Keeping Vata In Balance In The Fall
From an Ayurvedic lens, the different seasons not only bring a change in the weather but also usher in a change in the elements (earth, water, fire, air, and ether). Each season has its own elemental makeup and, as such, will impact each of the three doshas in unique ways.
For instance, the heat that comes with the summer months naturally increases the Pitta dosha in the environment and in our bodies. Winter, on the other hand, is cool and damp, giving rise to the Kapha dosha.
So, what do we have in store as summer turns to fall? It's Vata time.
Let's talk about why Vata increases in the fall, how this can impact your mind and body, and what you can do to keep this wiley dosha in balance.
Why Does The Vata Dosha Become Imbalanced In The Fall?
For anyone unfamiliar with Ayurveda, one of the fundamental concepts is the understanding that you and nature are essentially one. Broken down to our finest elements, we are made of the same physical and energetic materials as the natural world around us. This is why we feel the changes in seasons so intimately – as the weather changes outside, it quite literally changes the "weather" in our minds and bodies.
Now, let's explore how this works in a bit more detail:
In Ayurveda, we always look at things through the lens of "like increases like."
This philosophy is actually quite intuitive. You wouldn't want to eat a big bowl of ice cream sitting outside in the freezing cold, would you? And you certainly wouldn't want to jump into a hot tub on a hot and muggy day.
Cold increases cold, and heat increases heat; it's all pretty straightforward when we look at examples like those above.
Well, when it comes to the Vata dosha and the fall season, we can follow a similar logic.
While the Kapha dosha is heavy and wet, and the Pitta dosha is fiery and sharp, the qualities associated with Vata include light, dry, cold, rough, subtle, and mobile.
In the summer, the cold aspects of Vata can help balance out some of the summer heat, and in the winter, the light and mobile aspects of Vata can help bring life to the stagnancy most people feel. In the fall, however, many of the naturally occurring qualities of the season match those of the Vata dosha.
Thus, it's a case of like increasing like.
Imagine for a moment a fall scene in nature: leaves on the trees drying up, losing their density, and becoming lighter and rougher—the air around becoming cooler and, in many cases, more windy (mobile). And unlike the blasting heat of summer or the chilling cool of winter, all of these changes occur in a more subtle way.
Since you are essentially one with nature, your mind and body can't help but become impacted by these environmental changes.
Put simply, the balance of the Vata dosha in your mind-body system becomes easily vitiated (impaired) during the fall as the qualities of this dosha increase in nature.
Now, this doesn't mean that Vata imbalances only happen in the fall. In fact, Vata is often the most likely to go out of balance of all three doshas due to its naturally mobile nature. Add to that the hectic pace of our modern lives and opportunities for Vata imbalances surround us like landmines.
So, how do we get ahead of Vata imbalances? First, you need to know what to look for.
What Does a Vata Imbalance Look Like?
Below are some of the most common signs that your Vata dosha is out of balance. Note the qualities of Vata for each symptom.
In the body:
Dry and rough skin and hair
Chapped lips (dry/rough)
Constipation and bloating (due to dryness/airiness)
Cold hands and feet
Dehydration (dryness)
Achy joints (dryness)
Muscle twitching and spasms (movement)
Weight loss (light)
Tinnitus (light, movement)
Palpitations (movement)
In the mind:
Anxiousness and worry (excessive movement in the mind)
Feeling ungrounded and spacey (light)
Trouble sleeping (excess physical and mental movement)
Dizziness (light, movement)
Trouble with concentration (movement/light)
Experiencing signs of Vata increasing in the fall is nothing to worry about. In fact, it's natural for your body to take on subtle shifts with each season.
That said, if you want to stay ahead of an imbalance, you can begin preparing for the fall season ahead of time to keep your body and mind as stable as possible as the Vata season rolls in.
And, of course, if you're already noticing a Vata imbalance, it's never too late to turn the tide with some Vata-pacifying practices.
Simple Tips For Keeping Vata In Balance
If "like increases like," then the best way to get yourself out of any imbalance is to play with opposites.
The following tips can be helpful as you move through the fall season, but you may also employ them whenever you feel your Vata dosha is out of balance. For Vata-dominant types, you may benefit from making some of these practices a regular part of your daily life.
Consume Warm, Well-Cooked Meals
If Vata is light, cold, and mobile, there's nothing better to ground you and slow it all down than a well-cooked, warming meal.
When Vata is active, it can create dryness in your colon, leading to constipation and bloating, which is precisely why you'll want to focus on well-cooked, easy-to-digest meals.
Warm foods, as opposed to cold, will also help to strengthen agni (your digestive fire) and warm your body from the inside out.
Oatmeal, stews, soups, and kitchari are some of the best foods for calming Vata.
Add Vata-Pacifying Spices To Your Foods
In addition to choosing meals that are warm and easy to digest, you can add vata-pacifying spices that will further bring warmth to your body. Interestingly, and not coincidentally, many of the spices we think of during the fall season are excellent for calming Vata. Some examples
Include:
Cinnamon
Cardamom
Ginger
Cumin
Cloves
Coriander
Star anise
Fennel
Mustard seeds
You can also use most of these spices to make tea, which is a wonderful way to slow down and enjoy some warmth as the weather gets chilly outside.
Bring Mindfulness Into Your Day
One of the best ways to combat the activity of Vata is to stop and notice what's happening around you. Vata will keep you distracted and active all day if you don't pull in the reins, and practicing mindfulness is a wonderful way to do that.
What exactly do I mean by mindfulness? While this could certainly be an article all its own, I want you to think of mindfulness as the simple practice of becoming aware of this present moment. We often fly through our days going from one task to the next without stopping and acknowledging the moments as they move past us.
Mindfulness could look like:
Taking a few deep breaths and noticing how good it feels to bring more oxygen into your lungs.
Going for a short walk in your neighborhood and noticing all the different plants.
Taking a few moments to notice the things in your life that are going well, and give gratitude for them.
Slowing down with your food and noticing the distinct flavors of what you're eating.
You get the idea. The primary objective of mindfulness is to notice the world in and around you. And as you do, you'll naturally slow down your mind.
Keep An Eye On Your Stimulant Use
Stimulants like caffeine or nicotine can wake you up and get you going, but they have the same qualities as the Vata dosha, which means you'll only be adding fuel to the fire if your Vata is already out of balance.
Prioritize Sleep
Vata loves to go-go-go, so if you notice that your mind or body are trying to keep you up at night, Vata is most likely to blame.
Now, I understand that saying "prioritize sleep" to someone with insomnia is like asking a two-year-old to do calculus– "how exactly would you like me to do that?"
But here's the deal: any step you take to get more sleep at night will also be a step in pacifying the Vata dosha. Most people struggling with sleep issues have some Vata imbalance that's keeping their minds and/or bodies active. So, while this suggestion may feel like a stretch to some, considering the following suggestions can only help:
Avoid blue light (or any bright lights) at least two hours before bed. Blue-light-blocking glasses are excellent for this.
Instead of watching TV, try reading a book. And make sure it's a fiction book, not something that will stimulate your analytical mind too much.
Turn down the heat in your room; your body likes to sleep in an environment that has a temperature of around 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
Limit alcohol consumption; it will mess with your sleep, and you won't get the rejuvenation you need.
Try taking some calming herbs before bed, like lemon balm, chamomile, or passionflower.
Slow It All Down
Vata wants you to move, and it doesn't really have any plans to allow you to stop moving. This could look like excessive worry (movement of the mind), fidgeting (movement of the body), multitasking to the point of being overwhelmed, overextending yourself at work, staying up late to get more done, and the list goes on.
Basically, if there is something that can be accomplished, thought about, discussed, worried about, or planned, Vata is all in.
How do you stop the Vata train once it gets you rolling?
Take a deep breath, and call on your will to slow yourself down. At first, it may seem counterproductive to shut down your workflow before 7 pm, free up your day for some downtime, or opt for a restorative yoga class instead of a vinyasa flow, but these actions are an excellent way to begin opposing Vata.
Of course, this tip is much easier to accomplish if you've already begun to work with some other Vata-balancing techniques.
Do a Fall Cleanse (Rejuvenation)
Although a fall cleanse is technically a cleanse, in Ayurveda, we usually call it a rejuvenation.
Unlike the spring cleanse, which aims to relieve accumulated Kapha and ama (toxic buildup), the fall cleanse aims to balance Vata and prepare your body for winter. As such, you'll focus less on removing built-up toxins (although this is certainly part of it) and more on rebuilding your system so you feel strong for the colder months ahead.
A fall cleanse typically lasts about two weeks and involves enhancing your digestive fire while bringing nourishment to your tissues. There are many ways you can engage in a fall cleanse, and there are several offerings out there. I personally do my fall cleanse with the doctors at Kerala Ayurveda Academy and Wellness Center.
Takeaway
The beauty of the seasons is that we get to experience the subtle shifts of nature, allowing our minds and bodies to move along with them.
Spring allows us to start anew with a fresh mindset and a burst of energy. As we move into summer, we're blessed with a little fire under our butts that keeps us moving and creating. Fall comes with its cold and dry weather to cool us off and prepare us for the winter months ahead. And winter is a time of slowing down, introspecting, and nourishing ourselves on the deepest levels.
Things go a little sideways, however, when we forget to go with the flow of the natural world around us, and we start trying to swim upstream against the current. This is when imbalances can occur in any season.
One of the most crucial things you can remember to make seasonal transitions more seamless is that you are a part of nature. When we zoom in at the most subtle level, every atom in our body matches the atoms we find in the natural world. This is why nature can heal us, so honor this intimate relationship by caring for yourself and leveraging all of the beauty the seasons offer.