Transitioning into Autumn
Written by: Jessica De Somma, Hair Stylist, Yoga Teacher, Ayurvedic Health Counselor
The leaves are turning warm colors, the air is becoming dry and crisp, branches of trees get brittle and hard; these are all signs of vata in the autumn season. Vata is a Sanskrit word in Ayurveda (a holistic, ancient, Indian science of health) which refers to the elements of air and space. The qualities of vata are hard, dry, sharp, cold, light, rough, and constantly moving. How do we change our hair, skin, yoga, and food routine while vata is high during the autumn season?
You may notice your hair is feeling some qualities of vata such as dryness and brittleness. A deep conditioning treatment like the Daviness Renaissance Circle once a week for 15 minutes can soften your hair. It's also important to remember your leave in conditioner but, it may be time to add a serum to your hair routine during this season. I love the Loma Nourishing Oil treatment to help soften brittle dead ends and protect the hair against heat. Oil is one of the best ways to subdue excess vata.
The skin and lips also can become cracked and dry due to excess vata. The Lush lip sugar scrub helps to remove dead skin and leaves your lips feeling soft. I like to switch my moisturizer to an oil this time of year like Sundari's Essential Oil for Dry Skin. Try to avoid any masque that may be too harsh or drying.
Child’s Pose
You may notice that during this dry, vata season, your thoughts may become more erratic, sleep becomes irregular, and you may become more nervous and anxious. This is due to vata's ever changing and unstable qualities. Slow, calming, gentle yoga can help sooth many people's minds. The key is to create heat slowly in your yoga routine. Try gentle, grounding poses such as trunk rolls, warrior poses, and child's pose. For your pranayama breath work, try Ujaii breathing; the warming breath that sounds like the ocean.
Incorporating the opposite qualities of vata in your food can also bring balance. Think warm soups, pumpkin, potatoes, brussels sprouts, butternut squash, and nuts. Foods that are heating and higher in healthy fats are perfect for this cool, dry season. Spice some pistachios on top of butternut squash for an example! Sweet, sour and salty are the qualities you want in your vegetables, fruits, and proteins.
Balance the dry, unstable, cool qualities of vata in autumn with the right products for your hair and skin, adjust your diet, and slow down your yoga routine. By making these lifestyle changes, it can help you feeling soft, grounded, decisive, and calm.
