You’ve probably noticed the weather outside has changed noticeably in the past few weeks. You may even have noticed you skin becoming drier in response to this cooler weather. Perhaps you are aware of more subtle changes such as feeling “spacey”, anxious, or even experiencing constipation.
The science of Ayurveda (a sister science to yoga, defined as “the science of longevity”) can shed some light on how to bring our mind and body to a state of balance with the world around us, taking into account the time of day, the stage of life we are in, our diet, our yoga practice and the changing of the seasons, to name a few.
According to Ayurveda, prana (life force) manifests as three different energies (referred to as doshas), which are vata, pitta and kapha. We are each made up of a unique blend of these three forces. To give you a sense of these doshas, vata is made up of space and air and is responsible for movement. Pitta from fire and water (but think fire) and is the metabolizer. Kapha is comprised of water and earth and gives the body its structure and form.
Winter season is dominated by vata energy. It is light, dry, cool and windy. In order to be in balance, we need to bring qualities opposite to vata into our lives at this time of year. As the weather outside gets cooler, it is the perfect time to eat warm, grounding, slow cooked foods such as stews, soups and root vegetables to name a few. It’s not such a great time to crunch on some raw vegetables! From a yoga asana standpoint, think about slowing your practice down, adding in some extra holds along the way to create a calm, grounded feel. Lastly, where possible, try not to schedule your life running from activity to activity. This can become especially difficult during the busy holiday season, but it’s important to your health and wellbeing to create a sattvic lifestyle for yourself – bringing clarity and peace to your life.
