Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns. -George Eliot
It is hard to believe that today is the first day of autumn when it is about 90 degrees and we are playing at the beach. Although I will admit that the breeze is a bit cooler and I can slowly feel the Florida humidity subsiding. Slowly being the key word.
I was doing a bit of reading the other day on Ayurveda. For those that are unfamiliar with Ayurveda here is a brief description:
Ayurveda, also known as Ayurvedic Medicine, is the traditional medicine of India, which originated there over 5,000 years ago. Ayurveda emphasizes re-establishing balance in the body through diet, lifestyle, exercise, and body cleansing, and on the health of the mind, body, and spirit. According to Ayurveda, everything is composed of five elements: air, water, fire, earth, and space. These elements combine to form the three doshas, vata, kapha, and pitta, or metabolic types. In Ayurveda, doshas account for some of our individual differences.
As we enter the season of autumn we start to experience change in the five elements which in turn affect our doshas. Depending on one's dosha, we may think about how this new season affects all aspects of our health. If you are interested in finding out what dosha you fall under you can take a dosha quiz to get a general idea.
Dosha Quiz
I know, some of you are going, what is this funky stuff she is rambling on about but as you start to delve into examining your own health, body, mind and spirit it is hard not to notice how everything is interconnected.
Right before my birthday I was feeling a case of the blahs both in body and mind. I just knew in my heart that a lot of it had to do with this coming of the fall equinox. As a long time Midwesterner, fall has always been my favorite season. I love the environmental changes that occur in Minnesota. The leaves start to change color, the breeze gets cooler and yes, you can smell the works of Mother Nature at hand.
I think that because the changes in Florida are so much more subtle that I was a bit down about my "new" fall season. So I needed something to pull me out of my funk. I needed to examine me.
So, this month I have been participating in the Yoga Journal 21 day yoga challenge. It is simply a self practice challenge but it has been just what I have needed. It has forced me to stay with my self practice and I must say that I have barely missed a day. This challenge has allowed me to turn inward and simply notice what is going on with me. How often do we take time for that? Probably for most of us not often enough.
My self practice has given me time each day to check in with my body. Since I use my body quite a bit within my career scope it can really take a beating. I have been able to work out kinks and just feel better all around. The biggest part of this self practice is that I get time to myself. Nothing but the sound of my breath flowing in and out of my body. I am taking time to focus within my heart and even if it is just for a few minutes a day, I feel more at peace.
One of the biggest things that Ayurveda says about the fall equinox is that we should stick to our usual schedules. Continue our normal routines. This can be challenging as we move into the busy season of holidays, parties and many times overindulgence. It makes sense that the more we stick to our normal schedules of exercise, diet, and sleep our bodies will be better equipped with the change of the season. As the days grow shorter and the weather a bit cooler, it is important that the body is balanced.
One of my favorite yoga sites had a good article this month on what we should pay attention to as we enter this autumn season. Take a look: http://www.yoganonymous.com/ayurveda-balance-vata-seasons-changing-tania-kazi/
So as we enter into this new, enchanting season of autumn, may we find balance within our hearts, our bodies, our minds and our spirits. May love flow freely through the changing leaves and the cooler breezes.
Namaste
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