Vatta Time of the Year

Ayurveda, “the science of life,” the traditional Indian healing system, and traditional Chinese medicine share many similarities, but one of the most important aspects is the concept of BALANCE.

The 3 Gunas or qualities of nature that we possess are Rajas (activity); Tamas (inertia); and Sattva (balance). It is with Sattva that we are concerned as the seasons change, because it can be a challenge to maintain balance.

In Ayurveda, there are three fundamental body/mind types or doshas: Vata, Pitta and Kapha which contain different combinations of 5 elements: air, ether, fire, water and earth. In vata there is more air and ether; in Pitta more fire; and in Kapha more earth. Traditional Chinese medicine also has five elements, fire, earth, metal, water and wood. There are many characteristics of each element which I will present in detail at a later point .

The autumn is a time of great change brought about by the quality of the element air. It is associated with the element metal, as in going inward finding metal deep in the earth. The organs associated with this element are the lungs and large intestine. During this time people will tend to catch colds, coughs, involving the lungs, also they tend to become dry and even constipated, so there is a need to increase moisture inside and outside of the body.

As you can see, the principal of balance is really important if one element is beginning to become out of balance. With too much Yin (receptive, inward energy) or too much Yang (active, outgoing energy), the body wants to restore it’s Sattva nature in order to maintain health. If the body or the mind or the emotions are out of balance for a given length period of time then you can begin to observe the impact on your health.

During times of change, it is not unusual to experience more stress at work and at home, and to feel a the emotional effects of these stresses more acutely. These changes can even affect self-image and sometimes result in weight gain or other changes. It can be enough of a challenge to maintain balance when things are more or less stable, but it is especially challenging when seasonal changes add another level of stress.

If you want to learn more how to maintain your optimum balance, if you want to discover your dosha type and want to learn how to deal with stress related to work, family, a holistic health coach can help. I am trained to help you restore balance and maintain optimal energy and health. Click here to contact me.