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Ayurveda For the Fall – How to Stay in Balance with Yoga, Meditation, & Ayurvedic Nutrition

Ayurveda is a complete system of healing that teaches us how to stay in balance with the energies of the universe within us and all around us. A primary principle of Ayurvedic wisdom is understanding the cycles of the seasons and how this impacts the natural fluctuations in our own health and well-being. When we stay in balance with the seasons, we can prevent the onset of illness and remain grounded no matter what is happening externally. 

According to Ayurveda, one of the leading causes of disease is going against your own body's natural wisdom. We all have this inherent knowledge within us, but we have forgotten it over time. By learning the Ayurvedic insights for the fall with an Ayurveda fall yoga sequence, Ayurveda meditation for the fall, and nourishing Ayurvedic recipes, you can find this balance in your own life and remind yourself of the intuitive wisdom of this ancient knowledge. So, let’s dive in! 

The Principles of Ayurveda Throughout the Seasons

The Ayurvedic practice of staying in balance with the seasons is called ritucharya or the seasonal (ritu) routine (charya). Ayurveda originated in India, so the knowledge of seasonal balance is based on the regular seasons in India. But by understanding the energetics and weather patterns of the seasons, we can apply these same principles to anywhere we live in the world. In Ayurveda, there are 6 seasons: 

• Winter (shishira)
• Spring (vasanta)
• Summer (grishma)
• Monsoon (varsha)
• Autumn (sharata)
• Late Autumn (dakshinayana)

In each of these seasons, specific doshas or energetic principles of Ayurveda tend to accumulate and become provoked. By understanding the nuances of each of these seasons, you can begin to balance your body and access truly radiant health. In this article, we will dive a bit deeper into the intricacies of the autumn season according to Ayurveda. 

Ayurveda for the Fall

Fall is a significant time of transition where the weather pattern changes from hot and humid summer to a cool and dry winter. In Ayurveda, the fall is split into two seasons: early autumn (sharata) and late autumn (dakshinayana). Early fall starts in the middle of September and goes until the middle of November, while late fall goes until the start of winter around the middle of December or January. 

During early autumn, your agni or digestive fire is starting to regain its strength during the final warm and dry period of the year. At this time of the year, you may be dealing with soothing any pitta provocation from the summer along with balancing vata dosha as the weather starts to cool down gradually. 

Then during late autumn, the weather becomes cooler and drier, resulting in your agni reaching its peak strength, but there is also a high risk of vata provocation. During late autumn, kapha dosha is also starting to accumulate in your body, so it is essential to be conscious of not adding too much heaviness into your diet or daily routine. 

Overall, the primary consideration throughout fall is to balance vata dosha through grounding energy, harmonizing routine, soothing meditation, and nourishing nutrition. Vata dosha is often considered the dosha that causes all the other doshas to go out of balance, so it is essential to soothe the vata dosha during this time of year as it can have a ripple effect throughout all the other seasons. 

An Ayurveda Fall Yoga Sequence

Even though the fall is split into two parts in traditional Ayurveda, the critical connecting factor in this season is the increase in vata dosha-provoking energies. Balancing vata dosha through yoga is one of the best ways to stay healthy and improve your overall well-being. See below for a 30-minute vata balancing Ayurveda fall yoga sequence:

• Child’s Pose (Balasana)
• Sun Salutations (Surya Namaskar)
• Mountain Pose (Tadasana)
• Standing Forward Fold Pose (Uttanasana)
• Warrior 1 Pose (Virabhadrasana I)
• Pyramid Pose (Parsvottanasana)
• Warrior 3 Pose (Virabhadrasana III)
• Garland Pose (Malasana)
• Locust Pose (Salabhasana)
• Child’s Pose (Balasana)
• Seated Forward Fold Pose (Paschimottanasana)
• Bridge Pose (Setu Bandhasana)
• Wind-Releasing Pose (Apanasana)
• Reclined Spinal Twist Pose (Supta Matsyendrasana)
• Legs Up the Wall Pose (Viparita Karani)
• Corpse Pose (Savasana)

As you flow through this grounding yoga sequence, make sure to stay connected to your breath and the sensations in your body. Vata becomes soothed through breathwork and meditative practices, so try and turn your yoga asana practice into a moving meditation and find a harmonizing flow for your body. 

Ayurveda Meditation for the Fall

Since the fall is the primary season where vata dosha becomes imbalanced, meditation and breathwork are two of the best ways to balance this flighty, airy, and subtle dosha. When practicing Ayurveda meditation for the fall, it is essential to remember not to get too esoteric or elevated in your meditation practice because this can be destabilizing and actually result in disconnection or unrooting from your body. 

The best Ayurveda meditation for the fall is a grounding mindfulness meditation or a meditation practice that focuses on the root chakra. There are many ways to engage in mindfulness practices, such as mindful walking, mindful breathing, or a mindful body scan. Or, if you prefer to work with the root chakra, you can try chanting the mantra “LAM” or engaging in a visualization meditation with the root chakra.

If you would like to add some pranayama or breathwork to your Ayurveda fall routine, some of the best breathing practices for this time of year are alternate nostril breathing (nadi shodhana), victorious breath (ujjayi), and the humming bee breath (bhramari pranayama). These breathing techniques are grounding and nourishing for your entire system. Utilizing the breath is one of the best ways to support vata dosha during the fall season and to stay in balance on a subtle level. 

Ayurveda Recipe for the Fall

As you transition into the fall season, your agni or digestive fire begins to build in strength, preparing your body to eat the many delicious, nourishing foods of the fall season. Many of the foods that we naturally eat during the fall, such as root vegetables, earthy spices, and warm foods, are inherently balancing for vata dosha and the fall season. 

Try to focus your diet during the fall season on grounding soups, nourishing warm drinks, baked whole-grain breads, and roasted root vegetables. One of my favorite Ayurveda recipes for the fall is this carrot and ginger soup. See below for the nourishing recipe details of this Ayurvedic Fall Carrot Ginger Soup:

Ingredients:

• 6-7 whole peeled and chopped carrots
• ½ inch fresh ginger 
• 2-3 cups vegetable stock or half stock and half water
• 1 tbsp ghee (or olive oil for vegans)
• ¼ tsp Himalayan pink salt 
• 1 tsp turmeric 
• ½ tsp nutmeg 
• 2 pinches black pepper 
• Optional garnish – sliced spring chives, dill, or slivered almonds 

Steps:

1. Heat the ghee or oil in a large pan on medium heat. 
2. Add the carrots and ginger. Gently sauté until lightly browned. 
3. Then add the turmeric and nutmeg and sauté for another minute or two. 
4. Add the vegetable stock and any additional water as desired and bring to a boil. Then lower the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until the carrots are tender.
5. Allow the soup to cool slightly before transferring it into a blender or using an immersion blender until it is completely smooth. 
6. Return to heat to warm it through and add the salt and pepper to taste. 
7. Serve in a small bowl and garnish as desired. 

Remember that fresh food is preferable in Ayurveda, so if you are making this nourishing soup for less than 4 people, you may want to reduce the amounts. Try to make it a ritual as you eat this soup, staying mindful and aware of each bite and tuning into the sensations of warmth as the nutrients spread throughout your body. 

Learn Ayurveda with Our YACEP Continuing Education Course for Yoga Teachers

Ayurveda is a beautiful and intricate healing science that has the potential to transform your life. When you learn how to live in balance with your body and the natural cycles of life, you can tap into the rhythm of the universe and finally access the ultimate healing capacity within each of us. So, take these lessons on Ayurveda for the fall and begin utilizing the Ayurveda fall yoga sequence, Ayurveda meditation for the fall, and Ayurveda recipe for the fall to access this balance in your own life! 

Learning Ayurveda takes time and dedication, but we all need to start somewhere! In our online Ayurveda continuing education course for yoga teachers, you can get YACEP credits for Yoga Alliance and learn a valuable skill at the same time. By weaving Ayurveda into your life and into your yoga classes, you can help your students access this transformative wisdom and provide a more profound healing experience. Reach out to us for more information on our online Ayurveda course to learn more!