Vata season

Well, despite this gorgeous warm weather streak we have been going through for the past few weeks, you can tell that underneath, it feels like fall. Chillier nights, shorter days, and the leaves are just barely starting to turn here in Southern Ontario (right on Lake Ontario in Stoney Creek) are all indicators that you just can't ignore.

But I adore fall! It is a Vata season in Ayurveda, so that makes it the perfect time for warm soups and grounding meals to root you down for the upcoming winter and help your body adjust to the cooling temperatures. Things like maintaining regular mealtimes, a bedtime ritual or two, and gentle daily routines that are easy to follow are key to easing into this time of the year. It's the best time of year for soups and stews, hot chili with cornbread, or casseroles full of veggies straight from the harvest.

Try adding things like evening walks with your loved ones, or maybe get into journaling this season. For me, my favourite thing to do this time of year is curl up with a good book and some saffron or Tulsi (Holy basil) tea. Add a massage with sesame oil (a really nice, warming oil that is perfect for this time of year). Don't forget your fuzzy slippers!

Living this way is about being in harmony with the seasons as they change. When you make these small shifts, fall becomes a time of grounding, creativity and renewal.

"Fall is not the end of summer, but the beginning of inner grounding and rooting down."

What are you doing this season to stay warm....?

Fall is Vata season, ruled by the Air and Ether (space) elements. That makes it dry, rapid, and unsteady. Help ground yourself by indulging in things like oil massage or yoga to balance you out this time of year. Add some hot foods and fuzzy blankets and you are ready for fall!