[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.youveda.com\/transforming-the-winter-blues-with-ayurveda\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.youveda.com\/transforming-the-winter-blues-with-ayurveda\/","headline":"Transforming the Winter Blues with Ayurveda","name":"Transforming the Winter Blues with Ayurveda","description":"Reading Time: 4 minutes Have you ever experienced the weather as a direct mirror of your internal state? When it\u2019s sunny, warm, and bright, you feel the excitement, possibility, and clarity; when cold, grey, and rainy, you might feel a bit more melancholy. As many ancient texts point to, \u201cas above, so below, as within, so without.\u201d We are very ...
Read More<\/a><\/div>","datePublished":"2021-12-14","dateModified":"2021-12-14","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.youveda.com\/author\/kelldris\/#Person","name":"Kelly Driscoll","url":"https:\/\/www.youveda.com\/author\/kelldris\/","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/3541b66eec7b82f0654eeb1f05482d33?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/3541b66eec7b82f0654eeb1f05482d33?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"YouVeda","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.youveda.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/youveda_logo.png","url":"https:\/\/www.youveda.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/youveda_logo.png","width":190,"height":51}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.youveda.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/rsz_designecologist-act2uzwhsik-unsplash.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.youveda.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/rsz_designecologist-act2uzwhsik-unsplash.jpg","height":1296,"width":1294},"url":"https:\/\/www.youveda.com\/transforming-the-winter-blues-with-ayurveda\/","about":["Daily Routines","Digestion","Essential Oils","Herbs","Kapha","Lifestyle","Mood","Product Articles","Seasonal Guides"],"wordCount":808,"articleBody":"Reading Time: 4 minutesHave you ever experienced the weather as a direct mirror of your internal state? When it\u2019s sunny, warm, and bright, you feel the excitement, possibility, and clarity; when cold, grey, and rainy, you might feel a bit more melancholy. As many ancient texts point to, \u201cas above, so below, as within, so without.\u201d We are very much a product of our environment and a reflection of the universe on a smaller scale. Transforming the Winter Blues with Ayurveda involves changes in your lifestyle and consumption of herbs and supplements.The winter season can bring up feelings of loneliness, boredom, and sadness, especially if we live somewhere that tends to be grey during this time of year. Ayurveda describes winter as an expression of Kapha energy, with qualities of coldness, dampness, heaviness, and roughness – the qualities of the Earth – stable, grounded, solid. With the insight of ancient texts, it\u2019s no surprise that such feelings may arise. Fret not, Ayurveda also arms us with tools to stay balanced and presents us with an opportunity to go inward, reflect, and truly get in touch with our innermost selves before emerging anew in the Spring.In most climates, winter inherently directs us indoors. Much like our emotional state as a reflection of the season, the physical act of being indoors can also lead us inside ourselves. When hunkered down in a more peaceful state, we are presented with the perfect opportunity to practice self-care and self-inquiry. Instead of allowing sadness to overcome us, we can ask, \u2018Why am I feeling this way? \u2018What do I need to nourish myself?\u2019 Grief can be an indication of needing to connect, so as we can see, the season offers us an opportunity to both go inward, discover what we need and to reach out and bring balance back into our lives. Below you\u2019ll find several guidelines to stay balanced in the body during these winter months, as well as some prompts and ideas for self-care and self-inquiry. Remember that like everything in life. Winter is simply a season, one that will soon pass and transform into a new season. It is up to us to take each season as an opportunity to learn a new lesson, as a student of life. Ayurvedic Winter GuidelinesWear colors such as red and orange, stay covered and warm to counter the cold, damp, dense, dry and windy qualitiesWake later, if your schedule allows – 7 am as opposed to 5 am, following the rhythms of the sun.Practice the following asanas: sun salutations, locust pose, boat pose, bow pose, camel, should stand, headstand. Asanas to open the heart and chest -to stimulate breathing and prevent the Kapha imbalance of heaviness or congestionPractice heating pranayama -kapalabhati or bhastrikaRecite the mantra, \u201cNo time to rush.\u201d At least once a week, practice self-massage with warm sesame oil then take a hot showerApply sesame oil to the scalp once a week as well – it is warming and calming to the mind and nervous system.Avoid napping as it will increase KaphaFavor foods and activities that are warming, grounding, soft, moistUtilize spices like cinnamon, ginger, and cloveFocus on steamed vegetables (which retain more water than other cooking methods), root vegetables, hot, thick soups, more abundant oils such as sesame and ghee, and moist whole grainsEmphasize sweet, sour, and salty tastesAvoid raw foods, dry foods like crackers and chips, dry grains like millet and rye, cold food, and foods that are out of season.Herbal Allies: Curcumin (supports a healthy inflammatory response for the gut and increases digestive fire), licorice root, ginger, punarnava, black pepper. Check out My Healthy Digestion Make connection a priority, especially if you live somewhere cold and grey, and feel isolated – call a friend, get together for hot cocoa, or write a letter to a loved oneEnjoy warm baths and showersTools for Self Care and Self InquiryEssential Oil allies: Vetiver (grounding and comforting), Lavender (soothing and calming), Arborvitae (grounding energy from the tree of life), Frankincense (for meditation and overall cellular health, grounding, anxiety), Wild Orange (uplifting) Check out My Essential Oils: ImmunityTake time to journal and be in silence with yourselfBundle up and take a walk in nature – pay attention to the animals that are active during this time of year, note how the foliage changes and how plants and animals hibernate and become less activeKnow it\u2019s ok to rest, and not push yourselfTake time to reconnect with a hobby you enjoy – drawing, painting, crafting, knitting, cooking, baking, woodworking, reading. Reflect on the year and ask yourself, \u2018What went well?\u2019 \u2018Where can I grow?\u2019 \u2018What do I want to get out of the coming year? How do I want to feel?\u2019Author – Alexandra Kazimir (YouVeda Wellness Contributor)Shop this article here:My Essential Oils: ImmunityMy Healthy Mood SupplementsMy Healthy Digestion Supplements"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Transforming the Winter Blues with Ayurveda","item":"https:\/\/www.youveda.com\/transforming-the-winter-blues-with-ayurveda\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]