INTENTION: I cultivate practices that support balance, inward reflection, gentleness, and kindness toward myself and others.
According to Ayurveda, autumn and early winter are Vata season and consists of a combination of wind and air. Vata is characterized by the qualities of dryness, roughness, windiness, unpredictability, coolness, subtlety, and clarity. These qualities can leave us feeling agitated, restless, and unsettled.
To reduce Vata and counteract its qualities, introduce practices to your life that bring more moisture, warmth, and calming energy into your daily routine. Try the practice of abhyanga or daily self-massage as described below as a healing practice for the season.
Just as a car engine needs adequate lubrication to function properly, so do our bodies. Due to the dryness of fall and early winter, massage helps keep skin moist and supple. Nurture yourself with a professional massage, bodywork, energy work, Sound Therapy (see John Adams for work) or daily self-massage at home, known as abhyanga.
Classically performed before bathing, warm some sesame or almond oil by placing the bottle in a bowl of hot water for 5-10 minutes. Next, apply the warm oil from head to toe, massaging it into your skin. Ideally, it is best to let the oil seep into your skin for a good twenty minutes or so before rinsing off in the bath or shower. When it’s time to bathe, apply soap only where needed and allow the warm water and steam to assist your skin in absorbing the oil.
In a hurry? Massage a bit of oil onto your arms, legs, and torso after you shower. Additionally, consider adding sweet, calming essential oils to lessen feelings of anxiety, increase focus, and stabilize your entire system. Experiment with the following essential oils to find a pleasing combination for you:
Warming: ginger, clary sage, cardamom, bergamot
Sweet: lemon, sweet orange, jasmine, rosewood
Calming/Peaceful: lavender, vetiver, geranium, clary sage
Grounding/Stabilizing: sandalwood, lavender, rose, patchouli, neroli
Keep your layering of your oils simple, using only 3 or 4 essential oils. Wisdom of the Earth honors the incredibly complex blend that each single essence already represents...a dynamic blend created by Mother Earth, which reflects the living chemistry of each plant in a delicate, but powerful, balance. WOTE teaches using the oils in combination via the “layering” of two or more single essences at the time of application and they do not subscribe to the concept of pre-mixed blends, as they feel it reduces the healing potency of an oil. Try Wisdom of the Earth Oils or text me to order the oils of your choice.
Happy Vata Season!
Jeanne & John
