, meditate, and give yourself ample time to just be.

The seasons do not need to be something we resist, but rather reminders: just as the world is in constant flux, so too are we. The more capable we become at listening to our natural surroundings, learning about our local environments, and honoring the cyclical nature of life, the more easily we will be able to connect with the cycles of our own body. We can understand how the earth connects and supports us and one another more than we may ever realized.

Meghan Foley is a local Minneapolis-based yoga therapist and Ayurvedic health counselor. She specializes in pelvic floor yoga therapy, leads Yin Yoga teacher training, and offers weekly group yoga classes at Up Yoga and Blooma. Her classes incorporate the ancient teachings of Ayurveda, along with a focus on precise alignment, while always leaving room for playfulness and lightheartedness. When Meghan isn’t teaching, you can find her in the kitchen, making homemade ghee and seasonal spice blends. 

You can find out more about Meghan’s upcoming offerings at meghanfoleyyoga.com and on Instagram at @meghanfoleyyoga