8 ancient practices for staying healthy and happy in the Fall
A Song For Autumn
In the deep fall
don’t you imagine the leaves think how
comfortable it will be to touch
the earth instead of the
nothingness of air and the endless
freshets of wind? And don’t you think
the trees themselves, especially those with mossy,
warm caves, begin to think
of the birds that will come — six, a dozen — to sleep
inside their bodies? And don’t you hear
the goldenrod whispering goodbye,
the everlasting being crowned with the first
tuffets of snow? The pond
vanishes, and the white field over which
the fox runs so quickly brings out
its blue shadows. And the wind pumps its
bellows. And at evening especially,
the piled firewood shifts a little,
longing to be on its way.
~ Mary Oliver
Your Health and the Seasons
One of the biggest changes that affect life on planet Earth is the changing of the seasons. Trees dropping their leaves, birds migrating thousands of miles, bears going into hibernation- when it comes to fall lots of change is taking place all around us. The world over, even from ancient times, wise people understood that adjusting their daily habits with the seasons was a key to staying healthy.
These days with life in constant hustle mode, we forgot that our bodies have seasons. When we move through the year ignoring our changing nature, feelings of disconnection, anxiety and exhaustion can set in. Sound familiar? Read on!
Knowing your element
In India the practice of yoga and ayurvedic medicine goes back thousands of years. In this practice every person is considered to be a combination of five essential elements (fire, water, earth, air, and space).
The combination of energies you were born with make up your constitution or doṣha. Those with more fire are classified as Pitta. Those with more water and earth are Kapha. And those who contain more air and space are Vāta. While each of the doṣhas are present in everyone's makeup, one or two are likely be more predominant.
Your doṣha does not change – but the world around you does, and these outside changes affect your ability to stay balanced. For example, as summer temperatures rise, Pittas can overheat. When the ground freezes in winter, and Kaphas may lose motivation to leave the house.
And right now, as the fall winds begin to blow, Vātas can find themselves feeling scattered and anxious. Everyone is a combination of all three doṣhas. So no matter how much Vāta you have, that part of you is bound to become a bit aggravated as fall unfolds.
Autumn and the winds of change
Vāta is a Sanskrit word that means wind. It’s energy is cool dry, light, a bit brittle, and constantly changing and moving. Just like fall. That’s why Autumn is known as Vāta season.
When in balance, Vāta is light and full of vitality. But to much movement leads to not enough rest.
Too much change leads to not enough stability. Too much excitement turns to anxiety, and a head always in the clouds loses touch with it’s roots.
To stay balanced in the fall, our bodies need more downward energy. We need the weight of water and the grounding of earth.
Element of Metal and the Lungs
According to ancient Chinese medicine, fall is the beginning of the yin (inward going) cycle when daylight lasts less than twelve hours. It’s a time associated with the element of Metal, which governs organization, communication, the mind, setting limits, and protecting boundaries.
During the summer, which is ruled by Fire, we feel expansive as we travel and play outdoors. Fall, on the other hand, is a time of preparing for the winter ahead. It’s yin energy calls you to be more introverted and reflective.
In Chinese medicine the lungs and large intestine are the internal organs related to Fall and the Metal element. Lungs are associated with the emotion of letting go. The process of changing seasons can be difficult for people who love summer. They find it hard to give up the long days of sunlight, warm temperatures, and open windows. Others look forward to fall and the coziness of going inside.
The lungs control the circulation of the Wei-Qi, which is the defensive Qi (energy) that protects you from the invasion of flu and colds. A weakness in the lungs can lead to a weakness in the Wei-Qi, making a person prone to frequent colds.
The list below is a combination of recommended practices from both Ayurvedic and Traditional Chinese healing systems to help you keep your Qi Strong and Doshas balanced as we transition through fall into winter.
Eight Ancient Wellness Practices For Fall
Tip #1: Slow down
The days are getting shorter and the nights grow longer. Rather than try and maintain the high energy of summer – now is the time to slow down and savor doing less. Capitalism is a system that really hates the idea of rest. In America we feel the pressure to keep doing more and going strong in order to be seen as successful and mentally healthy. But in truth it’s the constant demands on our time that drains our batteries and leaves us feeling depleted and depressed. In fall, the season of letting go, it’s even more important to release commitments that no longer serve you. In your physical practices, this may mean less yoga postures with longer breaths. Taking walks instead of running or exploring practices like Qi Gong or Tai Chi.
Tip #2: Build strong roots
In times of great change we can strangely become resistant to structure, but its then more than ever structure is helpful. It's all too easy to get swept away by shifting nature of fall so developing a strong grounded routine for your day will help keep you rooted in health and feeling stable. Try and develop a pattern to your fall days. Eat at the same times, wake up and go to bed on a schedule, and put less things on your calendar overall. Doing less with more focus and calm is the perfect way to balance your energy and a much more efficient way to live overall. You will find that practicing focus within a solid daily routine yields stronger more rooted results than running around trying to multi-task.
Tip #3: Eat nourishing and warm
When it comes to deciding what to eat, use the fall harvest as your menu. Foods that are in season – root vegetables, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, and squash – are all foods that are sweet, heavier, smooth, and more dense. (those pumpkin chai cravings are for a reason!) These are earthy water Kapha qualities and will help soothe the overabundant airy Vāta energy. Other foods include nuts, brown rice, oats, bananas, and ghee. Avoid cold foods that produce phlegm and stress out the lungs like ice cream or dairy products and eat more lung supporting warmer foods like garlic, onions and mustards.
Tip #4 Use Herbs & Chai Spice
Herbs and spices that are warming are at the top the list to soothe fall energy. Some Indian herbs are helpful are adaptogens like Ashwagandhā, Tulsi and Śhatāvari. Other herbs and spices that are grounding and warm include tumeric, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, clove and fennel. There’s a reason why chai spices pop up in fall drinks, pastries and stews this time of year.
Tip #5: Care for your lungs
Lung is considered by Chinese medicine to be a tender organ. This is because the lung is the uppermost organ in the body and especially susceptible to wind and cold. Dressing warmly around your neck, face and chest is recommended to protect from cold fall wind.
The nose is the opening to the lungs. One way you can prevent colds by keeping your nose and sinuses clean and clear with a netti pot with some sea salt.
If you suffer from runny noses or lung problems, getting acupuncture in the fall is very helpful for preventing infections and strengthening your resilience to colds and flu.
Tip #6: Maintain warmth
Drink warm tea, take warm baths. Wrap warm scarves around your neck and nose to protect your lungs on cold windy days. Staying warm is key to feeling well in the fall season and keeping your immune system strong. Saunas and steams are particularly good to treat yourself to in this season- especially if you tend to get cold easily.
Tip #7: Settle in
Fall energy tends to be scattered and moving in nature like the wind. Taking time bring your focus in will help you feel more at ease. Journaling is one way. Every morning, I sit and handwrite a few pages. It helps me empty my mind and start the day fresh. But more important for this time of year, journaling helps take ideas and thoughts out of space and put them tangible form on paper. Other ways to settle the mind may be to take a technology break from information overload. Turn off your screens after 7pm and read or do relaxing yoga instead. Playing music, making art or meditating is very helpful to settling energy of the mind for fall.
Tip #8 Go to Bed
The nights are returning earlier now and will last longer. Tune into the call for more sleep and give yourself as much rest as you need. Don’t force yourself to stay up if you’re tired. Make your bedroom a cozy den to hibernate in and go to bed early. Waking up early is also beneficial in the fall. See what it feels like to go to bed when it gets dark and wake at first light. Get a dream journal and see if you can write down your dreams in the early morning before they fade away. Fall is the season of dreams, visions and revelations. Things you have been processing all year are now coming into focus. Don’t let that harvest slip through your fingers. Give yourself time to tune in to your intuitive side which often reveals itself in the language of dreams.
I hope this list gives you some inspiration into taking excellent care of yourself this season. If you love fall as much as I do- this list is your permission to dive even deeper into the covers with a good book and hot cup of tea.
Happy Equinox!
xoxo
Ginger