Each new season brings with it its distinguishable ‘personality’. Similar to chemistry dynamics between people, our preferences can match or oppose the qualities of our environment. This means we can either feel supported or at odds within a particular season. Regardless of whether a particular season elevates or challenges you, seasonal transitions are challenging for all of us. Being adaptable takes energy. Our bodies feel the constant fluctuation of temperature, air quality, light, pressure, and so on because we are a part of nature and our bodies are part of the ebbs & flows within our environment.
Seasonal junctures - nature’s crossroads
Ayurveda teaches us that the period of seasonal juncture is an important time to take extra care of our health. We even have a name for it: Ritu Sandhi, which translates to 'Season' – 'in between’. The transition period between seasons traditionally it refers to 7 days leading up to the equinox/solstice/season change and 7 days after. However, we may find that the transitional period extends beyond that 14 day time frame depending on how much transition is already taking place in our lives or in our environment. Major transitions like a job promotion, new living environment or dramatic weather changes can really feel like they’re uprooting our sense of self. Our immunity might feel the vulnerability of rapid change in a short amount of time and our health often feels like it takes a bit of a hit.
Meeting our bodies intelligence with awareness
It’s no secret that our bodies are incredibly intelligent. They’re built for survival and are constantly on a mission to maintain balance. Our bodies instinctively know we need to shed the excess of the last season in order to make space for the needs of the new one. If we constantly push ourselves to our limit and never take time to slow down and care for our needs, we may not even pick up on these signs.
The ancient Vedic texts speak to the universal qualities of the human mind and human nature. This is why they designated the two week period of Ritu Sandhi with such specificity as a time to take extra care. Even our ancient ancestors found it difficult to slow down and needed teachers to remind them how to behave! Ayurveda provides practical and specific guidelines given for eating simply, getting enough rest & not over-taxing energy reserves. The texts warn that if we don’t heed the body’s need for extra support during the seasonal transition, we could leave ourselves vulnerable and open to illness. Taking daily measures to support your health will ensure you don’t get hit with that seasonal cold or flu later in the season. These illnesses are often the body’s method of purging our systems of the accumulation of toxins that were not able to be shed in a more appropriate and natural manner.
Body signs of Ritu Sandhi
Signs that you could be feeling the transition: overall low energy or brain fog, feeling tired early in the evening, interrupted sleep or waking early in the morning, low digestive strength, high anxiety, dehydration, and muscle cramping & stiffness. Depending on your body’s constituion, you may experience a wide range of symptoms during the seasonal shift. Think of your constitutional type as your ‘starting point’. Since the body carries it’s unique combination of elements at all times, how much ‘balancing’ it has to do for the new season will vary from person to person. If your constitution tends towards heat, your body may take longer to shed the excess heat from summer. If you tend towards dryness, you may feel the dry quality of fall affecting your skin and digestive capability earlier than others this season. If you tend towards congestion, you might feel the extra bite in the air as excess mucus accumulation. If you struggle with seasonal allergies in the fall, you actually might not be experiencing allergies. It is often not an allergic reaction but rather, that your body is struggling to adapt to the shift.
We can best transition if we know our constitutional type and how to care for it with appropriate food and lifestyle habits. Many of my clients report that their allergy symptoms lessened or entirely disappeared after adopting a few transitional care methods.
Practices for the transition
The first habit to adopt: SLOW DOWN. This is the most important habit and may be the only thing you need to do this season. When you slow down and listen, your intuition will have the chance to tell you what you need. Only your body can truly tell you what your specific needs are. The catch? You have to be listening to hear them.
Spending some time outside and appreciating the ways the body interacts with nature is a great place to begin. Can you leave work a little early and take a route home that allows you to walk through a park? Can you get up a little earlier and appreciate the quiet energy of the early morning before your day begins?
Noticing that your energy is tanking rapidly after your midday meal, or that you’re falling asleep during your favorite tv show at 8pm? Your body is likely trying to adapt to the change in light and needs a bit of extra rest. Go to bed a bit earlier than normal and EVERYthing will improve. Remember: adaptability is expensive and your body needs that extra energy in the bank.
If you have a contemplative practice, you may want to extend the time you spend in meditation or add a second sit during your day. During this time of year, I find an afternoon meditation gives my body & nervous system a little boost to get through my day. If you do not have a practice, now might be the time to begin! No need to take a class or download a special app, just take a minute to sit quietly, close your eyes and feel the breath in your body. Do this after you eat lunch for 10 minutes and you will feel more grounded & refreshed.
Receiving vs. taking
Each season brings with it unique qualities that can be experienced as gifts if we’re in a place to receive them. As difficult as it can feel to slow down and take extra care, think of these practices as a way of uncovering your resources instead of ‘pushing through’ what you’re lacking. I know from years of stubbornly attacking my ambitious goals for the season head-on without heeding my bodies needs that it always ends up setting me back. Putting our health & emotions through the highs and lows of illness & recovery is much more taxing in the long-term. Consider the notion of self-care as priming yourself to take advantage of what gifts and opportunities this season has in store for you.
For quick tips and everyday guidelines on getting through Ritu Sandhi, be sure to follow me on
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