For those of us who live above the equator, Fall has begun to show its colors and drops in temperatures. For me, the fall and winter seasons always bring awareness of going more inward, thinking more about home and health, digging up recipes for the coming holidays, and noticing how my body tends to need special care during this time of year. For those in the Caribbean, where I’m originally from, Fall and winter are just drier and less warm, but self-care is essential for those of us who experience the changes of the seasons more abruptly.
Ayurveda is defined as “a whole-body (holistic) system of medicine that began in India more than 3,000 years ago. Ayurveda means the study of life. It takes a natural approach to all aspects of health and well-being” (https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/ayurveda). This system is based on the idea that each person carries a certain dominant “dosha” or life force within. According to The Ayurvedic Institute, “Every individual constitution has its own unique balance of vata, pitta, and kapha (VPK) according to its own nature. This balance of VPK is the natural order. When this doshic balance is disturbed, it creates an imbalance, which is disorder”.
Common therapies include herbal medicines, yoga, meditation, and massage.
Ayurveda also offers an in-depth treatment protocol called Panchakarma. According to The Ayurvedic Institute, “Panchakarma is a treatment program for the body, mind, and consciousness that cleanses and rejuvenates. It is based on Ayurvedic principles; every human is a unique phenomenon manifested through the five basic elements of Ether, Air, Fire, Water, and Earth”
Working with a highly trained Ayurvedic practitioner is important, and, like many other alternative medicine systems, it is a highly individualized approach to health. What I can say as someone who has received both Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Ayurveda, they are both systems whose goal is to restore balance, either through the system of “chi” (in the case of TCM) or through the “doshas” in Ayurveda. Both systems emphasize the balancing of body and mind, and I feel that Ayurveda emphasizes the spiritual aspect a bit more. The main gateway for TCM is acupuncture, and for Ayurveda, it is Panchakarma. Our individual doshas are composed of the five elements, and so do the seasons have doshas. For example, Fall and Winter are governed by Vata dosha, when Ether and Air predominate. Its qualities are dry, cool, and “it governs all movement and processes in your mind and body—including processes like blood flow, elimination, breathing, and the movement of thoughts in your mind”. An imbalance of a personal (internal) Vata dosha is “potentiated” by the environmental (external) Vata that is dominant in the Fall and winter season. Imbalances in Vata could lead to things like circulatory problems, joint pains, digestion issues, and an overactive mind.
My primary dosha is Vata, although I also have some elements of Pitta, so I’m Vata-ish. This predisposition is certainly evident for me when it comes to slow digestion, an overactive mind that can lead to a feeling of ungroundedness and some joint/mobility issues.
As we step into fall, I’m becoming more aware of the shift in my body-mind. This is a time for me to focus on self-care, which is essential for my well-being. This means I will make some lifestyle changes until the energy shift of spring is here. I eat warm foods exclusively, I avoid the delicious summer salads and opt for cooked vegetables, I increase the olive oil drizzle on my food, and I supplement the Ayurvedic massages from my practitioner with home-based self-massage. This is a very nourishing, warming, grounding practice that I try to stick to at least 4-5 times a week during colder months. This practice is called abhyanga, and it consists of smearing yourself in warm, herbed oil from head to toe while you massage your limbs in the direction of the torso and you use clockwise movement over the abdomen. Sesame oil is widely used, and ideally, you would work with a practitioner who would recommend the best herb infusions for your individual needs. But using sesame oil alone (a very warming oil) is usually a good start.
Other doshas, such as Pitta (water + fire elements), can use sesame oil in the colder vata months, but a more cooling oil, such as coconut oil, maybe a better choice during warmer weather. Vatas need more oil frequency (4-5X week), whereas Pittas may need less (3-4X week). Kapha dosha people may even need less than that with more drying oils like safflower, maybe only twice a week. This is a link to a guide about the different oils for the different doshas: (Ayurveda Collage)
The idea is to choose an oil that would counter-balance your dominant dosha state -I’m Vata dominant, so I need a heavy warming oil such as sesame in the colder months. During spring I switch to coconut oil, and I avoid or significantly decrease the oil massages during the summer heat.
This can all sound quite complex, and it is. But it can be made simple by following baby steps. There are quizzes online that can help you determine your dosha or dosha combination. If the dosha descriptions seem to fit and you want to find out more, it would be advisable to talk to a trained Ayurvedic practitioner/doctor. This is where you can get more refined advice as to the inclusion of herbs in your oil massages. Of course, if you complement the oil practice with yoga and meditation, that is very reinforcing for the mind’s emotional states.
If you decide to go further, Panchakarma treatments should prove very interesting, and even baffling, to our Western mind, and some of those experiences can feel a bit harsh. The general process is to do a few days straight of oil massages with the practitioner, each followed by a sweat bath. This pacifies the dosha and “collects” it in the place of imbalance (head, lungs, tummy, etc), where it can then be expelled from the body through various methods. It sounds very primal, and it is. It was a very foreign experience for me, but the logic of the system is beautiful, and I would do my two Panchakarma treatments again. It took me out of my comfort zone in a big way and helped with my sinus and GI issues.
I have friends who find the idea of smearing themselves in oil a “no-go”, but I have grown fond of those 20-30 minutes that I set aside before my shower most days. Candles lit, soul-inspiring music on, and a deep faith in the restorative power of ancient traditions nurtures me. I love rituals, and this idea of a self-care ceremony warms my heart. There are some wonderful YouTube videos that take you through the abhyanga self-massage process step by step. Oil up; winter is coming for many of us!
by Dulce Garcia-Morman, Ph.D.
