Ayurveda Seasons
The ancient Indian holistic healing system of Ayurveda has been in existence for thousands of years and is regarded as the “mother of healing.” In Ayurveda, five elements make up everything and describe all the possible interactions of matter and energy. These five primal elements, or “states of existence” are: air, water, fire, earth, and ether (space).
Each element is associated with certain qualities. Ayurvedic practitioners believe that when these elements manifest in the body, they are condensed into three metabolic forces, or doshas.
The three doshas are combinations of the five elements: Vata (ether and air), Pitta (fire and water), and Kapha (earth and water).
Everyone is a mix of the three doshas. The concept may feel elusive, but you’re probably already familiar with A.A. Milne’s characters, Piglet (Vata), Tigger (Pitta), and Winnie-the-Pooh (Kapha) .
Vata: Piglet is light, doesn’t like the cold, wind, or loud noises, and tends to be anxious.
Pitta: Tigger “never gets cold”, is enthusiastically energetic, and can be impatient.
Kapha: Pooh is slow to action, likes to eat and sleep, and can feel foggy [taps head: “think, think, think”).
Of course, there is a lot more to the doshas. Below are posts on other dosha qualities and how to keep yourself in good health during their related seasons.
Vata Season
As the days become shorter and the autumn winds begin to blow, we enter into Vata season according to the ancient Indian holistic healing system of Ayurveda. In Sanskrit, Ayurveda means “the science of life” (ayus=life, veda=knowledge/science). Ayurveda has been in existence for thousands of years and is regarded as the “mother of healing.” It is though…
Kapha Season
As winter progresses, we move from the initial dry and windy cold of early winter to the damp (snowy) cold of mid-late winter/early spring. Millions of people across the southeastern U.S. experienced that (shocking!) shift in the recent record-breaking snowstorms. Seasonal shifts require chec…
Pitta Season
As the summer solstice nears, most of the northern hemisphere has moved from the damp (snowy) cold of early spring to the first warm days of late spring/early summer. Transitions between the seasons can be difficult on our systems, and are frequently associated with colds. Recalibrating our daily habi…