Nurturing Every Phase of Your Life
September brings a wealth of opportunities to witness Nature's subtle shifts. To the untrained eye, nature rolls from one season to the next almost undetected. Yet when you pause, perhaps you'll notice that the noontime sun isn't as intense as it was earlier in the summer, or how the sun sets earlier. Lush foliage has taken a reprieve from rapid growth with grass and hedges no longer requiring a weekly mow and trim. Although the September fields are still bountiful, vibrant greens are shifting too, with new hues beginning to emerge and early signs of catabolic change.
When our external environment shifts, then those qualities can have an effect on our internal system. If you aren’t paying attention, then the seasonal qualities can build up in your system as excess and lend to imbalances.
For example, in late summer the days are still hot but the coolness of evenings creeps in and prepares the body for a shift. The body manages heat loss by reducing blood flow to your skin, arms, and legs, drying out your skin and leaving it dull and lusterless. In addition, excess heat in the body manifests as skin irritation such as rashes and acne or loose stool. Warm, dry, Autumn crisp air and wind further dry the body out leading to dry stool and constipation (from dehydration), gas and bloating (from poor digestion), muscle fatigue (increasing chance of injury), and if we aren't paying attention, ultimately illness.
Ayurveda suggests the following seasonal tips to proactively shift into the months ahead:
Enjoy cooling fruits such as apples, pears, melons, and cantaloupe to help your body purge any residue of summer heat that may have accumulated.
Choose sweets such as yams, sweet potatoes, dates, and bananas to open up and nourish the tissues, which help counteract the dryness. These foods also tend to calm and pacify the body.
Reduce or eliminate the consumption of dry foods like chips, crackers, and raw salads.
Favor lightly steamed, cooked, and warm foods that are heartier in nature to build tissues such as beets, winter squash, grains, oatmeal, nut butter, milk, and chicken or salmon for meat eaters.
Daily abhyanga, or oil massage, with an herbal oil blend to match your body type, is especially important to rehydrate the skin.
Incorporate into your yoga practice asanas (postures) that are grounding such as longer-held standing postures and fluid somatic movement that hydrates organs and tissues.
Like fine-tuning a musical instrument, Yoga and Ayurveda's ancient wisdom teaches us to attune to Nature's subtle shifts and align ourselves in body, breath, thoughts, actions, and experiences so we can live and play in the orchestra of life with greater harmony.
Need something more personalized? Let's schedule a 15-minute meet and greet to map out your wellness goals and co-design an achievable plan. I hope to hear from you soon!
Grateful for our connections and community,
Marnie Memmolo, E-RYT500, YACEP, RPYT, AWC
owner/founder Maha Moon