Some Indian summer days still here, yet we are clearly moving towards the fall. The air is crisp, colors are changing, the plants are ripening and drying, we’re shifting gears in our lives from outdoors to the more scheduled life mainly indoors.
This is an excellent time for meditation, for turning to clean, pure diet or fasting, meditation practice and uncluttering and beautifying your home to prepare for the fall/winter season.
Here a few tips from me for the transitioning:
1. Keep the wind away Fall is the vata (air element) season. Wear scarves, hats, shawls and keep especially your lower back/abdomen area warm. This prevents the building of excess vata in your body-mind system that causes irritability, nervousness and digestive tract problems.
2. Oil oil oil Take a bath oil with warm sesame oil or an ayurvedic abhyanga oil from your head to your toes. This keeps the skin from dying, keeps your joints lubricated and calms the nervous system. You will love its soothing effect. If you're having difficulties falling asleep put rub your feet with oil and put some socks on for at least 10min.
3. Eat warm, nourishing, simple foods Take time to prepare and cook your own food. Try a week-(end) long of eating kitchari (a simple dish of rice and mung beans) for example. Generally, eat warm foods. Eat a teaspoon of Omega 3-6-9 oil (flex, hemp, pumpkin seed, olive oil) or add more 'good' oil to your food. Nourishing thick soups are the best. Porridge for breakfast. Drink lots of hot water (boil it first, then let it cool a bit), add ginger- and spicy herbal teas in moderation and not in the evenings. Avoid cold and raw foods.
4. Adapt your yoga practice to the new season Lengthen your exhale and savor the pause after the exhale a bit longer. Add restorative asanas to your practice, (re)-establish a regular meditation practice and add a mantra of your choice to it. This will increase your concentration, feeling of groundedness and connection. Make it a point to focus on one thing at the time, to speak and move mindfully for at least 5 minutes a day. Your energy goes where your attention flows. So choose wisely.
