This blog series is my offering to you, a chance to see how Ayurveda is weaved into my life & how you can apply these principles to your own life.

This time of year brings to focus the need for Nourishment. Nourishing November has a nice ring to it! As we have transitioned from Summer to Autumn there is a notable change in the air, sunny days in September are fresher but before you know it we are experiencing nature in its Vata season (Vata has qualities of dry, cold, airy and mobile). October and November naturally invite us to slow down.

Both Autumn and Spring are seen as the two shoulder or transition seasons and are important times when we should take care to stay in balance. Noticing these shifts in energetic qualities of Autumn provide opportunities to nourish our self and to counter the effects of these changes.

Ayurveda reminds us that balance comes from opposite qualities, during Vata season you should seek warmth, steadiness, moisture and calm. Keep this simple, eating warm food, slowing your pace, grounding through a daily rhythm. It’s certainly not about doing more but anchoring yourself in softness and calm as the world begins to speeds up (yes I'm talking festive season).

So to kick off - I signed up to join LUSH with Wivi-Anne Nyberg (founder of Ayuryoga Academy). LUSH was a 21 day program that started a 6am every morning, incorporating breathwork, asana and EFT tapping. I love Wivi-Anne’s energy so I jumped at this chance to join her for 21 days. I had been experimenting with EFT tapping for a bit but this really locked in a commitment to work with it. Tapping aligns neatly with Ayurvedic Marma points which is something I have also been looking to learn more about. This was a sign! Joining Wivi-Anne and the other beautiful souls each morning was a fantastic way to start my day. The benefits were felt immediately. My usual morning routine starts somewhere between 6.00am & 6.30am but this structured approach was a great way to switch up my routine and gain some incredible experience. Each day I felt my energy building, I could feel a noticeable increase in strength too. I will weave these new practices into my current routine, taking what feels good. I love how this journey constantly evolves and how just a simple commitment to 21 days can transform your day. My alarm going off at 5.45am was not a problem and within a few days my body was waking at this time ready for my LUSH session. I have now returned to a 6am rise but it is definitely the consistency that is key. Thank you Wivi-Anne!

You can find Wivi-Anne's offering here if you are interested:

Ayur Yoga Academy

Not only does Wivi-Anne offer amazing courses but she has created a community full of beautiful women who support one another and I am grateful to be part of that!

Nourishment

Join my Facebook Group - Inner Nourishment or follow me on Instagram

Easy steps towards Nourishment:

~ Find just 2 minutes to sit in silence today

~ Take one deep breath before your next meal

The other change that I make at this time of year is what I eat. Aligning with the seasons is a key Ayurvedic concept and we all know that feeling of wanting more comforting food as the temperatures drop off. Some of my meals stay largely the same but I will switch up the spices. For example my breakfast, whether porridge, stovetop bread or pancakes shift from just a little cinnamon, cardamom and coriander to adding clove and nutmeg and maybe a little more cinnamon than in the summer months.

Adding grounding food is easy, nature provides us with what we need, lots of squash and root vegetables…and of course pumpkin! I find these types of vegetables are so versatile so they feature heavily for both lunch and dinner.

Roast dinners are a big tradition in England and I am often asked how I approach cooking a roast dinner. I limit the amount of potatoes but load up on carrots, parsnips, cauliflower and broccoli. It’s not a perfectly balanced Ayurvedic meal but it is full of fresh, organic produce. Stuffing is a tricky one, but after a bit of experimenting I found that sage was key to getting the nostalgic hit that I was looking for ! My efforts have included a mixture of rice and grated veggies, adding small chunks of veggies for texture, I have added chickpeas, nuts and dates too. Find what works for you, experiment and have fun! Ayurveda is sometimes seen as restrictive but it is really a set of guidelines for you to use along with your personal experience. I also like a little celeraic gratin using just small amount of cream, not perfect but ever so good when cooked with sage plus a little salt and pepper.

Grounding isn’t just about food, it is about our whole experience of life, it is about how we engage with life. Vata governs both movement and the nervous system, so creating steadiness in your day and gentle repetition helps calm the mind.

Consider what is important to you and allow this to drive your decision making process. Autumn is a time to create space and to prepare for winter. And for the last few years I have taken a very different approach to winter. Winter is a time for resting and nesting, to hibernate (again nature provides the guidance here). We aren’t meant to be overcommitting our time and constantly overindulging. My daughter has always dreaded the cold darker months - she is a sun and beach loving kind of girl - I have encouraged her to embrace what winter offers and to make the most of what it offers. She recently said that there was a little part of her that looked forward to it coming this year. For me, proof that a shift in perspective is a powerful thing.

I love Christmas but it comes at a time that is at odds with nature. There are so many parts of it that take us away from balance that I have started to adjust how I approach it in recent years. I even changed from ‘traditional’ red, gold and green decorations to a softer gold and bronze colour scheme, a whole lot less ‘stuff’ everywhere and more fairy lights and candles. Danish Hygge has a lot to offer here. I also think there is a societal shift, maybe only a small one at the moment, away from the excesses of Christmas consumerism, both in terms of gift giving and food consumption.

So in summary my top tips are:

Nourishment - what you consume, both food and impressions matters. Ensure your choices nourish your mind, body and soul. Where do you feel most nourished right now? Try adding more of these things to your day. Nourishment doesn't have to be food related, it can be spending time on your hobbies, in nature or simply having a supportive conversation with someone. It can come from wearing your favourite pyjamas or jumper or from oiling your feet before bed. The options are endless....

What small shift could help you feel more grounded this week?

Rest & Digest - find space to rest, book it in your diary. Rest is not a luxury, it is a necessity so remember that YOU matter. This can feel tricky to begin with so start small, just 5-10 minutes of stillness. Build gently. Digestion works better when it is not overloaded, begin to reduce or eliminate snacking completely to give your system enough time to digest your previous meal. Take note of your intentions, are you present at meal times? Are you getting enough rest that doesn’t involve binge watching TV or mindless scrolling? (neither of these are rest - they stimulate!!)

Unplug - remember you are enough, Spending time online creates overwhelming and unrealistic expectations. Those ‘lifestyles’ are sold to you to create an illusory need. No one lives like their instagram feed, Design your own life and live it your way. Aside from the constant comparison game these devices are overstimulating your nervous system, it needs rest and stillness. I have taken a social media break myself and it has been the best thing to do. I am currently navigating how I take that forward, I have some plans and I will be shifting my focus towards both this blog and my Facebook group. I will still have a presence on Instagram (which at least posts directly to my ‘Claire Sherman’ Facebook profile) but it will look different. It is almost ready to share, I trust you will like it!

What will you do during this transitional season? What can you let go of and what will you do with the space it creates for growth?

So, my practices have shifted, my food has been switched up a little, what else? Your mindset is constantly shifting, energy is always moving and again nature remains our best guide. Autumn, for me, is a time of gratitude for all that summer has provided. There are fruits of summer projects, whether physical and tangible in terms of our collective gardens or personal goals we have been working towards. Trees shedding leaves are the perfect reminder of letting go and that nothing is permanent. Trees also teach us about strength and resilience, they offer us grounding qualities that we need in Autumn so getting out for a gentle walk in woodlands is not just beautiful at this time of year but deeply nourishing. Ayurveda has taught me that flow isn’t about doing more but aligning with my own rhythm. Leaning in to that provides a level of comfort and reminder that everything is everchanging.

Being in Vata season also means we are more susceptible to being taken out of balance, its mobile qualities making this easy. So what am I doing to nourish myself ?

Then there is, for me at least, that feeling of starting something new and more structured after the free flowing energy of the summer. Autumn projects somehow give us permission to take this slowly, there is no rush to get to the end. Just a gentle step forward. And besides no one wants a never ending to do list, be selective in choosing your new projects, overwhelm is not the intention here.

Regardless of season, one of my anchors is rest and digest, anything I choose to do (or not do) has to align with this. Resting and digesting are intrinsically linked to each other. A single piece of cake, for example, can aggravate your digestion for a variety of reasons but it could also impact your sleep later that night if your digestion is still struggling. Accepting one to many social engagements or work commitments will clearly impact your ability to rest appropriately but can equally impact digestion by not having the time to cook fresh food, feeling stressed out or wired will impact your nervous system leading to weakened digestion. Rest and digest go hand in hand, there is plenty of research supporting the mind - body connection. For me rest and digest are not just intrinsically linked but complement each other perfectly.

Finally I want to mention my new project, Nourish & Flourish. The first gathering in September was amazing, a delightful bunch of ladies gathered with an open heart and bags of supportive, nurturing energy. I felt more nervous about the second gathering in October, could that be repeated? And the answer was yes! Some ladies returned and some were new. The same wonderful energy. I feel very blessed to be able to host Nourish & Flourish, I am so excited to watch this grow. It offers a chance to connect, we laugh, we chat and we support one another. If you are local to Hockley drop me a message, I would be thrilled to welcome you! Come fill your cup…

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