Like many of you, I am excited for autumn. As I’ve mentioned in my classes lately, autumn and early winter are vata season. Vata is one of the doshas (or constitutions/mind-body energies) in Ayurveda (traditional Indian medicine). It is made up of the air/wind and ether elements. It is categorized by the qualities of movement, coolness, and dryness. Think about those blustery, chilly fall days- that is quintessential vata. The doshas are not only in the seasons, they are also in all of us. We each have a main dosha (or two!) called our prakriti and a dosha (or two) that could be imbalanced, called vikruti/vikriti. Curious about what yours are? Take this short, free quiz (I like this one because it gives both your prakriti and vikruti and has lots of articles to learn more).
To dive deeper into all things seasonal and yoga-related, I’m starting a monthly online workshop series: Yoga Beyond Asana: A Seasonal Journey. It’s a transformative workshop series to immerse yourself in multiple yoga techniques and rituals that connects you to the natural rhythms of the seasons (including, but not focused on, asana). I’d love to get your feedback on your likelihood to attend and what day and time would work best for you! Please fill out this 3-minute survey!
Some of my favorite fall self-care activities come from Ayurveda.
Neti pot & nasya oil: I have end of summer allergies (argh ragweed!) and using a neti pot (tea pot w/salt water through the nostrils) is super helpful. I alternate days with nasya (nose oil) to keep my nose lubricated during dry vata season. Check out this recent reel I made on how to do it. Learn more about nasya here.
Abhyanga (self-massage with oil): Abhyanga is such a soothing and grounding practice for me. I like to do it before bed (you oil your whole body, let it soak in, quick shower). Here’s an article on how to do it. I find it so needed during the chilly dryness of autumn & early winter. You can get different oils depending on your dosha.
Other fall self-care practices I love:
Hiking: The crunch of the leaves under my feet, the smell of the loam and decay leaves…maybe with a cup of hot cider or chai….it’s heavenly. If you’d like to join me for an exploration of our interconnection with Nature, I’ve rescheduled my REWILDING USING ECOSOMATICS & YOGA for October 6th. This workshop is limited to 12 participants so register soon!
Baking!!! There is such an abundance of produce this time of year! Here are some of my favorite fall recipes:
Leek white bean galettes (so so good! I always make this for dinner parties. It would also be a great vegetarian main dish for holiday dinners)
Late Summer Golden Chai Apple Crumble Recipe (Ayurvedic recipe balancing pitta and vata. I usually make this 2-3 times every fall. I love the spices in it!)
Vegan pumpkin muffins (I love Isa Chandra Moskowitz and have many of her cookbooks)
Pumpkin sage beer bread (I haven’t made this one yet, but can’t wait to try it!)
What are your favorite fall recipes? Please share!