Ayurveda is an ancient medicine that originated in India over 5,000 years ago. Ayurveda translates to “the study of life” and is a seasonal practice. It offers us limitless ways to seek, create and cultivate balance in this beautiful, yet chaotic world. It invites us to live in harmony with Mother Nature, tap into our inner wisdom, build discernment, and be mindful of what we allow in through our sense organs: food, sounds, interactions, thoughts, beverages, products, experiences, words, images, etc.
One of my favorite parts about living in New England is experiencing the beautiful transition from Summer to Fall. As a total beach bum, surfer and lover of long days, I completely embrace the summer time (while trying to keep my Fire balanced). However, come Fall season, I am always so excited and eager for the season of hunkering down, grounding, warming up and cozying up. You may find that instinctually this time of the year you start craving more warm, heavy, spicy, nourishing foods. You may crave more rest and routine, and find yourself daydreaming about sitting near a fire in a fuzzy sweater with a hot mug of tea. You may notice that you have a decreased craving for raw salads, iced beverages and smoothies. This is your body’s innate wisdom adapting to the changes in the elements. The Fall season is the Vata time of year; it is cool, windy, dry and rough. Think of a crisp Fall morning…temperatures are brisk, the air is dry, and the trees and leaves are blowing. According to Ayurveda, we are a microcosm of the macrocosm. Meaning, whatever is happening in Mother Nature, is also happening within us (physically and mentally). With the gifts of Ayurveda, we can live in harmony with the seasons and do our best to avoid imbalances and states of disease.
In Ayurveda, there are 5 elements that combine together in a unique way to make 3 Doshas/Constitutions (Vata, Pitta, Kapha). Each dosha has a set list of qualities. If your Ayurvedic constitution is composed mostly of the Vata dosha (Ether/Space & Air), you may be feeling these increased qualities in the Fall more than a Kapha (Earth & Water) or Pitta (Fire & Water) constitution. (Note: we are all a combination of the three doshas, in varying amounts). In order to cultivate balance, we must introduce the opposite qualities. According to Ayurveda there are 10 qualities with their opposite pair. These are referred to as the 20 gunas. They are: heavy-light, cold-hot, dry-oily, dull-sharp, smooth-rough, dense-liquid, soft-hard, stable-erratic, gross-subtle, and cloudy/sticky-clear. One simple exercise you can practice is pausing, asking yourself how you feel, and then bringing in the opposite quality. For example, if your mind feels erratic, introduce stable and slow activities such as breathwork, resting, earthing, and/or taking a moment in silence. If your digestion feels heavy, eat something light. If you feel chilly, warm up with some layers. It is important to remember that the two main principles of Ayurveda are:
Like increases like, and opposites bring balance.
The Vata dosha has qualities of: light, dry, rough, mobile, cold, hard and subtle. A person with a Vata dominant constitution is highly creative, imaginative and full of new ideas. They can be irregular and don’t typically like a routine (although it would benefit them immensely). Some may say they live with their head in the clouds, floating along, and are capable of having big visions (because Vata has the spaciousness quality). A Vata person typically talks fast, walks fast and eats fast. Because the Vata dosha is so subtle with the Space and Air elements, they are often inherently fragile and sensitive. Here are some physical attributes of a Vata dominant person: Long skeletal frame with narrow shoulders and hips and prominent joints. Tend to be underweight and have a hard time gaining weight. Hair and skin may lean on the side of dry and frizzy. They likely have cold feet and hands and do not tolerate the cold and wind well. Have you ever seen someone walking in the airport getting their attention pulled in so many directions, they might be looking all around, walking fast and a little erratically? Maybe they head to the book store, forget what book they wanted to get, and end up buying a handful of magazines instead. If you were to ask them, “When was your last meal?” They may look at you with surprise, and realize that they haven’t eaten all morning and all afternoon. Their minds are so imaginative, full and ethereal, they can sometimes forget to do what might seem like basic daily tasks. This is likely a Vata dominant person.
One of the main principles of Ayurveda is: like increases like and can lead to imbalance. This means if we start experiencing too much cold, wind, dryness and roughness in the Fall & Winter it could lead to an imbalance. This imbalance may show up as: headaches, insomnia, fear, anxiety, dry/creaking joints, dry skin, lips and hair, constipation, tinnitus, and more. We can also see excess wind living in the mind looking like: inability to focus, extremely scattered, restless, and spiraling thoughts. When we have too much wind in the gut, it can show up as gas or bloating. When we notice imbalances arising, we want to REALLY start bringing in the opposite qualities (if we haven't proactively started doing it already).
Sweet (Madhura): Earth & Water: complex carbs, sweet fruits, grains, root vegetables (potatoes and beets), dates, milk, cheese, oils, nuts and meat
Sour (Amla): Earth & Fire: yogurt, lime, lemon, sour fruit, fermented foods
Salty (Lavana): Water & Fire: rock salt, sea salt, tamari, seaweed
Looking at the world through the lens of Ayurveda can be incredibly beneficial and life changing. Ayurveda believes in small baby steps to build consistent changes. For more information on Ayurveda, please check out Meg’s previous written blogs on the topic. For more personalized information on your elemental makeup, it is highly recommended to connect with an Ayurvedic Practitioner or Ayurvedic Health Counselor. Meg is an active member of the National Ayurvedic Medical Association and graduated from Kripalu with 650 Hours of Ayurvedic Studies becoming an Ayurvedic Health Counselor in 2024. She is available for 90 minute in-person Ayurvedic Consultations at the NH Health & Wellness Center. A consultation can be incredibly beneficial for anyone experiencing sleep issues, digestion issues, lack of energy, fatigue, headaches, feeling unsettled, irregular bowel movements, an overall lack of balance and much more.
Meg Visnaskas is a Licensed Massage Therapist and Ayurvedic Health Counselor at the NH Health & Wellness Center. She finds great passion working with clients and helping them reflect on their daily habits and work towards creating new ones. Meg is a 200 Hour Yoga Teacher and teaches at Humble Warrior Power Yoga. She has a deep love for sharing yoga philosophy in her classes. For questions and scheduling, contact her directly by email at meagan@nhhealthwellness.com
