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.
What Is Shirodhara?
Shirodhara oil stream over third eye.
Over time, Shirodhara has become one of Ayurveda’s more iconic symbols or methods of body work. A copper pot hung directly over your head pours a steady fluid (oil or milk) just above the brow line onto your third eye. The word comes from Shiro, meaning head, and Dhara, to pour. These combine creating Shirodhara—to pour over one’s head. There are many forms of Dhara, which can include streaming a liquid over joints or any chakra points.
Before I dive into why this practice is so important, let’s chat about the significance of the third eye. In our chakra system, the sixth chakra, know as Ajna, is located at our third eye point in the center of our forehead. Ajna means command, thus making our sixth chakra our command center. I think it helps to think of our chakra systems as a place where our natural energy, or prana, is already flowing. Keeping these balanced maintains our own well being.
Our Ajna chakra is physically correlated with the pituitary gland and hypothalamus. These are part of our endocrine system, making them the master controls of our autonomic nervous system. When our prana (life force) flows, we have a normal hormonal output. In Ayurveda, we practice a simple logic to help with anyone’s health—like increases like. Therefore, too much of anything is a bad thing. Too much flow of prana could create a surge of many hormones, just as the opposite, a lack of flowing prana, would create not enough hormones. Both scenarios create an imbalance.
The sixth chakra psychologically helps build an experience of the world that is in line with our deepest beliefs, thus being our inner perception. On a spiritual level, this is where our perception of soul originates. So, the deeper into our Ajna chakra we go, the more insight comes.
This brings me to why it is so important to try Shirodhara. Personally, my first Shiro experience was like seeing clearly for the first time from my third eye. I meditate regularly and felt that this practice took me to a deeper state of insight which came from within. My own experience made me understand how special and delicate Shirodhara is. While in school, I was taught to be gentle with clients because the Shirodhara creates such stillness. For some, especially if they have never felt this before, it can generate a large emotional response, and they will need the space to have this experience. This is why I work slowly with anyone new to the process, as it can take some time to be comfortable with these types, of deep internal perception.
The gentle stillness created from the flow of warm oil with infused herbs allows the body and mind to settle down. Not only is this a very relaxing experience, but it also is a wonderful modality for chronic head-aches, insomnia, anxiety, and nervousness. It helps you quiet the mind with your meditation practice, and additionally the oil provides a glorious hydration for your locks that have been soaking up all that summertime sun shine. I recommend leaving the oil in your hair for a few hours to soak in the goodness. In my practice, I work with a tridoshic oil blend to help sooth all doshas, but I also offer custom blends to anyone who is interested or who may need further balance for their specific dosha (particular elemental makeup).
Today is always a good day to try something new. If you are still feeling unsure or would like any information please feel free to contact me with any questions. I’m happy to help.