The wisdom of Ayurveda: in harmony with seasonal rhythms

In ancient times, people valued seasonal rituals and festivals that facilitate the transition from one season to another. Gathering together, they performed special ceremonies, prepared festive dishes and thus tuned in to change. Nowadays, these important rituals are becoming less and less. Katie Silcox, yoga teacher and Ayurvedic practitioner from San Francisco, offers her guide to seasonal rhythms, inspired by nature’s wisdom and the traditions of Ayurveda.

Of course, these are general recommendations, which largely depend on where you live. But wherever you live – in the tropics or in Siberia, you will still feel small seasonal changes and can learn to adjust to them.

Fade season: autumn and early winter

In the autumn the air element predominates. This is the season of winds, desolation, harshness and dryness. By listening to ourselves, we will understand that physically and emotionally during this period we want to curl up. If the internal balance is disturbed in winter, conditions associated with vata dosha become aggravated: constipation, fears, crunching and pain in the joints, dry skin, anxiety, insomnia, seasonal depression associated with lack of sunlight. How you take care of yourself in the fall will determine your body’s ability to stay healthy in the winter. Winter – the time when you need to stay warm, make sure that the body does not dry out, is provided with nutrition and protection.

Warming procedures for autumn and early winter:

• Boil soups more often and drink herbal teas with spices and milk, they have a beneficial effect on digestion. Make friends with spices like turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, cumin, coriander, fennel, and black pepper.
• Give yourself an oil massage every morning. Not only is it good for the skin; Such a massage helps to ground the energy of the air, the excess of which causes anxiety and insomnia. An excellent oil for winter is sesame, it has nourishing and warming properties. Another great warming oil is Ayurvedic Mahanarayana oil, which uses about 30 medicinal plants in its preparation. It is good for joint pain and other painful sensations.
• To stimulate the body, take warm baths with ginger powder.
• Go to bed at 21-22 hours. Good rest is the main means of strengthening immunity. Only in winter can we afford to sleep as much as necessary.
• In winter, try to wear less black and dark blue clothes: black absorbs light and makes you feel empty and lost in space. This feeling is even more acute in winter.
• Eliminate all raw and cold foods: salads, ice water, smoothies.
• Don’t beat yourself up for wanting to stay at home. And do not try to fly to warm countries for the New Year and Christmas. Try to follow the traditions and arrange a holiday at home, in a calm, peaceful atmosphere. Avoid loud music, physical overexertion, too active sex. Do not cleanse the body and fasting and try to talk less.
• In cold winter, you can do a little more active, warming up physical exercises. At this time, it is useful to practice more mobile types of yoga, if you like them. Focus on backbends and lateral stretches – this contributes to good spirits and cheerfulness in the dark season.

Renewal season: end of winter – beginning of spring

If in the spring the body is in balance, we are overwhelmed with enthusiasm, we rejoice at the revival of nature and feel the energy of creation. In late winter and early spring, the water element predominates, although it is accompanied by the warming aspect of the sun (element of fire). This season brings with it such troubles as allergies, colds, flu, runny nose, various congestions in the body, congestion (of the nose) and a tendency to overeat. All these disorders are especially acute in early spring – the season when the presence of kapha dosha in the body increases.

How to keep cheerful in the spring?

• Spend more time outdoors.
• Spring is a good time for weddings and starting new projects as it is a time of rebirth and renewal. Change the decor of the room. Sow the seeds on a windowsill or in the garden.
• Try to wake up at dawn or shortly before it.
• Do not overcool – especially at the beginning of the season. Spring is a time of accumulation of dampness, especially in the lungs.
• Get more active exercise. At this time, the body feels a natural desire to get rid of excess fat accumulated over the winter. Moving yoga, jump rope, cycling or brisk walking will all benefit your lymphatic system.
• Spring is good for cleansing the body. However, a long course of detoxification must be carried out under the supervision of a trusted physician. It is important that the chosen program does not disturb the balance in the body.
• The spring season is great for getting rid of bad habits and destructive relationships, as well as clearing out all the trash from the balcony and having a big garage sale.
• Honor your desires. It is in spring that intuition sharpens, and we begin to feel our most secret aspirations, we understand what moves us forward. In late spring, when the element of fire accumulates, this receptivity becomes especially strong. You may notice that at this time your hunger (both sexual and ordinary) escalates, your ambitions and desire to move forward grow. This is fine. So nature seems to tell us to take advantage of the natural spring rhythm and move forward in business and achievements.
• In the spring, it is useful for all healthy people to eat foods that reduce kapha dosha.¹. These are primarily products with a sharp, bitter and astringent taste. Avoid sweet, sour and salty foods.

Season of passion and energy: summer

In summer, the element of fire predominates. If we are in balance, we manage to enjoy the passion and energy inherent in this season. The main thing is to observe the measure and not overheat on the beach. Typical manifestations of summer imbalance are exacerbation of various conditions associated with fire and burning: acne, rash, heat stroke, hives, emotions of anger and rage, digestive disorders (ulcers, colitis, diarrhea), excessive sweating, burns.

What will allow you to be in harmony in the hot season?

• To restore the imbalance, Ayurveda recommends “moon baths” – calm contemplation of the moon with love in the heart reduces pitta. Moonlight swimming is the best remedy for Pitta imbalances. Splash with floral water. Buy rose or jasmine water and use on every occasion.
• In the hot season, it is best to practice yoga and swimming. Let the movements be slow and do not warm up the body. Focus on spinal twists and forward bends. This will help get rid of excess fire and cleanse the digestive system of toxins. In the summer, work out at half strength, until light sweat appears. It is difficult for people with a pronounced pitta dosha to do this, but in the end the body will thank you. Moisturize your beautiful skin with coconut oil: it cools, nourishes the skin and detoxifies. Gentle daily self-massage with coconut oil will not only allow you to slow down, relax and cool your ardor, but also have a rejuvenating effect, calm the nervous system and reduce dehydration.
• In the diet, focus on cooling, dry foods. Sweet, bitter and astringent should be the main tastes. Start with a Pitta Reducing Food List¹. Drink cool (but not icy!) water with mint, cucumber, and lime.
• Avoid heated emotions and conflicts. In the height of summer, it is better not to decide on a divorce. Remember that the heat and passions are strongest at noon, when the sun is at its zenith, and also from 22:00 to 2:00. Summer romance is great. But too active sex leads to overheating. Tell your partner that you want more tenderness.
• Cooling fragrances – rose, lavender, jasmine, lotus, sandalwood, hibiscus. Use them in the form of essential oils, powders, teas, or place fresh flowers at home.
• Sleep on your right side, it cools the nervous system.

¹ For more details, see K. Silkox “Healthy, happy, sexy. The wisdom of Ayurveda for modern women” (Mann, Ivanov and Ferber, 2016).