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Slow, restorative summers
Recently, I was talking to a cousin about how our summers growing up were sacred. Grandparents, cousins, extended family members, lychees, the many varieties of mangoes, buttermilk or some form of yoghurt drink, summer diarrhea, ghost stories, simple playtime of kho-kho, kabaddi, cards, ludo, and much more.
Summers for children today are more about camps that are booked weeks in advance, and for teens, filled with agendas and checklists for completing a course or securing an internship. Parents, in turn, get busier than ever, and the focus on health and wellness sometimes gets pushed to the fall.
So, a few weeks ago, a new client requested to move their first Ayurvedic coaching session with me to the end of September. It wasn’t the only request of the sort I received. For me, too, the summer was hectic. I launched a new website and a podcast, “The Grounded Leader: Ayurvedic Wellness for Leaders Who Want to Succeed from a Place of Balance,” taught three classes at the business school, hosted family and friends, and kept up my usual commitments of being an Ayurvedic doctor, author, speaker, entrepreneur, trauma-informed yoga teacher, and grief coach.
The summers we once knew — slow and restorative — don’t really exist anymore. Yes, we all try to soak in the sun, squeeze in travels, enjoy the bright sky until eight pm, attend summer gatherings, and fire up the barbecue. But I can’t recall a single friend or client saying, “This summer has been slow and restorative.”
Connected 24/7
At almost every gathering, someone checks their work email because they are expected to be connected all the time. As a result, many socialize, eat, and drink mindlessly —imagine being on a work call with your team in a different time zone when the rest of the party is downing tikkas and chilled wine. Your glass and plate. What do you think is happening to your digestion and, as a result, your mental wellbeing?
As we transition from Pitta season (summer) to Vata season (fall) in Ayurveda, these abrupt shifts can take a toll — physically, mentally, and emotionally. This is an important seasonal transition, and rushing through it can really throw off your balance. Here’s why:
Pitta creates heat, vata needs grounding
- Summer (Pitta) is all about heat, intensity, and activity — we’re naturally more outward-focused, traveling, socializing, and often pushing our schedules.
- Fall (Vata) brings dryness, coolness, wind, and movement. If you switch abruptly without preparation, that accumulated summer heat collides with the cold, light, and mobile qualities of autumn — often causing inflammation, skin issues, digestive problems, and emotional volatility.
The digestive system needs a reset
- Ayurveda teaches us that summer is when our agni, or digestive force, is at its weakest while the external heat is high. You tend to crave lighter, cooling foods (fruits, salads, etc.) to balance Pitta’s heat. Your body gets used to hydrating, cooling, and often simple meals.
- Have you noticed that summer diets often include more raw foods, cold drinks, barbeques (meat lovers), late-night munching, and eating out?
- Vata season is cooler, drier, and windier — the opposite of summer. Your gut, which was accustomed to light summer foods, suddenly needs warmth, grounding, and nourishment.
- Rushing through the shift can aggravate your digestion, resulting in bloating, constipation, irregular appetite, and erratic hunger instead of a smooth return to hearty, grounding meals.
The nervous system gets overstimulated
- In Ayurveda, Vata dosha is made of air + ether elements. Its qualities are cold, dry, light, irregular, mobile, and subtle. Vata governs the nervous system and mental activity. When the environment mirrors these qualities — as it does in fall/winter with wind, dryness, and fluctuating temperatures — Vata in our bodies naturally increases.
- Seasonal Vata aggravation makes us more sensitive to stress, overstimulation, and sleep disturbances, which can manifest as anxiety or restlessness. If you don’t take time to downshift, hydrate, and ground, you’re more likely to feel frazzled, depleted, and emotionally raw.
- Shorter days, cooler weather, and changes in routine also disrupt our sense of rhythm. Without grounding practices (like warm, heavier foods, routines, and rest), our energy tends to feel scattered and depleted.
Immunity takes a hit
- Ayurveda considers seasonal junctions (Ritucharya Sandhi) as vulnerable times. Ritucharya Sandhi refers to the transitional period between two seasons, usually about 7–14 days on either side. It’s a liminal space — neither fully one season nor the other — and how you care for yourself during this period determines how smoothly (or turbulently) your body and mind adjust.
- If you skip seasonal transition care, you may feel the worst of both worlds — heat trapped in the body + unstable Vata energy. A rushed shift can weaken ojas (immunity), making you more susceptible to fall colds, allergies, and fatigue.
Transition gracefully
Slow your schedule for a week or two: Give yourself buffer time between the hustle of summer and the demands of fall.
Rebuild routines: Even though fall is my favorite season, the winds impact me. So, I’ll be sure to layer adequately, get enough sleep, eat warm, grounding meals, and continue with daily movement, but revisit timings.
Hydrate and lubricate: Think ghee, oils, and warm teas to counter dryness brought on by the Vata season.
Practice abhyanga (oil massage): This is a non-negotiable practice for me to calm the nervous system and prepare the body for the cooler months.
Your version of seasonal transition and self-care may look different. And that’s okay. But here’s the truth: prioritizing your wellbeing isn’t indulgence. It’s resilience.
What’s the one non‑negotiable you’re taking into the Vata season to protect your energy, immunity, and gut health?