By Mollie Robertson. ERYT-500
Wellness Coordinator at Restorative Therapy Co
At Restorative Therapy Co. we are committed to whole body wellness. We have a full schedule of physical therapy, yoga, private and small group classes.
Yoga is a practice to bring mind, body and spirit into balance. And Ayurveda, meaning “the knowledge of life” is said to be the sister science of yoga. Ayurveda gives us practical suggestions to live in harmony. Here’s a short list on how you can use these to promote health and happiness into your life, as we do in our studio at RTC.
Ayurveda works with the earth’s & our own body’s seasons. There are three doshas, Pitta, Vata and Kapha that spiral through the days and years. Learning to connect with this cycle brings us healing and harmony.
In the northern hemisphere we are in the Autumn season, Vata season. This is the time when the weather is dry and windy. Cooler temperatures are setting in and the moist heat time of summer, Pitta, is behind us. In Ayurveda, we say “like attracts like.” So it’s a time our minds & bodies move into the same elements. To balance ourselves it’s good to do practices that are the opposite of what the season is naturally giving us. You may find you intuitively do some of this already. In each season we work to be in sync with nature to be at ease with the rhythm of life. For this autumn season it’s to find stability and grounding.
Here are a few ideas you may want to bring into your days.
Digestion can be disrupted in this season - caring for this system is a great place to start. Eating cooked foods, warm soups and warm spiced teas. Hydrate and bring more fiber into your diet. Salads are a thing of the past season, summer, when it’s hot and moist. Eat slowly, with attention to chewing each bite and have a peaceful environment in which to enjoy the meal.
Grounding Practices can be simple and fun, such as a walk in the woods, feeling the feet stepping lightly and deliberately on the ground. Sit by a fire, feel the warmth, enjoy stories or songs as we connect with our families and friends. Journal with pen and paper - the hand to brain connection in this action helps connect us to ourselves, our ideas and thoughts. A great way to settle the mind from anxiety.
Mantras to use with meditation:
I can find stillness in each moment
I am at ease
A favorite breath practice is alternate nostril breathing. This balances the right and left side of the body and mind. It’s very soothing.
Sleep is so important in every season and it’s a good idea to have 7-9 hours of sleep each night. Settle in by 10 pm and wake up with sunrise or by 6 am. You want to have a cool dark room with no electronics or blinking lights. It’s ideal to have had dinner 2 or 3 hours before bed.
Being this is a dry season, our skin takes a toll, we can balance this with a self-oil massage (abhyanga). Sesame oil is an excellent choice to use before a shower.
If you’d like to learn more, join us each season as we offer a seasonal prep workshop with ideas and practices to implement through the next season. Our winter season prep workshop is Saturday Dec 10th 10am-12pm. Sign up at www.thestudiortc.com