When the rush of summer fades...

🌾 It's replaced by a slower rhythm that whispers, "Come home."

In my tiny, speck-of-a-town in the northern hemisphere, the season is moving deeply into autumn and descending further into darkness, one night at a time.

This introspective time of year naturally invites us inward. In the way the air cools down, the sunlight softens, and the world begins to quiet.

In the ancient tradition of Ayurveda, autumn marks the beginning of Vata season, a time ruled by air and space, movement and change.

• The energy of Vata can be creative and light.

• But when it’s out of balance, it can leave us feeling ungrounded, anxious, or depleted.

It’s no coincidence that this mirrors the emotional landscape so many of us experience after long periods of stress, survival, or trauma.

The Vata season offers us an opportunity to practice gentleness with our nervous system by offering it warmth, rhythm, and care to feel safe again.

It’s an invitation to slow down, simplify, and nourish ourselves in steady ways.

Nourish Your Body

🍲 The first medicine of Ayurveda is nourishment.

• Real, whole, comforting food that warms the body and settles the mind.
  

As the weather cools and dryness sets in, it’s time to move away from salads and smoothies toward grounding meals that hold warmth and moisture.

Think:

• Soups and stews filled with root vegetables
• Cooked grains like rice or oatmeal with cinnamon and cardamom
• Herbal teas with ginger, tulsi, or ashwagandha
• Ghee or sesame oil drizzled over meals for extra nourishment

The wisdom here is simple: the body heals best when it can trust what’s coming next. Regular meals, steady routines, and the act of sitting down to eat tell the nervous system:

“You are safe now.”

Nourish Your Senses

Healing doesn’t just happen through food or therapy, it happens through your senses.

🕯️ Ayurveda teaches us that our five senses are the gateways to balance, and each one can become a path back to ourselves.

• Touch: Try abhyanga, a daily self-massage with warm sesame, olive, or almond oil. It’s a deeply grounding act that communicates safety to the body.
• Sight: Soften your environment by lighting a candle, dimming the lights, and letting warmth and texture surround you.
• Sound: Gentle instrumental music or the quiet hum of nature can help calm internal chaos.
• (see video at bottom of page)
• Smell: Choose comforting scents like sandalwood, vanilla, or clove to invite relaxation.
• Taste: Savor your food slowly. Notice the warmth, spice, and sweetness as a practice in presence.

You might think of this as an Ayurvedic version of Hygge, creating a sensory sanctuary that speaks to safety, softness, and belonging.

Nourish Your Mind & Spirit

This season invites us to release what we no longer need, the way trees let go of their leaves.

🌙 Ayurveda reminds us that mental and spiritual nourishment are just as vital as physical nourishment, and they require rhythm and rest, too.

Try gentle practices like:

• Evening reflection: Write down one thing you’re grateful for, and one thing you’re ready to let go of.
• Mindful transitions: Light a candle before dinner, take three deep breaths before starting your day, or end the evening with warm tea and stillness.
• Connection with nature: Take slow walks through the changing trees, noticing how letting go can be beautiful.

These small rituals weave steadiness into your day.

They remind the nervous system that slowness is a form of integration.

Return Home

🍁 When we move with nature instead of against her, we rediscover the rhythm of our own healing.

The slowing of the season is a passage.

It’s how we gather warmth for the winter ahead and remember that rest is a form of healing.

So let this be your reminder:

• You're allowed to soften.
• You're allowed to need warmth, quiet, and comfort.
• You're allowed to step away from the noise of the world and simply return to your body, your breath, your being.

Because this is the healing season, and it begins right where you are.

Wishing you warmth and ease,

Gretchen

SOMATIC TRAUMA SPECIALIST + ENERGETIC INTUITIVE

Vata-Soothing Music & Imagery