In the Ayurvedic tradition, an ancient system of natural healing developed in India, we learn that Autumn is the season of transition. We move from the fires of summer into the season of VATA, which is characterized by the element of air and ether. In the practice of Yin Yoga we begin to focus more on the qualities of the lungs. It is here that we hold grief. Perhaps this season of autumn is inviting you to take a deep breath that bypasses the superficial and penetrates to the heart of the matter. Maybe once you reach this deep place within you discover a sense of grief, and know my friends that this is a normal 'season' of our lives. Meet this auspicious traveler and inquire of their gifts. Perhaps during the heat of the summer it was easy to ignore and get angry with this visitor, but in the coolness of fall, the medicine is to inquire and seek the gift.
We find that this season sometimes coined the 'King of the Dosas' as a proponent of regularity in our lives. During this season especially we are encouraged to sleep and eat on a very regular schedule. Some other characteristics of this season are keeping ourselves hydrated, getting ample rest, and combating this season of dryness with sesame oil massages before our baths. This season is also very much about elimination.
The energy of Vata is all about movement. The movement inside our physical bodies as well as the movement in our external lives. This season of autumn invites us to slow down and more deliberately rest and restore our bodies, minds, and spirits.
Cheers to another lens of autumn. May you nourish your bodies, invite deep rest, and thoughtfully let go of things that no longer serve you. Grab a spicy cup of ginger tea and curl up in gratitude.
May You Sweetly Seek:)
In Gratitude,
Sarah