Pumpkin Spice Yoga
Fall has arrived (for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, that is!) in all it’s crisp-air + vibrant colors glory! While we haven’t {yet} perfected pumpkin spice yoga (we’re working on it!) we do have some Ayurvedic insights on the fall season to share with you. Vata dosha (air + ether) is the predominant dosha in the fall season. As the colder air starts trickling in and the leaves change color you may notice subtle shifts as this change occurs. Perhaps your skin is a little drier or your thoughts are feeling scattered? Maybe you’re feeling creative and ready to leap forward into new artistic endeavors? This is all related to Vata dosha! Fall is an important time of the year to shift your diet and lifestyle habits in order to keep Vata in balance and maintain your health as you move through the season.
We’ve compiled a few easy tips & tricks inspired by Ayurveda to help you stay healthy this season:
- Early to bed, early to rise! Try being in bed (screens off!) before 10pm and out of bed before 7am, as regularly as possible.This sleep pattern will help ensure that you get 8 hours of sleep per night and wake up with ample energy. Sticking to a set bedtime/wakeup time will also keep Vata dosha in check, as it can be thrown off balance with irregular routines. Need help getting to bed early? Try one of our Yoga Nidra classes to help you wind down.
- Practice abhyanga (self oil massage) to nourish your skin and ward off dryness. Choose a food-grade oil such as coconut, sesame, or sunflower oil and rub it all over your body before you shower. Vata dosha is inherently dry, this practice helps to keep your skin hydrated (a must in cold, windy weather) while balancing Vata.
- Incorporate nadi shodhana (alternate nostril breathing) into your daily yoga practice. This breathing exercise can cool any left-over summer heat and calm your mind and nervous system. Watch this tutorial for for a brief introduction to the technique.
- After a busy summer full of travel, long days in the sunshine and sporadic schedules (does this sound familiar to anyone?) fall is a nice time to practice grounding flows. These practices will rebuild some of the energy expelled during the summer and (you guessed it) ground Vata dosha. We have some great practices on YogaVibes to help you do just that. These are some of our favorites: