Bedtime Routine For Pitta Season
Summertime is in full swing here in the United States, and that means we are in the height of Pitta Season. In Ayurveda, the seasons are broken down into three times of the year.
Vata: Mid- September to January
These are the light, dry and windy months, think of it as Air and Ether elements.
Kapha: January to Mid-May
These are the cold, wet, heavy months, think Earthy and Water elements.
Pitta: Mid-May to Mid-September
These are the hot, humid, and steamy months, think of the elements as Fire and a little Water.
Pitta, when balanced, is a stunning force. It can be the reason that projects are finished, marathons achieved, and grand ideas birthed. Pitta is responsible for that natural drive or the fire within. With all things in life, balance is key. Dosha is our elemental makeup, and we all have our individual combo of doshas—Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. When it comes to our Pitta dosha, we already know we need to balance our homes, our clothing, even our beverages to keep us comfortable in these warmer months. What we don’t often speak about is the aggressive nature that can come about from too much fire within or the burnout from going too hard for too long. Think too much exercise, overwork, and exhaustion in terms of the heat within ourselves. Our bodies are often more in-tune than our minds, so the body will send us warnings to “step off the gas!” We tend not to listen until we hit a wall.
So as we go into our hottest month, August, I want to share some Ayurvedic tips for keeping your Pitta side balanced. This is especially helpful for those who feel that it is hard to stop and take some time to just pause. Give yourself a rest in some peaceful stillness and enjoy summer’s rays of sunshine.
Bedtime Routine for Pitta
Set the Mood
Dim the lights or sit under the moon and stars check in with your self. Just acknowledge how you feel. Don’t judge yourself just observe.
Essential oils or Fresh
To create a cooling effect use Sandalwood, Jasmine, or Mint in your preferred diffuser. Or for a fresh approach, sit with one or all three of these fresh pieces from the earth. Allow your senses to take it in. I would not recommend burning of any sort. Keep your atmosphere clear of any excess heat.
Meditation
Lay down with your back on the floor or earth. Prop your feet up on on a chair or wall. Give yourself permission to let go, no need to work, and use the effortlessness of relaxing to be your guide. If pregnant or with low back trouble, prop something in between your legs and lay down on your side letting gravity help you release.
Mantra
Om Shanti Shanti Shanti
Peace of the Mind, Peace in Speech, & Peace of the Physical Body
The Mantra Om Shanti is about peace. When we recite these words we remind ourselves to create peace for all including ourselves.
Give Yourself Time
Most importantly make this something sacred for you. There is no need to rush—let go of multitasking and try to keep these simple steps as a routine. We are in a time where we are inundated with constant stimulation. Why not make a conscious decision to turn off some of the noise when you can? Include your family if that helps you find stillness. As a mom I know how difficult this can seem. I try to incorporate my family into new routines when possible and when it is well suited for them. I have learned that we all benefit from the quiet time as our busy day comes to an end.
Happy Feet Happy Life.
Our feet tend to be the most overworked part of our body and at they same time they often receive the least amount of care. Throughout my life, I have had the pleasure of wearing many different hats during my many journeys, yet the only constant link has been my feet. I’m lucky to report that my feet have always carried me to exactly where I need to be.
Along the way I acquired multiple foot regimens. Some of these serve me well to this day, while others I do not miss. For instance, I use a simple yoga technique daily: I lift my feet up in the air above my head every night before bed to allow the blood to drain down my legs, decrease swelling from the day, and let my feet begin to rejuvenate as I fall asleep. This allows me to have a more restful sleep, and when I wake up, my feet feel much happier. However, I do not miss having to plunge my feet into a bucket of ice water every night after work to keep inflammation down from a long day of rehearsals. Now I reserve this technique for times of injury as a more severe therapy.
Like all things in life, there will be ebbs and flows within one’s self-care. I believe that a big part of health has more to do with each individual’s needs and/or constitution. Learning to listen to what our bodies are trying to tell us is an important part of addressing these different conditions. This philosophy stems from my Ayurveda roots, and I will have much more to share on this topic in other blog posts soon.
Today, I would like to share some knowledge about the more structured systems of foot care which I find to have tremendous health benefits for those who use it. In case you love facts and history as I do: Did you know that the Egyptians had footwork drawn in their Hieroglyphics? This dates all the way back to 2300 BC—almost 5,000 years ago! This is just one documentation of foot care being used as a modality to help us live better. Other cultures such as Chinese, Japanese, Russian, Indian, Native American and African all have beautiful ancient techniques designed as foot care regimens.
My current favorite footwork modality happens to be Reflexology. If you are not familiar with this technique, it can be thought of as fingers and thumbs walking on your foot. Reflexology is a touch therapy that applies pressure to reflex points on the feet, hands, or ears. The reflex points correspond to organs, glands and other parts of the body, and there are two schools of thought on why it works.
The first is that life-energy passes through the body via energy pathways called meridians or zones. The pressure applied allows obstructions in this energy to be removed so that it can flow freely again. The second concept considers our nerve connections. We have thousands of nerve endings in our hands and feet. The pressure applied stimulates the nerve allowing it to induce its own balance throughout the body. There is also the lymphatic theory where the pressure applied encourages lymph activity. This theory is currently bigger in Europe. No matter which theory speaks to you, I encourage you to give Reflexology a try.
I will leave you with this fun take home nugget from my friend Sara Gray a licensed barefoot massage therapist, “The toes are a tool. I strengthen my toes and all the muscles in between my metatarsals by picking up tumbled stones. Strengthening your toes can help with balance issues and foot pain.”
Welcome All...
Welcome all….
This blog is designed to be a place to learn, play and grow with us. At Bindu + Body we invite all to enjoy themselves, take what serves you and leave the rest for someone else who may need it.
Looking forward to our adventures,
Eva