Each new season brings with it its distinguishable ‘personality’. Similar to inherent chemistry between individuals, 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, etc because we are a part of nature and nature is within us. Our bodies feel the ebbs & flow 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. The period is called Ritu Sandhi, which translates to season in between traditionally refers to the 7 days leading up to the fall equinox and the 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
Our body, like all of nature is incredibly smart. It's built for survival and is constantly on a mission to maintain balance. An example of this intelligence is that the body instinctively knows we need to shed the excess of the last season in order to make space for the needs of the new one. But 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 the signs and signals the body is giving.
The ancient Vedic texts speak to the universal qualities of the human mind and human nature. This is why there is a designated two week period of Ritu Sandhi with the specific intention of forcing us to take extra time for our health. 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 simply 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.
Heeding the bodies signals: warning signs for care
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. All are signals that the body is having difficulty adjusting.
Depending on your body’s balance of the Ayurvedic 'humors', vata-pitta-kapha and current state of health, you may experience a wide range of symptoms during any particular seasonal shift. Think of your constitutional type as your ‘starting point’. Since the bodies state of health is constantly changing and adjusting to the forces imposed on it, how much detoxing (shedding the excess) 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 release the 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 the seasonal cold/flu or even what may present as allergies in the fall, you may not be 'allergic' to anything in particular. Often allergic reactions are signs of a body living with a low level of stress which holds captive important energy stores to allow the body to adapt smoothly to shifts & changes. Many of my clients report that their allergy symptoms lessened or entirely disappeared after adopting seasonal care methods.
We can best transition if we listen to our bodies warning signs for extra rest and repair before and during ritu sandhi but more important and most effective is to use preventative care by regularly adopting appropriate food and lifestyle habits during the rest of the year.
Practices for the transition
1) 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.
2) 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.
3) Go to bed a bit earlier than normal and EVERYthing will improve. Remember: adaptability is expensive and your body needs that extra rest to put energy in the bank.
4) 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 deepen in your body. Do this after you eat lunch for 10 minutes and you will feel more grounded & refreshed.
5) Eat foods that won't overwork your body to give your digestive system a rest. Our digestive system works hard on our behalf ALL THE TIME, not just to break down our food but to detox our bodies, and process our emotions. We 'digest' all experiences through the five senses which all filter back to our main digestive system in the gut. This is a lot to handle and it rarely gets a break. We often assume that whatever we put into our bodies is what we get nutritionally, without realizing that the mechanism for processing our food is just as important as the food itself! Give your central mechanism a break and like a car after a tune-up, it will work more efficiently and effectively. A tune-up for the digestion means consuming foods that have already been cooked, leaving your system with the least amount of work possible.
Foods for fall should be:
-warm in temperature: cooked fruit, rice bowls. Avoid salads & cold beverages
-warm in nature: cooked with tasty digestive boosting spices like cumin, black pepper & cinnamon. Avoid cooling foods that clog channels like like yogurt, ice cream and cheese.
-moisture-rich: soups & stews, cook grains in more liquid than usual. Avoid drying caffeine, alcohol, chips
-fresh, homemade with whole ingredients that haven't been frozen, packaged or processed.
Do this for a week or for the full 14 days and your whole system will feel nourished.
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 ended up setting me back with a cold or flu that forced me to slow down and rest. 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 Instagram: @tala_ayurveda or on Facebook: @DiscoverYourRhythm
For those looking for a more complete food and lifestyle guide, check out my seasonal transition workshops offered in fall and spring or consider booking a consultation.
