Guide to Autumn Transition
As the sun begins to wane and we move through the autumn equinox, the lunar energy increases as the evenings draw in. With it, it brings a coolness, and crisp air to cut through the heat of the summer season.
After the extrovert nature of summer, it is a time to begin slowing down, gathering inwards, and cultivating softer, gentler practices. Whereas with spring and summer, we are invited to bloom and show ourselves outwardly, as autumn begins, just as nature starts to shed and hibernate, so we will naturally want to do the same. This can be a tricky season for us within our society that favours that Pitta energy of summer. We aren’t encouraged to slow and rest, so as our bodies naturally want to, we may feel some resistance to it.
Autumn is governed by Vata energy, which brings in lightness and dryness, and the element of air. It carries the very nature of shedding, of emptiness, and clearing house getting ourselves ready for the next cycle to begin. This can leave us feeling a little lost, empty, and vulnerable, so staying rooted is important. This can be balanced with more grounding, and nurturing practices, instill a simple routine to anchor you, and by embracing the desire to slow down.
It is a great time to really re-commit to your self-care routines and really nourish yourselves to maintain that balance and focus on supporting your nervous system. A seasonal routine can be a great support during these transitions, and what this looks like will be different for everyone. But what matters most is that we find a way to embrace the season and align with mother nature in whatever way we can.
According to Ayruveda, a seasonal routine is a really important aspect of maintaining good health, and adapting that routine and lifestyle each season can be a huge support to yourself as you also shift and move through the seasons. It is worth keeping in mind that this will be different for all of us depending on where we live in the world. Ayurveda tells us to balance like with like, so the changes you make to your lifestyle should be determined by what is going on in your environment. Equally, when we take about seasonal eating that too will be determined by where you live in the world
Tips for Autumn Season
The characteristics of Vata season are; dry, cool, rough, light, anxious, so when we look to balance these qualities we should be looking to bring in warmth, softness, oiliness, stability, routine. How we do this is through the practices we choose and the what and how we consume.
Some signs of autumn our body may experience;
Bloating
Constipation
Dryness
Cracking in our joints
Creating a Grounding Routine
Generally Autumn is a great time to rest and take things easy. Your body will want nourishment, and anything to vigorous, fast exercise, being cold, may aggravate you during this season. So, use this as an opportunity to slow down your yoga practices, wrap up warm and look after yourself! This is a great point, at the beginning of the Autumn equinox, to begin instilling a daily routine. As the mornings are darker and it becomes more difficult for us to get up out of bed unaided, having a routine can really support our transition into this season.
Oily, warming, cooked foods.
Adding warming spices to your meals (ginger, turmeric, cayenne, cinnamon)
Calming, balancing breath like Nodi Shodhana (alternate nostril breathing) , or just a steady Ujjayi breath to warm up your system.
Self-massage using a warming oil like sesame oil.
Gentle meditation
Connecting and grounding in nature
Grounding yoga poses, like Tree pose, Mountain pose, and lots of Savasana
What to Eat More of
Diet is a great way to support yourself in this season. It is a time we may feel we want to eat more but making sure that the right things will be good for your digestion. To know what food to increase during this time, it helps to look at what food grows abundantly at this time of year. It is a time where we should be increasing cooked foods, and limit the amount of raw food and salad we eat.
Lots of root vegetables
Squash, carrot, parsnips, pumpkin
Darker leafy greens, spinach, chard.
Dark berries and fruits
Apples and pears
Mushroom (for vitamin D)
Steamed vegetables, soups, stews, and grains are all great to have more of this season, ideally minimizing the amount of raw, cold, uncooked foods like smoothies and salads, and ‘light’ fruits and vegetables.
