AYURVEDA & ME - INNER FIRE
2/16/20267 min read
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.
INNER FIRE
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"Honour your seasonal intelligence"
If you have read my previous blogs you will know about some of the shifts I made over the festive period as I continue to make small changes each winter. With January over I feel February bringing glimpses of what is to come in Spring. Little signs that season is beginning to change. While there is a little way to go before the days are noticeably longer, planning for Spring is a perfectly acceptable activity! Recently I have been looking at ways to reduce my time online, in all areas of this space. Being more conscious of social media, from the time I spend creating and maintaining to the sneaky scroll when I dip in to check messages, has really made an impact. There is a clear movement happening with the online space, I am seeing lots of 'analogue' posts offering up ways to get back to real activities. There is a clear message with a clear vision too, one that I want to see become the norm rather than an aesthetic trend on Instagram.
My efforts are not solely about social media use, our use of devices is increasing in all areas of our life (online shopping, banking and keeping in touch with friends & family). Striving to keep that to a minimum isn't easy, but each day I remind myself that this constant hook into the digital world is not good for Vata Dosha (our light, airy and mobile qualities ~ the one that causes us to feel ungrounded and scattered when out of balance). I remind myself that the constant stimulation leads to disconnection from the real world (and our real feelings). A reminder that where our attention goes our energy flows, a cliché I know but we are, in effect, creating our own distorted view of the world. There has been comfort gained from recent conversations, that we are all feeling the impact from our time online, we are all craving something different, more real. All of this impacts our digestion too which is why it is important to nurture that inner fire of yours.
There are a few things I am experimenting with at the moment so I will report back in the next blog. In the meantime I would love to know what you feel about social media right now, get in touch or drop a message in my Facebook group. I want the momentum to continue and together we can change how we view and use the online world.
The slow, soft shift continues to be a theme for me. I feel like the ‘start’ of new things (new year, new health regime, new habits) somehow seems too harsh, too rushed and often too focussed on desired outcomes. And with desire comes too much pushing for results. I prefer the concept of new beginnings, this feels more aligned and more nourishing. Beginning rather than starting just sounds softer - is that just me? "Beginning" allows for an unfolding, just like nature. So yes I am already planning some Spring changes but these will not be rushed changes. Taking cues from nature is the easiest thing in the world, all that is required is a willingness to look, listen, notice and be present with how that feels for you.
Aligning with nature is a key Ayurvedic concept, one that I find comes easy in Winter. Days of warm, grounding food, fires, candles and fairy lights. Cosy days with books and blankets.
The wellbeing list practically writes itself. Self care comes easily as I hunker down and hibernate as often as possible. I find Spring more challenging to navigate.
Spring, being a shoulder season, feels less straight forward. Not quite a full shift to warm days of summer. Both Spring and Autumn are known as shoulder or transitional seasons, leaving us somewhat more vulnerable to lose balance. I liken it a little to our wardrobe. Summer and Winter attire is easy, Spring and Autumn not so much! And living in England provides its own obstacles with the changing weather. Spring is not usually a time for summer dresses but you never know here….
So what will Spring bring? Aside from the obvious joys it is important to navigate with some care.
There is less consistency in the environment and much more change occurring in nature itself. We still need grounding food and habits but Spring brings lightness which should be reflected in our daily choices too. After a long winter of heavier eating Spring will be a time to move towards some lighter food. My thinking right now is that flexibility is how I will navigate this change is season (that may mean t-shirt but with a cardigan ~ and always a scarf to hand!).
In the bleak mid winter…..I have learned to love what this season offers. For a long time I would dread the long, dark days and the lack of summer sunshine. But I am learning each year to align with the seasonal change by shifting my perspective and finding opportunities rather than problems.
Seasonally speaking through an Ayurvedic lens the energy shifts from Vata to Kapha. What does that mean?
We move slowly from being held by Winter to being released by Spring. Winter qualities show up not just in nature, but in how we feel too, we may feel heavier, slower, more inward and through hibernation can feel stagnant. The weather is cold and often wet. The melting of Winter creates movement. We can feel that movement in ourselves too. As we move towards Spring to begin with the weather becomes dryer and lighter but not yet providing the warmth of summer.. Renewal will be apparent everywhere in nature and is a better time to begin something new for yourself (a much better idea than the 1st January!). Ensuring out inner fire is well tended will make the seasonal transition a smoother process. It feels easy to jump straight in to Spring but without due care your agni (digestive fire) can easily become dampened and weak. The aim here is to softly transition, adding more bitter and pungent flavours to you plate will support your body to cleanse naturally. Think gentle unclogging rather than harsh detox.
The one area that I am more diligent with is meal times. As I like to remind you…..eating is a sacred act.
An act of nourishment. How we approach eating is equally important as the food we have on our plate. If you find it difficult to make that pause in between tasks then perhaps making extra effort with pausing before you prepare food and before eating is the first step forward.
Why is this important? How you digest food really matters. Optimal digestion and tending our inner fire is the gateway to good health and vitality. Focusing solely on the task at hand provides the best opportunity for your body to digest what you consume. Being distracted or emotional while eating takes energy away from your digestive processing. There are many small ways to honour your digestion and to take care of your agni.
In terms of food my focus will shift towards more stimulating foods to counter the accumulation of Winter Kapha. Ensuring there is enough pungent and bitter foods in my meals, kale, broccoli and cauliflower and I look forward to asparagus season too. I will continue with warm spices such as ginger, black pepper and cumin as these will also stimulate too. Cinnamon will also remain a firm favourite while fennel and coriander are naturally cleansing. CCF tea (Cummin, Coriander and Fennel) is always a great option to support your agni. Split mung and lentils can be a little lighter beans when cooked appropriately.
I don't like to overuse the term mindful eating, I prefer to think of it as a presence, a more conscious way of nourishing ourself.
For now, I will continue to ponder with a cup of tea and some soft jazz in the background, there is no hurry!
To remain unhurried takes a little practice for me. My Pitta energy is often ready to go at a moment's notice, almost looking at the finish line before I have begun. As I strive to live more intentionally I have been incorporating a pause between tasks. Mostly this is just a moment to acknowledge moving from one task to the next. Our lives can feel so rushed, I am sure that I am not alone if feeling like this. Now, I don’t get this right all the time.
Modern living can mean doing too many things at once, it is easy to get swept along or forget to pause. Our attention is always required elsewhere it seems….
This year I am ready to allow my seasonal intelligence to take the lead, to literally flow! As snowcapped mountains melt and flow into the valleys, I too will be in the flow. To be quietly released and to be guided by the energy of renewal. I can already feel how my meals will become slightly lighter, less dense.
I will also be paying more attention to how my mind and body feels during the transition. I don’t want to rush ahead of myself just yet. This will be time to simply observe. To continue with my grounding practices and to stay warm and cosy until I can peel off a layer or two.
Will you plan for a reset or to begin something new? There is plenty of time to plan and ponder…
Spring is a great time for a digestive reset. The natural cleansing energy will fully support your body and mind at this time of year. My current plan is to complete a reset week in April with my dear friend Helene (we did a reset together last Autumn), it was great to have support and encouragement throughout the week! I am looking forward to doing this together again.