SENTIENT TIMES October/November 2002

Finding Balance in the Autumn Season with Ayurvedic Practices

By Myrica Morningstar

Ayurveda is one of the most comprehensive health care systems in the world addressing physical, mental, emo-tional health, and Spirituality. The health I am referring to is radiant aliveness, inner peace, abundant energy, clarity of purpose, and a true ability to manifest our Divine Nature.

I believe that it is our mission at this time to anchor the Divine into every aspect our lives, living in reverence for all life in a manner that is sacred and Holy. Nature is Divinity expressed on Earth, we are an integral part of Nature and need to embrace this sacred responsibility for ourselves, for all beings, and for the earth itself.

The goal of Ayurveda is to balance body, mind, and emotions, so that Spirit can express through our lives. This is a Universal impulse. I see Ayurveda as a Universal practice relevant to all people, of all cultures, at all times. While I honor the vast roots of Ayurveda in Indian culture and tradition, and I feel it is appropriate that we embrace the practices that Ayurveda offers in a manner that honors our own ancestral roots and the culture we find ourselves living in today.

Once you learn that you are the observer of your body, mind, and emotional nature you step into an empowered position. You have the capacity to take an active role in your inner life. You are no longer solely identified as your body, your thoughts, or your emotions. They are yours, but they are not you. Once you have the opportunity to discover what you are not, then you are free to explore the inner realms of what you are: Pure consciousness, awake, alive, present, the creative thinker, and the choice maker.

There is nothing that exists that is not a part of Nature. Everything you can see, experience, or imagine is composed of the five elements plus consciousness. The elements are the subtlest aspects of life. Finer than the molecular, atomic, or subatomic levels. This is the level that Ayurveda works on. It does not address symptoms, but rather intelligence, or cause. Focusing on cause, the denser aspects of life will rebalance since they are made up of the causal elements.

The five elements are Ether, Air, Fire, Water, Earth. There is nothing that exists, nothing that you can experience in any way that is not composed of some balance of these elements. In Ayurveda ether and air combine together as Vata. Ether is space, air is movement through space. Vata governs all movement in the body and mind. The movement of thought, breath, blood, nerve impulses, movement of food through the digestive system, elimination, and birth. The qualities of Vata are cold, light, dry, rough, moving, unstable, variable, and erratic. Vata is considered the king of the doshas because of it’s ability to move the other doshas. It also has the ability to imitate the other doshas. It is said the Vata is the cause of 80 diseases, Pitta 40, and kapha 20. Vata is responsible for catabolic (breaking down) activities. The primary physical symptom of high Vata is pain, and the primary mental symptom is fear.

The focus of this article is on Ayurvedic practices you can engage in to help you move through the Autumn season, which is ruled by Vata dosha, with more grace and less vulnerability.

The nature of Vata, which is predominant in the Autumn season, is extra sensitivity. Whether your constitutional nature is Vata or not, everyone is more susceptible to Vata imbalances in the Autumn season. With some extra loving care and consciousness you can do a lot to keep yourself more balanced in this time and become less vulnerable to dis-ease. Your habits are the cause of dis-ease, by making educated choices to change the habits which are causing you to be out of balance, you can heal yourself.

I want to remind you to be gentle with yourself. Changing habitual patterns can be very challenging. Exercise compassion for yourself as you embark on this journey. Learn to laugh at yourself as you begin to wake up to the energies that are running you. Give thanks that you can see it happening, and persevere. This is the process of conscious evolution.

One of my beloved teachers Swamini Mayatitananda, formerly Bri. Maya Tiwari, teaches that Autumn is the time of year to get organized. As we observe in nature, all the creatures are busy gathering their winter stores and making a safe and cozy home. What you set in place at this time of year sets the tone for the rest of the year. So you are encouraged to take some time to think about this and to organize your life in a way that brings you more stability and support during the colder time of the year.

Vata dosha governs the nervous system. Taking some extra time to nurture yourself and replenish your nervous system is of great benefit at this time.

Make sure to get enough rest, relaxation, and meditation time. This doesn’t necessarily have to look like a sitting practice. Meditation can be a peaceful walk in nature, an extra gentle yoga practice incorporating more relaxation poses, and relaxing pranayama (conscious breathing) practice. It could be as simple as bringing fuller awareness and presence into cooking a meal, creating more beauty in your space. There are many ways to become more meditative. Vata dosha is balanced by stability and routine. Recommit to your practices in a way that they become a steady source of support.

Take an objective look at your home space. Does it offer you a sanctuary? Are you able to let go and receive nourishment from your home? Perhaps spending some time organizing and clearing out anything that isn’t useful or serving you anymore would be of value to you.

High quality (organic, cold pressed) oils are essential for feeding the nervous system. Drizzle over steamed veggies, grains or salad with some lemon and gomasio (roasted sesame seeds, ground up with a little salt added). The best oil to balance Vata dosha is sesame oil because of its warming quality.

The foods that balance Vata dosha are warm, heavier, unctuous, and nourishing. The tastes that balance Vata are sweet, sour, salty. Conversely, the tastes that put Vata out of balance are too many bitter, pungent, and astringent foods. Sweet taste are in foods like whole grains, nuts, seeds, fruits, sweet vegetables, dairy products, and meats. Use warming spices like ginger, cinnamon, basil, pepper, bay leaf, saffron, and turmeric. Favor heavy soups and stews, warm cereals, unleavened breads and nut and seed milks.

You can make a delightful Vata balancing milk by soaking a handful of almonds overnight, skinning them (or not) and blending with water, and a touch of honey. Strain and you have a fresh, rich milk. You can use this in chai tea, or have it warm with a little cardamom, cinnamon, or ginger for a rich Vata pacifying drink.

If you are a Kapha (water/earth) or Pitta (fire) predominant constitution you will need to take care with using too many of these tastes. A consultation with an Ayurvedic practitioner is a wonderful and very educational thing to do for yourself to find out what combination of elements comprise you as an individual and to find a balance specifically for you. Most people are dual dosha combinations and can even be tri doshic. You are unique, like no one else!

One thing that Ayurveda has taught me is that there is not any “optimal diet.” Each individual has specific needs that change throughout our lifetime affected by age, culture, belief systems, ancestry, stress levels, psychological make-up, our personal habits, the climate we live in, and the seasons. Environmental toxins also affect our needs—electromagnetic, noise pollution, chemicals, household cleaning products, pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, hormones, preservatives used in commercially mass produced and processed foods, and the carbon monoxide from the cars we drive.

There is a time and a season for many of the different diets that we’ve heard about and tried over the years. The key is in understanding when certain ones are the most appropriate. Observing nature and what’s in season gives us some big clues.

Another way to balance and calm the nervous system while gently detoxifying your tissues is with warm oil massage. Receiving from a professional when you can, and using self massage when you can’t. This is a beneficial practice even done daily before your shower or bath. Again, sesame oil, is the best for Vata.

Vata means wind, the air that moves through space, again it’s qualities are cold, light, dry, rough, moving, and changing. Seek out warm, nurturing experiences, places, and people. Make sure to stay warm enough and avoid being out in the wind too much. Take life a little slower, a little steadier. Avoid too much change in your life right now to stay in balance. Remember, you are more sensitive during Vata time, especially if you are a Vata constitution.

Be gentle with yourself!

Myrica Morningstar, Ayurvedic Sadhaka, is a Clinical Ayurvedic Specialist and practitioner offering a full range of Ayurvedic care in Ashland, Oregon. “Sadhaka” refers to one who practices sadhana, our everyday activities done with heightened presence as a spiritual path. Myrica can be contacted at (541) 552-0411 or bliss@opendoor.com.

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