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Ayurveda—the knowledge of life—is a practical approach to living in tune with the seasons, nature, and food as medicine.
It was such a beautiful, crystal clear, blue, cloudless sky this early November morning. Our morning temperatures were low in the 50s, and a welcome wind greeted me. The winds cooled my face and danced with my hair.
I kept taking short walks throughout the day as temperatures only rose to 71 degrees Fahrenheit—a low one for this time in Florida.
Fall was evident in all her majesty.
Surprisingly, all my walks had no other humans in sight, not even the typical dog walkers. The birds were eerily silent, but it was a welcome respite from my usual morning walks.
I have been fascinated with Ayurveda from the first time I heard the word, dosha. I must confess, my initial introduction was a simple silly quiz in a magazine about finding the right match in a romantic partner.
I know. Sad to admit it.
A seed was planted.
I forgot all about it. Then, more articles would pop into my reading, and, thankfully, no more about how to use this century’s old science to spice up my sex life.
In early 2012, I started seeing articles in yoga and meditation magazines and links to books and schools. My senses were perked, and I explored.
I attended two and four-hour in-person workshops, and I watched a plethora of live and recorded workshops. I checked online to find places that ran schools and noted any textbooks they were using.
And true to form, this book lover ordered a number of books to peruse. Articles popped up in yoga magazines since Ayurveda and yoga are considered sister sciences, both going back thousands of years.
But, let’s get back to my journal entry at the beginning of the article and chat a bit about the autumn season, or fall, which the northern hemisphere calls it.
Briefly, Ayurveda aligns with nature, and the five elements of ether, air, fire, water, and Earth are key. We can explore those deeper another time. Each element has qualities, such as cool, hot, liquid, dry, smooth, rough, to mention a few of the 20.
There are three doshas, and each has two of the elements. Although, each of us contains all of the elements and all three doshas to some extent.
The three doshas are vata, pitta, and kapha.
The majority of us contains mostly two of the three. Using myself as an example, I am vata-pitta. More of my mind is vata, although, some of my body is vata as well. Most of my physical body is pitta, but some of my mind is also pitta.
As individuals, we want to seek balance, and in Ayurveda, we learn that we are mind, senses, body, and soul. It’s a daily work in progress.
So, back to fall.
It is a season of vata–ether and air. Where I live, fall starts late since summer’s heat is still on fire, and her rainy season is still present.
However, the winds from the air element, the cooler mornings, and nights are starting. The skies will give way to clearer days and lots of blue. The leaves start to dry out on some of the trees, and the trunks of trees feel rougher to touch.
The water in the lakes and pools cools. Even the birds and turtles seem to be affected. The songs of the birds, at times, seem softer or silent to my ears.
I am grateful for my walks, and I have found over the decades that nature is truly amazing in her changes and adaptability. I look forward to each new season as I start to bring my Ayurveda training into harmony with my walks.
How are you relating to this season or the one you are in now?
Do you appreciate in awe the wonders of our tiny, blue planet? Our galaxy? Write a note in the comments if inspired, or write a piece to share with us.
I will leave you with part of another journal entry:
I stepped outside my apartment and was greeted with a soft, cooling breeze on my face. As I neared the tennis court, the warmth of the afternoon sun warmed my face and arms as I proceeded north and then west. I could hear children’s laughter from a second-floor apartment where the slider was open. No smells came from their kitchen. I enjoy when I occasionally smell veggies cooking and try to guess the ingredients. I kept my sunglasses on top of my head to allow the sun to enter my eyes for a short while.
I spotted a brown duck couple grooming at the lake, perched on a metal tube that extended from the land into the human-made lake. They were not disturbed by my presence.
I looked up to see the sandhill cranes flying overhead, their loud honking noise announcing their flight.
AUTHOR: JANICE DOLK
IMAGE: JOSIESILLUSTRATION/INSTAGRAM
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