Be Grounded and Steady this Fall
A comprehensive guide to feeling:
GROUNDED, NOURISHED, WARM FROM THE INSIDE, AND RESOURCED THROUGH THE SEASON’S VARIABLE NATURE.
FALL IS A TIME OF TRANSITION.
It is nature’s natural downshift, the transitional period between vibrant summer and dormant winter.
In most areas of the northern hemisphere, it’s a recalibration after the intense light, heat, and subtle (or not so subtle) mobility of the summer months and a shift into autumn’s cool, dry, unpredictable qualities from the dominance of vata energy in the atmosphere, which is governed by nature’s air and ether elements.
For many, it’s also a recalibration in life from a slower-paced, more spacious and relaxed, and enjoyment-focused time back to a more demanding and rigorous work schedule, more responsibilities, and, dare I say it, the hustle and grind.
We shift from the pitta energy that governs summer’s hot, bright sun, and sharp intensity to the dominance of air and either elements and vata energy’s cool, light, dry, rough, hard, mobile, and unpredictable qualities in the fall. You might notice there ARE some characteristics in common between summer and fall: transformation and especially expansion and mobility, since they make up summer’s subtle energy, which is governed by vata!
The leaves begin to change color and dry, the temperature cools, sunlight wanes, and there is usually a breeze or light wind blowing. Your tendency might be to reach for warm drinks, wear sweaters, cozy up under the blankets, and eat heavier foods, which are all actions that balance the qualities of vata energy! You might also have a need to be productive, which is also characteristic of vata energy as well as a natural progression after all the work you’ve done and seeds you’ve nurtured the first half of the year.
In excess, vata energy can cause constipation, joint pain, dry skin & sinuses, coughs and colds, sleep loss, and anxiety. Calming the nervous system from the inside out and rest are going to be major players in your fall well-being as you navigate your busy schedule and tackle your never-ending to-do list.
So my question to you is: How do you want to experience fall?
And of equal importance: How do you typically experience fall?
What energy do you want to take advantage of and where do you need to make shifts for better balance? Where do you need support?
If you have a tendency to do allllll of the things, overextend yourself, if you get mad at yourself for not doing enough or keeping up, or maybe you go go go until you hit the wall or find it’s hard to settle down at night to sleep, it’s important in autumn to slow your pace, simplify for sustainability’s sake, and be present in all you do.
And if you’re resistant to change or feeling stuck, it’ll be important for you to use the irregular and changing energy of the fall to loosen that hold.
I know it’s possible this all seems completely the OPPOSITE of what you want to do and what you’ve learned from dominant culture.
But, in looking back, do you see a particular pattern happening every fall that doesn’t work for you? If yes, that’s because the reality is:
Moving at breakneck speed is not sustainable
More more more only leads to more overwhelm and burnout. And overwhelm and burnout are not ok.
Jam-packing your schedule without breaks will only further overwhelm you.
Doing something out of obligation leads to guilt and shame when you don't "achieve" or fall short, and with this method, YOU WILL FALL SHORT. (It’s not for a lack of trying, I promise you.)
There is another way to live your life in the fall, one that is steady, with room for grounding, uplifting, and achieving that doesn’t leave you feeling depleted, lethargic, or frustrated.
A major tenant of Ayurveda science is:
LIKE INCREASES LIKE AND OPPOSITES BALANCE.
You can absolutely enjoy the light, dry, mobile, and subtle qualities of the vata season but it is important to make some simple shifts to your self-care practices to avoid an over-accumulation of those qualities.
Making lifestyle choices that will balance the characteristics of nature’s changes to protect your well-being against seasonally-induced imbalances and further dis-ease are key.
Explore supporting your Fall well-being through these Ayurvedic principles:
LIVe IN TUNE WITH NATURE
It is important to consider your needs plus your natural tendencies:
How do you normally experience the fall?
In terms of living in balance with your dosha dominance:
Vata: focus on grounding, routine, and stability
Pitta: clearing out the accumulated heat from summer; focus on grounding, routine, and stability
Kapha: embrace the light, dry, mobile, and subtle qualities of the vata season (without aggravating kapha by overdoing the moist, heavy, oily qualities)
Honor the natural rhythms of the day
Dinacharya: By adopting a well-timed schedule with intentional self-care actions to create harmony in your life. It may not be possible every moment of the day, but making this your focus is key. This is especially important in the fall, due to the unpredictable, airy nature of the season.
A grounding morning routine of intentional rituals is especially important in the fall. Asana, breathwork, meditation, steady exercise are all supportive!
Feed your senses with different experiences of sights, sounds, tastes, feels, and smells - all to uplift and nourish you.
When you slip out of nature.. That is when you deprive yourself of the nurturing you need OR when you give yourself too much of one thing, an imbalance occurs, which manifests itself as unease, stress, and disease.
EAT FOR THE SEASON
Impacts your nervous system, nourishment, digestion, mental status and emotional, physical energy, and energy. Choosing:
Seasonal foods and drinks for grounding
Choose fall and winter squashes, root vegetables
Room temperature, warm, or hot drinks, teas (herbal or spiced)
Preparing foods to provide internal warmth and moisture
Using oils like ghee, olive oil, and sesame
Spices & herbs to soothe your nervous system - including cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger,
I recognize a conversation about eating can be very uncomfortable and you may be dealing with some difficult emotions and working through some challenging situations. Ayurveda does not have a diet plan or promote restriction or strict elimination of foods but rather supports an intuitive approach to food choices that balance the qualities of the season, align with your nature, and also are guided by your needs.
STRENGTHEN DIGESTION
Eat according to a schedule that allows the food (in the ideal quantity) to digest before the next meal and finish digestion before sleep.
Purposeful pauses and self-love acts throughout the day, yes even when you are in the thick of productivity. This is SO important because it slows the pace down, gives you pause, allows you to be present, fills up your cup.
Yoga nidra is great between 2 and 4pm!
Evening winddown - sunlight wanes, evenings get darker earlier. Take the cue from nature and start the slow down process with gradual shifts (more on this in the strengthening your digestion part!.
EXERCISE
Adjusting your focus, speed of movement, overall-intensity, and exercise choices is beneficial for remaining in balance with the energy of the season.
Best time: 6-10AM or PM (Adjusting timing and intensity based on season)
Fall: strength training, endurance, longer interval duration rather than speed and intensity
TAKE IT EASY
Engage in hobbies, quiet time, time to yourself, and what I like to call The 3 R’s: Release/Recovery, Relax, Rest.
Release/recovery: clear out toxins with massage, a walk, breathwork, or meditation
Relax: leisurely activity
Rest: purposely sedentary and quiet
ABUNDANT & RESTFUL SLEEP
Maximize overnight digestion and rejuvenation
Power down starting around 6 or 7pm - starting to slow your pace
Evening rituals including preparing for tomorrow (clothes, food), stop working at least 2 hours before bed
Self-love rituals: quiet, alternate nostril breathing, meditating, journaling, foot massage
Pay attention to the energy you bring to the end of the day
If you feel exhausted by 5 or 6pm, it’s an indication shifts are needed earlier
YOGA
Yoga philosophy and spiritual practices for connecting deeply to yourself, heightening your awareness, grounding & harnessing the ever-changing airy fall energy
Asana Practice: Grounding and stable Yoga practice - for the mind, emotions, and body
Breathwork for balance
Meditation on self-awareness, grounding, stability, personal harvest, peace, and ease.
Create a Sustainable Self-Care Practice:
So, where do you want to start? Which of these principles or practices is calling out to you?
Choose one practice that aligns with how you want to feel and make a vow to yourself to do that action daily or as often as you can every week. And remember: there are no shoulds! If you miss a day or mess up - that is normal! Just keep coming back to the practice.
And if you’re feeling like you need more support and guidance, I’ve got you!
Customized Self-Care Starter Plan: Learn your dosha dominance and create an individual plan for self-care that meets you where you are right now and will be sustainable for weeks to come.
Community Circle: We are not meant to journey through life feeling all alone in our care. Join me in this monthly online gathering to connect and be held by one another as we share, learn, breathe, and meditate.
Keys to a Steady, Stable, Resourced Fall
Remember, this is just a guide and by no means a list of things you MUST complete. Everyone is on a different journey and there are no shoulds!
My favorite Ayurveda rule is 80/20: 80% of the time doing what you know is supportive for you with 20% of wiggle room = no guilt!
Slowing down plus tending to yourself in small ways that directly align with support for the season will create space for breathing, being, clarity, problem-solving, creativity, and a resourced work-flow this fall.
And it’ll reduce incidences/severity of symptoms of sickness, increased anxiety, and burn out.
Your well-being is an integral part of your support system as you navigate your busy schedule and tackle your never-ending to-do list for the next 3 months.
I know it’s hard to imagine how this could work if you’re feeling like there’s not usually enough space and time or energy in the fall.
And here’s the thing: it is NOT about doing more. It’s about understanding the qualities of the season, identifying how YOU experience the season, and leaning into what balances it all. So really, it’s about SMALL SHIFTS that are realistic FOR YOU and sustainable within the confines of your schedule and responsibilities.
