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Ritucharya is the Ayurvedic way of living in tune with the seasons. Much wisdom is offered here in helping us to understand the effect environmental changes have on our bodies and minds. With this knowledge we can learn how to mitigate against some of the effects that can occur from the shifts from one season to another.
Generally speaking this transition happens some time in mid-late September. The colours of the trees start to change, a dampness and chill arrives in the air in the morning and signs appear in the body such as dryness of the skin, a rise in digestive complaints, uncomfortableness in the body and a spike in known ailments often happens.
The digestive fire has been weakened over the summer months and can leave the body in a state where the immunity can dip a little and the body can be more prone to respiratory and digestive illnesses such as coughs, colds and digestive upset. Additionally over the summer there can be an accumulation of heat within the body, that the body may need to release. This is done with the help of the liver and the digestive system, so we often look to support these areas.
At the Ritusandhi - Seasonal junctures - periods of time when we move from one season into the next we can pay particular attention to our bodies. These seasonal junctures are often a great time to perform a cleanse. Depending on the seasons involved and the climate conditions of the particular year sometimes we might looking to do a more moderate cleanse and other times a more gentle one. If for example the summer has been particularly hot, dry and long then we can have both aggravated Vata (excess dryness) and Pitta (excess heat) that need to be processed coming into the Autumn. The kindling of the digestive system becomes particularly important as the Agni (digestive fire) will have become particularly weakened over the summer and deep cleansing isn't always needed by everyone.
We have put together a great Digestive Kit that can be used any time you feel like your digestive system needs a bit of pepping up. However, we also especially recommend it during seasonal transition periods (which can range in time from mid September to deep into October).
The balanced, gentle cleansing nature of these products means that they can be used over the course of a month to gently cleanse, clear and nourish the body preparing it for the incoming season. They also all contain Amla, a fruit which is particularly supportive for gently working with excess heat from the summer, promoting good quality digestion and boosting immunity.
Flora Balance — nurture your gut
Combines Saccharomyces boulardii and five beneficial bacterial cultures with plant fibres, Triphala, Amla and Fennel. Formulated to support a balanced gut microbiome, digestive comfort and natural regularity.
Liv Balance — support digestion and natural cleansing
Brings together Ayurvedic botanicals and carefully selected extracts, including Amla, Artichoke, Dandelion and Fennel. Designed to support normal liver and digestive function, with herbs traditionally used to encourage bile flow and help the body process food, including fats.
Ojas Tea — nourish and replenish
A vibrant infusion of Amla, Tulsi and Guduchi with Citrus, Mint and gently warming spices. Combines herbs traditionally used for digestion with botanicals valued in Ayurveda for vitality and resilience, bringing a nourishing daily ritual to your cleanse.
A simple summer to autumn transition routine might look like this:
Morning: Warm water, gentle movement in the form of stretching, Yoga or Chi Gong, 1 x Flora Balance and 1 x Liv Balance and a nourishing breakfast such as Spiced Stewed Apples/Pears or Spiced Porridge.
Daytime: Eat a freshly prepared seasonal lunch utilising seasonal vegetables, herbs and spices. Use more cooked ingredients than raw ingredients. Try recipes like this shared with us by the author of The Ayurveda Kitchen recipe book:
Preparation: 5 minutes |Cooking: 20 minutes |Serves: 2
Serves 2
1 tbs of olive oil or 1/2tsp ghee
60g red lentils (soaked for at least 4 hours)
60g quinoa
1 shallot diced
½ tsp freshly chopped ginger
350ml boiling water
1/2 tsp vegetable bouillon
1 1/2 tablespoons freshly chopped seasonal herbs parsley or mint work particularly well
1 handful roughly chopped peeled sweet potato or butternut squash
1 handful roughly chopped sprouting broccoli or Cavolo Nero
To serve
¼ lemon
1 tbs cashew nuts
Salt and pepper
Fresh green herbs
Simply place all the ingredients except for the broccoli in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Continue to simmer for 15 minutes, adding more water to the pan if it looks like it is drying out. Then add in the chopped broccoli and continue to cook for a further 5 minutes or until the quinoa is cooked (the quinoa will uncurl its little tail). A little extra water may need to be added towards the end of the cooking time (the intended consistency is wet but not soup like).
Serve immediately, adding a squeeze of lemon juice, cashew nuts, seasoning with salt and pepper as necessary and adding some extra fresh green herbs as a garnish.
Drink: Stay hydrated with 2 cups of Ojas Tea and several cups of warm water.
Movement: Daily take a walk admiring the changing season and the beautiful changing colours of the trees and sky.
Evening: Choose a lighter meal than lunch, switch off earlier and take 1 x Flora Balance and 1 x Liv Balance before bed. Try especially at this time to see if you can develop a supportive bedtime habit.
Massage: At a convenient time of the day for you we recommend that you daily give yourself a loving self Abhyanaga (body massage) utilising one of our oils. During Autumn we recommend our Vata Oil. Liberally and lovingly apply it to your whole body, relax for 20 minutes before showering it off or soaking in a lovely warm bath in it.
