Rhythm 3: Seasonal Rhythms

So in this lesson, we're going to talk about seasonal rhythms, and this is one of the most important places to start. Usually, when I start working with people, I have them work with their daily rhythms and their seasonal rhythms first, because it creates a strong baseline foundation. One of the reasons is that seasonal rhythms are essentially seasonal eating. It helps you understand the doshas in a tangible way. Just like the other two rhythms we talked about, we look at the seasons through the three doshas. I know typically we talk about seasons in terms of four seasons, but in Ayurveda, we see that there are three primary seasons. This depends on where you live and what the climate is like. Where I live, there are three solid seasons. I can feel the energetics of each of the doshas. That helps me understand at a tangible level: this is what Vata feels like when it gets dry, windy, and cold. When it gets damp and starts to warm up, but there's a sogginess to spring, I understand what that feels like physically. In the summertime, I feel humid heat, and that helps me understand what Pitta feels like. When I understand the foods that balance Pitta, it helps me understand the energetics of things that balance out the doshas. People always want to know, “What should I be eating?” Seasonal eating is usually where I have people start. Certain foods and activities will be most supportive during certain times of the year. Our energy will not be the same throughout the seasons. If your climate doesn't have a lot of variation—such as Southern California—you may tend toward Pitta-pacifying or Vata-pacifying things because of the dryness. Recognize the energetics in your climate that are predominant, and balance accordingly. I'll start with Kapha season, which tends to be late winter and spring, though this depends on where you live. Some people enter spring earlier; for others, it's later. This is about the intuitive feeling of the doshas. You may notice, “It's still cold in May where I live. It's not fully spring yet.” That may still be the end of Vata season, while others may feel warmth beginning in March. Kapha dosha, by nature, is water and earth. There’s dampness and coolness. It is cool, wet, heavy, dull, and static. There can be a heaviness to Kapha energy and Kapha season. In general, we favor foods that are warm, light, and well-spiced. Qualities we reduce are cool, damp, heavy, oily, static, and dull. The tastes we favor are bitter, astringent, and pungent. I've given you a seasonal eating guide, and the hub will show foods for each season so you can understand tastes—bitter, astringent, pungent—and why these balance the doshas. Pitta season is usually summer. Depending on your climate, it begins when the year shifts into heat. Fire and water element, and Pitta is hot, sharp, light, moist, and mobile. During Pitta season, we favor foods that are cooling, calming, and slightly dry. This depends on climate. If you're in very dry heat, you want more moisture in food. If you live somewhere humid, you would want more dryness. Qualities to reduce are heating, sharp, acidic, intense, and oily. Tastes to favor are bitter, astringent, and sweet. Each taste has elements, and that’s how we balance. Like increases like; opposites balance. Vata dosha is fall and early winter. Vata is cold and dry, ruled by space and air. We think of wind, cold, dryness, and mobility. So foods we favor are moist, warm, slightly oily, and building. Vata does not have a lot of mass by nature. Air and space lack mass, so we balance with building qualities. Opposites balance. The qualities we reduce are cold and mobile—in lifestyle terms, doing too much. During Vata season, we may not have stamina and may become erratic or overwhelmed by overactivity. We reduce dryness and erratic qualities. Tastes to favor are sweet, sour, and salty. These bring moisture and grounding. Signs of imbalance during Kapha season include loss of appetite, sinus or chest congestion, spring allergies, and lethargy. As things warm up in Kapha season, everything the body held during winter begins to melt—like snow melting down the mountain. This moves into the lymphatic system and blood. This is why leafy greens and vegetables with earthiness help balance Kapha. Earth element is balancing to Vata as well. We want root vegetables during this time. Cooked cold-weather greens and warming spices help digestion and warm Vata. Warm spiced cow’s, almond, or goat milk; raw or fresh seeds and nuts; nut butters; rich cold-pressed oils—all help Vata. If Vata is dry, oils are important. It's not just drinking water—we need oils to hold moisture. In perimenopause and the Vata stage of life, oils become even more important. Moist grains, sweet or heavy fruits, proteins from small legumes, eggs, and meats support Vata. Vata types often don’t have the strongest digestion, so they benefit from heavier foods, but portion needs to be monitored. We don’t want to overload digestion. During Vata season, reduce dry foods: chips, crackers, popcorn, most dried fruit, coffee, and stimulants. The Vata nervous system is sensitive and does not do well with coffee. This can be disappointing to hear, but coffee is intense, and Vata already has a lot of intensity. Coffee can overstimulate the Vata nervous system. If you drink coffee and have anxiety, insomnia, sensitivity, or depletion, this may be an area to consider adjusting. Focus on nourishment first before cutting things out. Carbonated drinks have a lot of air. Like increases like; opposites balance. Larger beans such as cannellini, kidney, or pinto beans are too heavy and dry. Raw foods, though nutrient-dense, are hard to digest and can be damp and heavy, which can aggravate Vata. Vata types don’t tend to digest damp, heavy foods well. Raw foods can be too much and increase Vata. Check out the seasonal eating guide with shopping lists in the hub. You’ll find lists for each season to bring with you so you know exactly what to shop for. See you in the next lesson.