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The children have gone back to school. The equinox has come and gone. This is the season of fall, a delicious time of transition. Every seasonal shift comes with periods of readjustment. The leaves are changing all around you and the winds have picked up speed. How will you summon this new season and move through the transition with grace and ease? Now is the perfect time to anticipate the changes in your emotional and physical self.

According to Ayurveda, the fall season is ruled by the energies of vata. Composed of air and ether, this energetic force is very light, cold and mobile. Think of the wind's movement as it shakes branches and blows leaves everywhere. Vata is always changeable, quick and flowing. Some common physical Vata symptoms are constipation, gas and a general sense of coldness. During this seasonal change, you may be experiencing chapped lips and dry, flaky skin. It might be difficult for your body to experience a sense of regularity, especially with digestion.

Due to its light nature, vata causes instability on an emotional level. Anxiety and fear both express themselves through excess vata. If you are feeling overwhelmed by all your planned activities and work projects for the fall season, you are most likely encountering the energies of vata. When the winds take over the mind, you may internally experience extra stress or pressure. Thoughts spin in your mind as you try to fall asleep. You are trying to juggle so many responsibilities, but life is shifting too fast.

Vata requires a buffer in order to handle the moving, changing quality of the wind. Ayurveda celebrates the use of sense therapies in order to bring the body and mind back into balance. In order to protect yourself from the cold qualities of vata, seek out warmth, stability and groundedness. Your foods should be warming, moist and comforting. Soups and stews are perfect fall foods, providing easily digestible nutrition. Sip spiced teas and drinks such as apple cider, cinnamon tea or a blend of coriander, cardamom and fennel. Experiment with warming spices such as cumin, turmeric and basil. Avoid drying foods such as crackers, popcorn and rice cakes. Incorporate raw nut butters, seeds and uncooked oils to build essential fatty acids in your system. You will be thankful for the extra inner support. The protection leads to increased immunity.

Consider beginning your day with a warming oil massage. Depending on your body type, there are different oils to choose from such as sesame, sunflower or mustard oil. Pour ? cup of oil in a plastic bottle and place it in a cup of hot water. Massage the oil into your skin generously, using circular motions around the joints. Move back and forth across long bones. The grounding nature of the oil stabilizes vata and provides a wonderful warming quality to soothe the nerves. The skin stays soft, counteracting dryness. You may also add grounding essential oils to your massage. Ginger and clove especially bring you back to the body while lavender provides a sense of calm.

This fall season, stay hydrated, nourished and warm. Take some quiet time to gain stillness in the mind. Embrace the change and breathe through it. This will allow you to calm anxiety, change with ease and handle many situations with a greater sense of fluidity. By addressing vata imbalances, you are creating your own sense of stability and rootedness.