Pumpkin Spice Yoga?
There’s no escaping it: when the autumn season rolls in, you start seeing pumpkin-spiced everything. We add layers to our clothing and enjoy eating heartier, warming foods. With long summer days behind us, we find ourselves flocking to these seasonal standbys. Have you ever truly considered why we’re so drawn to these changes?
In Ayurveda, the elements of vata dosha are dominant in the fall: qualities such as rough, dry, cool, erratic, clear and subtle abound. The moist air of summer dries out and the winds pick up. Temperatures drop and leaves turn gorgeous colors before falling to the ground and crumbling beneath our feet. The carefree summer days of vacations, the beach and hot sun are gone. We return to our normal work routines and children go back to school. The holidays stare us down and we long for cozy evenings with a hot beverage by the fireside.
The prevailing foods of the season (root vegetables, winter squash and other spicy items like garlic, ginger and onion) are warming, nourishing and grounding. We go for these foods with gusto because they’re comforting.
Did you also know that our yoga practice (optimally) adjusts to meet this change in seasons? In order to balance out potentially excess vata qualities, we see more grounding pranayama practices (sama vrtti: balanced breathing, ujjayi breath: “victorious breath”) and balancing asanas practiced in a more slow-flow vinyasa style.
To encourage balance and get the body warmed up, we incorporate poses like Garudasana (Eagle Pose), Warrior Poses, and Vrksasana (Tree Pose) into our routines - to name a few.
Why is it important for us to embrace such changes in our daily lives and in our yoga? Each of us has some combination of vata-pitta-dosha elements in our bodily constitution. If we’re strong in vata qualities and “overdo” it without balancing things (even if we don’t have significant vata within ourselves but still get too much light, cool, windy air or attempt to run around without proper rest), we’ll find ourselves getting stressed out, feeling anxious, experiencing sleep disturbances and digestive upset.
Grounding is the name of the game in autumn. It’s why root vegetables like beets, sweet potatoes and pumpkins are so popular in the fall; they increase our connection with the earth at a time when we need it. Grounding practices are more in tune with our bodies and they aid in maintaining/improving our health.
To find more balance, it’s helpful to strengthen our root chakra (Muladhara). This is why we like balancing poses (anything on one leg; but even asanas like Parivrtta Trikonasa – Revolved Triangle and Parivrtta Utkatasana – Revolved Chair Pose are great for this). Engaging an ujjayi breath kicks up both energy and heat while providing a balancing calm throughout your practice.
And let’s not forget inversions! Asanas like Shoulder Stand (Sarvangasana) and Headstand (Sirsasana) – even modified – are a perfect accompaniment to your cooler weather yoga practice.
To sum it up, embrace some spice, engage a fiery breath, slow down and take time to get grounded. All of these things in the right balance will keep you happy and healthy throughout the season.
Happy Fall, and happy “pumpkin spice yoga”!
Best Fall Practices:
Balancing/clearing root chakra (Muladhara) mantra: Lam
Asanas: Garudasana, Virabhadrasana III, Vrksasana, Parsvakonasana
Pranayama: Ujjayi
Ayurvedic Practices: Pacifying vata dosha with the self-care routine of abhyanga (oil massage) using sesame oil as a base.
Scents: Cinnamon, clove, vanilla, frankincense (add in with the sesame oil for massage, best for after shower/bath).
Meditation: Mindfulness (observing, practicing staying present) and Counting Breath; for reduced anxiety
