In Ayurveda, creating a “container” refers to establishing a structured, supportive environment that nurtures physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. This article focuses on establishing or reestablishing a routine after the summer months. Summer is such a wonderful season full of long days and endless nights, adventures, social events and often very little structure. Hopefully restoration and self nourishment has been on your agenda over the Summer to prevent burnout and to enhance all of the wonderful blessings the season has to offer.
As Summer comes to an end, the weather begins to cool down and the days shorten. Social events, travel plans and day trips decrease. Maybe you are in ‘back to school mode’ as a parent or caregiver, teacher or student. Maybe your workload is increasing for the Fall season. Wherever you find yourself at this time of year, changes to your external environment are inevitable.
Understanding Vata Season In Ayurveda
In Ayurveda, Autumn is associated with vata dosha or air and space elements. The qualities of cold, light, dry and mobile increase. Vata season is marked by change and movement. In excess, these qualities result in worry, anxiety, overwhelm, constipation, excess gas, poor circulation, sleep issues, and dry and rough skin. All of these qualities make it more difficult to refocus your energy after Summer has ended. All of the energy that has built up during the warmer months has to go somewhere and, if heat has accumulated in excess, then this too should be alleviated.
Thankfully, Ayurveda provides wisdom, insight and practicality for living in accordance with the seasons, even (or especially) in busy, urban settings today.
In Ayurvedic terms, “Creating a Container” involves creating a structure or framework for energy to flow in a healthy way. Start by releasing what needs to be released, clearing blockages, removing stagnation and allowing for true creative nature to flow – you might consider a Fall Cleanse to help ignite this process. Removing stagnant energy enables us to increase our connection to our body and mind through intentional ‘anchors’ or points of connection at various times of the day.
Next, keep things simple – there are so many lists available to you of what you should do in order to foster holistic health, but the best list is the one that actually works for you. Transitions can be challenging to navigate so keeping things as simple as possible is a wonderful approach to getting on track.
Sleep, mindfulness, breathwork, fresh cooked meals, exercise, community and time in nature are all important. Figuring out how to fit ALL of them into a new schedule ALL at once is not necessarily the most beneficial thing to do. In fact, with the increase in vata and its associated volatility and variability, by taking on too much you are more likely to push yourself further out of balance, thereby generating the conditions for overwhelm and fatigue. Be open to exploring new practices that ground you, but allow yourself to incorporate changes slowly. Pick one practice to commit to for a few weeks and just notice how it makes you feel. Then, expand from there once time and space allow.
Creating Your Fall Routine
In this article, we offer you a few time-tested Ayurvedic practices that were cultivated specifically to help “Create Your Container” during Vata Season. Remember, adopt one practice at a time, stick with it for a period of time; once it becomes a habit, prepare for the next.
- Karna Purana – Ear Oiling & Massage – The ears are the portal to the shabdavaha srotas or the channel that carries sound. It is here that the ether/space element resides, or one-half of the inherent constituents of vata dosha. It calms the nervous system, soothes dryness, improves sleep, mitigates headaches/migraines and relieves head and neck tension. The ears are also the aperture to the crown chakra, through which we are able to hear and absorb the sounds of the Divine. When we nurture the ears by applying oil and massaging the surrounding tissues, we nurture and contain the energy of vata dosha. Click here to learn more about Karna Purana. It only takes 3 minutes in the morning!
- Abhyanga – Self-Oil Massage – You may be noticing a theme – oil! Indeed, in vata season, the cold, light, dry and mobile nature of air and ether are best grounded with warm, heavy, moist and stable substances such as oil. Self-oil massage, or abhyanga, is one of the most nourishing practices you can do in Fall, especially if practicing with long, downward strokes that ground your energy from head to earth.
- Yoga Nidra – This practice is a must-have for all conditions or symptoms of variability (eg. anxiety), debility, fatigue or depletion. It is also a really nice way to reset your energy during the day. Yoga nidra connects your mind and body through intentional calming of the nervous system and connection to energetic pathways that support healing. Try our Yoga Nidra – Healing Energy meditation or find one you like on Insight Timer.
- Meditation – Try this 5-Minute Reset Meditation to help you focus or re-focus as you transition between tasks. It can be practiced anytime there is overwhelm or as a wonderful way to start or end your day.
- Alternate Nostril Breath – Balance the flow of energy through the lunar and solar channels, as well as the left and right hemispheres of the brain, with Alternate Nostril Breath. This practice will help to harness your energy and ground it into the center of your being.
- Restorative Yoga – Yoga is the essence of union – between body and breath, breath and mind, and mind and Self. Cultivating the power of this union in an intentionally grounding way with Restorative, Slow Flow, Lunar Postures, or Yin Yoga, allows you to build resilience to stress, variably and overwhelm and to embody stability and nourishment.
- Food as Nourishment – Cook warm, appropriately oiled and spiced meals from whole foods. Even when short on time, we offer some simple recipes and easy meals that are fast and great for students or anyone who is new to cooking. They provide grounding and nourishing energy for your whole system.
Remember, the point isn’t to ensure you do all of these things every single day. You have many tools in your toolkit to foster grounding and nourishment as needed. You will build this toolkit over many months and years. I encourage you to create your own unique container this Autumn that is warm, nourishing, and stable and that will allow you to deepen your connection with yourself so that you can attune to your needs throughout the Fall and in the seasons to come.
Article authored by Chloe Chaput, who is dedicated to her role as a Clinical Ayurvedic Specialist to work with women’s health, male and female fertility challenges, parents or caregivers, and children to address a variety of clinical health concerns at the root of their cause.
The information contained within this article is for educational purposes only and should not replace the direct advice of a doctor or other qualified healthcare professional. Always consult a medical or other professional healthcare provider when considering a new health regime.
