A seasonal guide: How to work with Vata Dosha, inside and out
We live in a high vata world - where the qualities of activity, mobility and stimulation prevail. Vata represents the air and ether elements, two of the five elements that everything in nature (including us) is composed of. Vata in our environment comes in the form of wind and space, so living in a cold, arid and windy space is an example of a vata environment. Other qualities of vata are dry, sharp, light and hard, like a jagged stone or a dried leaf.
It’s easy to see how autumn and early winter are the season of vata, where the cool, windy and dry air can leave us feeling physically and emotionally knocked about - like a leaf falling from a tree. Less sunlight means more exposure to blue light, the wavelength of light emitted from screens, LEDs and fluorescent lighting. Blue light is a short, high energy wavelength which can disrupt our sleep because it stimulates the brain, elevates body temperature, increases the heart rate and suppresses the production of an essential sleep hormone; melatonin. Blue light increases vata, and the more screen time we have through our phones, laptops and televisions, the greater the disruption.
This is part of the reason why seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a condition that many people notice at this time of year, and those winter blues can make us feel isolated, depressed and low in motivation from a lack of warmth and sunlight. If the cold and wind isn't your thing, and you find yourself feeling fearful and depleted from the cold weather, chances are you have some vata in your constitution too. All of us have all five elements in our constitution, but left unchecked, the excess air and ether can leave us feeling scattered, anxious, gassy, constipated, dried out, isolated and moody, especially during the vata time of year.
While there isn’t much you can do about the weather, there is plenty of self care you can enjoy to alleviate its effects, both within your mind and your body:
Add an extra spoon of good quality, single-source oil to your diet. Choose from the heavier varieties such as olive oil, sesame oil, macadamia oil and avocado oil, or the lighter coconut oil, grapeseed oil and sunflower oil. Ghee is my favourite, with a light, creamy taste and a myriad of health benefits.
Include stews, curries and soups to your repertoire, and add some good quality protein with bone broths, lentils, tofu and soft cheese such as paneer or cottage cheese to keep your hair, skin and nails soft and shiny.
Reach for warmth; choose comfort before vanity. Give yourself permission to wear a beanie, gloves, fluffy socks and a warm jacket, and look as daggy (slang for scruffy) as you like! Especially if you plan to go for a walk, hike, hang out at the park or an evening out. You are beautiful just as you are - somewhere inside that heavy coat…
Be conscious of big emotions and excess stimulation. Many people decide to start training for a marathon, plan travel to escape the cold, or schedule lots of social events during the cold season because they are swept away by the fear of winter, change and isolation. Instead, use this time to find simple, grounding practices that keep your energy moving in a balanced, sustainable way, and focus instead on a slower and more conscious routine that you can stick to through the winter along with some reduced screen time.
Vata season is the time when Mother Nature reminds us to gather our thoughts and energy, recalibrate after the activity of the summer, and reflect on our intentions for the year ahead. We can use this time as an opportunity to find routines and mindsets that will help us stay positive and resilient, able to meet life as it is, and blossom in adversity. Just as we learn to accept the winter and learn to navigate the cold, so too can we find the courage to face our own realities and become skilled at our own lives.
“Do less, be more.”
— Myra Lewin
