Halloween History, Tutorials, Recipes, Pumpkin Carving, and More…

Hello everybody, first of all, we would like to thank you for your enormous support and the thousands of visits and loving messages, we are so thankful.

On week 58 we are sharing fantastic insights to Halloween culture, foods, and pumpkin carvings by one of the most talented artists, a lot of research and love has gone into the post, enjoy share and like if you do, be safe and remember your health so let’s consume small amounts of SUGAR, if possible, nowadays we find many products sugar free.

Here is a video from the most amazing makeup artist Rick Baker

Here is a gift from us, the tutorials from Rick Baker, WOW! what a treat from a master. He has set such an example for all of us in the make-up industry, he is excellence and perfection with such grace. We are honored to share these with you.

We thought that it would be fun to share carving pumpkins with an amazing artist and sculptor as Andy Bergholtz. WOW! again another gift to complete Halloween post #1. We added some fun easy recipes, enjoy and share with your friends and family, and don’t forget to click LIKE to keep us going, thank you, thank you from all of us.

We wish you health, happiness, and your ideal success.

History of Halloween

from www.halloweenhistory.org

Halloween is a holiday celebrated on the night of October 31. The word Halloween is a shortening of All Hallows’ Evening also known as Hallowe’en or All Hallows’ Eve.

Traditional activities include trick-or-treating, bonfires, costume parties, visiting “haunted houses” and carving jack-o-lanterns. Irish and Scottish immigrants carried versions of the tradition to North America in the nineteenth century. Other western countries embraced the holiday in the late twentieth century including Ireland, the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and the United Kingdom as well as of Australia and New Zealand.

Halloween has its origins in the ancient Celtic festival known as Samhain (pronounced “sah-win”).
The festival of Samhain is a celebration of the end of the harvest season in Gaelic culture. Samhain was a time used by the ancient pagans to take stock of supplies and prepare for winter. The ancient Gaels believed that on October 31, the boundaries between the worlds of the living and the dead overlapped, and the deceased would come back to life and cause havoc such as sickness or damaged crops.

The festival would frequently involve bonfires. It is believed that the fires attracted insects to the area which attracted bats to the area. These are additional attributes of the history of Halloween.

Masks and costumes were worn in an attempt to mimic the evil spirits or appease them.

Makeup Examples for Reference

Pumpkin Enchanted Forest

Makeup by Rick Baker

Face Painting by Alexander-khokhlov

Trick-or-treating, is an activity for children on or around Halloween in which they proceed from house to house in costumes, asking for treats such as confectionery with the question, “Trick or treat?” The “trick” part of “trick or treat” is a threat to play a trick on the homeowner or his property if no treat is given. Trick-or-treating is one of the main traditions of Halloween. It has become socially expected that if one lives in a neighborhood with children one should purchase treats in preparation for trick-or-treaters.

Halloween around the world

from: http://www.novareinna.com/festive/world.html and http://www.travelchannel.com/interests/haunted/articles/halloween-around-the-world

As one of the world’s oldest holidays, Halloween is still celebrated today in several countries around the globe, but it is in North America and Canada that it maintains its highest level of popularity. Every year, 65% of Americans decorate their homes and offices for Halloween…a percentage exceeded only by Christmas. Halloween is the holiday when the most candy is sold and is second only to Christmas in terms of total sales.

Ireland

The traditional birthplace of Halloween, Ireland is, naturally, home to one of the biggest celebrations: the Spirits of Meath Halloween Festival in County Meath, where an ancient Celtic festival we now know as Halloween began more than 2,000 years ago. Throughout the country, Halloween is welcomed with bonfires, party games, and traditional food, such as barmbrack, an Irish fruitcake that contains coins, buttons, rings, and other fortune-telling objects; and, of course, beer (among other drinks of choice). Fortunetelling is part of the old Irish Halloween tradition. If a young woman gets a ring that has been baked in a pastry or bread or even mashed potatoes, then she’ll be married by next Halloween. Tricks are also part of the Irish Halloween scene. Kids knock on doors, then run away before the doors get opened by the owner. Hopefully, this takes place after they’ve already acquired the candy during a previous foray through the neighborhood.

France

Halloween, the three millennia-old, famous folklore celebration has its roots in the Celtic and the Anglo-Saxon world let see when and how did it get to France? How do the French people celebrate Halloween? Let’s take a closer look.

Halloween, as a folk celebration, only appeared in France in the ’80s and at that time was only celebrated by the English-speaking communities in bars or restaurants, not by all the French people. The French people only became familiar with Halloween at the beginning of the ’90s. In 1992 the company César who specialized in fancy dress costumes decided to work on a way to settle in France and market their products but THE year of the massive marketing launching was 1997 when American companies such as Disneyland, Coca-Cola, and McDonald’s began using Halloween images in publicity campaigns in France. Even the French telecommunication society France Telecom commercialized an orange cell-phone named Olaween related to the holiday.

In France, Halloween is usually celebrated by young people in costumes going to parties at friends’ places, or clubs. The costumes themselves tend to be traditionally “scary” (vampires, ghosts, and witches, rather than costumes like princesses, superheroes, or even policemen or nurses which are popular in the United States and Great Britain they really cater to scary.

Stores and commercial centers decorate their windows and pastry and candy shops sell sweets and chocolate using the theme of Halloween.

French children also go from house to house trick-or-treating, which is translated as «des bonbons ou des coups de bâton » in French.

Controversial Halloween

Halloween in France nowadays is rather controversial, due to several reasons. One of the main reasons is that traditionally between October 31st and November 2nd, the French, particularly the older generations, visit cemeteries, honor saints, and attend religious services. Therefore, Halloween is seen as a distraction and a lack of respect for these celebrations of dead people.

Nowadays, Halloween is taking root in France. And, of course, the French love to dress up and have a party by culture. The jury is still out on if Halloween is gonna stick, but you can be sure that when Yves St. Laurent puts a Halloween costume on the fashion runway, the French take notice.

Nowadays, shops and trademarks use the images of Halloween, pumpkins, skeletons Bats, ghosts,s, etc… in their ads, so now, French people know it well, and some even start to celebrate Halloween with their kids. Why not? is so much fun for the whole family. The French traditionally love to get in costumes, and it’s quite common to have a costumed New Year party or a costumed birthday, even more so among kids.

Mexico

No nation celebrates the dead with festivities better than Mexico. In fact, “Dia de Los Muertos” (Day of the Dead), is celebrated over several days, from Oct. 31 through Nov. 2. It’s not Halloween at all, but rather a way that All Souls Day comes to life in Mexico. The celebration offers a chance to remember the deceased, tell their stories, and celebrate their lives. Family feasts, skull-shaped sweets, lots of tequila, dancing and mariachi music, as well as parades of people dressed as skeletons, all ensure that one’s ancestors are well remembered. The celebration is embraced across Mexico, with huge festivities even in the smallest of villages.

Germany

In Germany, Halloween is celebrated as All Saints Day. In southern Germany, it’s celebrated from October 30 to November 8. Typically, in this and many other Catholic parts of the world, the All Saints Day is spent attending church, honoring the saints who have died for the Catholic faith, as well as visiting and remembering dead family members, usually at the graveside. Additionally, Germans hide their knives, so the returning spirits presumably won’t get harmed by random knife movements during the day.

Austria

In Austria, some people will leave bread, water, and a lighted lamp on the table before retiring on Halloween night. The reason for this is because it was once believed such items would welcome the dead souls back to earth on a night which for the Austrians was considered to be brimming with strong cosmic energies.

Belgium

The Belgians believe that it is unlucky for a black cat to cross once’s the path and also unlucky if it should enter a home or travel on a ship. The custom in Belgium on Halloween night is to light candles in memory of dead relatives.

Canada

China

In China, the Halloween festival is known as Teng Chieh. Food and water are placed in front of photographs of family members who have departed while bonfires and lanterns are lit in order to light the paths of the spirits as they travel the earth on Haloween night. Worshippers in Buddhist temples fashion “boats of the law” from paper, some of which are very large, which are then burned in the evening hours. The purpose of this custom is twofold: as a remembrance of the dead and in order to free the spirits of the “pretas” in order that they might ascend to heaven. “Pretas” are the spirits of those who died as a result of an accident or drowning and whose bodies were consequently never buried. The presence of “pretas” among the living is thought by the Chinese to be dangerous. Under the guidance of Buddhist temples, societies are formed to carry out ceremonies for the “pretas,” which includes the lighting of lanterns. Monks are invited to recite sacred verses and offerings of fruit are presented.

Czechoslovakia

In Czechoslovakia, chairs are placed by the fireside on Halloween night. There is one chair for each living family member and one for each family member’s spirit.

England

At one time, English children made “punkies” out of large beetroots, upon which they carved a design of their choice. Then, they would carry their “punkies” through the streets while singing the “Punkie Night Song” as they knocked on doors and asked for money. In some rural areas, turnip lanterns were placed on gateposts to protect homes from the spirits who roamed on Halloween night. Another custom was to toss objects such as stones, vegetables, and nuts into a bonfire to frighten away the spirits. These symbolic sacrifices were also employed as fortune-telling tools. If a pebble thrown into the flames at night was no longer visible in the morning, then it was believed that the person who tossed the pebble would not survive another year. If nuts tossed into the blaze by young lovers then exploded, it signified a quarrelsome marriage. For the most, part, however, the English ceased celebrating Halloween with the spread of Martin Luther’s Protestant Reformation. Since followers of the new religion did not believe in Saints, they saw no reason to celebrate the Eve of All Saints’ Day. However, in recent years, the American “trick or treating” custom, together with the donning of costumes for going door-to-door, has become a relatively popular pastime among English children at Halloween, although many of the adults (particularly the older generations) have little idea as to why they are being asked for sweets and are usually ill-prepared to accommodate their small and hopeful callers.

Japan

The Japanese celebrate the “Obon Festival” (also known as “Matsuri” or “Urabon”) which is similar to Halloween festivities in that it is dedicated to the spirits of ancestors. Special foods are prepared and bright red lanterns are hung everywhere. Candles are lit and placed into lanterns which are then set afloat on rivers and seas. During the “Obon Festival,” a fire is lit every night in order to show the ancestors where their families might be found. “Obon” is one of the two main occasions during the Japanese year when the dead are believed to return to their birthplaces. Memorial stones are cleaned and community dances performed. The “Obon Festival” takes place during July or August.

Korea

In Korea, the festival similar to Halloween is known as “Chusok.” It is at this time that families thank their ancestors for the fruits of their labor. The family pays respect to these ancestors by visiting their tombs and making offerings of rice and fruits. The “Chusok” festival takes place in the month of August.

Sweden

In Sweden, Halloween is known as “Alla Helgons Dag” and is celebrated from October 31 until November 6. As with many other holidays, “Alla Helgons Dag” has an eve that is either celebrated or becomes a shortened working day. The Friday prior to All Saint’s Day is a short day for universities while school-age children are given a day of vacation.

United States

In the United States, people celebrate Halloween by wearing scary costumes. They also dress up like popular celebrities, children’s show characters, princesses, superheroes, and much more. After dressing up, kids go trick-or-treating. They go from house to house in their neighborhoods and ask for treats such as candies and snacks by saying, “Trick or treat!” According to tradition, if no treat is given, they can play a trick on the homeowners. The traditional scary and modern fun sides of Halloween are seen today as the Jack-o’-lanterns that people create by carving scary faces on pumpkins. Homeowners place Jack-o’-lanterns in front of their houses to scare evil spirits and to welcome trick-or-treaters. Other modern fun activities that reflect the traditional past of Halloween include watching horror movies and visiting haunted houses.

Strawberry Ghosts via Miss CandiQuik

These chocolate ghosts come together before you can say “Boo!” Just dunk ripe strawberries in melted white chocolate and let them cool on a baking sheet in the fridge. Add mini chocolate chip eyes and mouths and they’re ready for spooky snacking

Bat Bites

These bite-sized bats have an adult-friendly flavor from the goat cheese, cream cheese, and pesto mixture. The kids will love to shape the bats’ bodies, decorate their faces, and give them wings. Keep it simple by preparing just about everything ahead of time.

Ingredients

• 1 (4 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
• 8 ounces soft, mild goat cheese, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup pesto
• 2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
• 8 pitted olives, sliced
• 32 peppercorns
• 32 triangular blue corn chips or free-form wing shapes made from leftover tortillas

Preparation

Mash together cream cheese, goat cheese, and pesto. Chill for 40 minutes.

Shape mixture into 16 2-inch balls, about 1 heaping tsp. each. Roll in black pepper and poppy seeds to cover. Press two olive slices into balls for eyes and place peppercorns in centers for pupils.

Insert chip on either side of the ball for wings; serve.

Snack-o’-Lantern Fruit Cups via Pennies on a Platter

Looking for a festive way to serve dessert? Look no further — these carved-out oranges make a perfect container for fruit salad.

Halloween Green Tea Martinis

Ingredients
• 2 ounces vodka
• 6 green tea bags
• 1-½ ounces fresh-squeezed lime juice
• 1/2 ounce agave nectar

Directions
1. Infuse a 750ml bottle of vodka with 6 teabags, 3 each of Numi Rainforest Green and Numi Ginger Sun, per instructions above.
2. Mix all ingredients except garnishes in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake for 15 seconds. Strain into a martini glass.

Apple Almond-Butter Bite Backs

With apple’s coming into their prime season, it’s no wonder there are two recipes that incorporate them into our list. These Apple Bite Backs look amazing and taste even better, plus they don’t actually bite.

Ingredients:

• Apples
• Almond Butter
• Jam
• Almond Slices

First slice the apple on either side of the core, leaving 2 halves with the core free standing. Cut the halves into half slices again. Then cut a triangle middle slice out of the skin side of the apple leaving an open mouth shape. Spread the almond butter (or jam) into the mouth of the apple. Stick almond slices in as teeth! (recipe from ohsheglows.com)

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Ayurveda and Fall part 2

On week 81 we continue our series on Ayurveda and Fall with part 2. Share with family and friends so they can also benefit from it and thank you from all of us we appreciate the loyalty and love that you send to us.

The Vata Dosha is the one connected with Fall lets find out what Vata is about:

Vata dosha predominates, movement and change are characteristic of the nature of Vata. You tend to always be on the go, with an energetic and creative mind. As long as Vata is in balance, you will be lively and enthusiastic, with a lean body, Energy that controls bodily functions associated with motion, including blood circulation, breathing, blinking, and your heartbeat.

• In balance: There are creativity and vitality.
• Out of balance: Can produce fear and anxiety.

Vata Predominant Types: Creative; Quick to learn and grasp new knowledge, but also quick to forget, Slender; Tall and a fast-walker; Tendency toward cold hands and feet, discomfort in cold climates; Excitable, lively, fun personality; Changeable moods; Irregular daily routine; High energy in short bursts; tendency to tire easily and to overexert; Full of joy and enthusiasm when in balance; Responds to stress with fear, worry, and anxiety, especially when out of balance; Tendency to act on impulse; Often have racing, disjointed thoughts; Generally have dry skin and dry hair and don’t perspire much.

Physical Characteristics

Those with a predominance of Vata dosha usually have a thin, light frame and excellent agility. Their energy comes in bursts and they are likely to experience sudden bouts of fatigue. Vata’s typically have dry skin and hair and cold hands and feet. They sleep lightly and their digestion can be sensitive. When the Vata dosha becomes imbalanced, it manifests in the body as weight loss, constipation, hypertension, arthritis, weakness, restlessness, and digestive challenges.
Emotional Characteristics
Vatas love excitement and new experiences. They are quick to anger but also to forgive. When Vata is in balance, they are energetic, creative, and flexible. They also take initiative and are lively conversationalists. When unbalanced, they are prone to worry and anxiousness and often suffer from insomnia. When they feel overwhelmed or stressed, their response is, “What did I do wrong?”
With the influence of Vata’s ether and air contributions, we can feel light, carefree, and creative or spacey, scattered, and unstable. The etheric nature of Vata creates a sense of space, in which you may feel free or lost if it is not balanced. The airy aspect of Vata can inspire productivity or promote anxiety. Ayurveda teaches that like increases like much like the law of attraction, isn’t it?. If you are dominantly Vata by nature or are consistently influenced by Vata, you are more likely to experience the negative effects of excess Vata during the Vata season.

Who determines what Dosha we are and where it comes from?

Here is a quick test to find out what Dosha you are:

Here is a great site to determine what dosha you are:  Chopra Dosha Quiz

Prakriti is our basic constitution. This is determined at the moment of conception and relates to your genetically inherited physical and emotional qualities. Prakriti specifically relates to those qualities, characteristics, and tendencies that are the stable makeup of ourselves. For instance, while you may experience temporary changes, like gaining or losing ten pounds, feeling nervous or irritable, developing a cold or flu, to mention a few, in the natural course of life you will never gain or lose five inches on your height or experience a change of eye color unless is a major affection, but not in our normal state of health.
Prakriti is enlivened and described by three main doshas or forces: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. These are loosely translated as Air, Fire, and Earth, respectively. Each of us has all three doshas in our constitution, in our unique proportions.
In Ayurveda, seven dosha-predominant Prakritis are described: Vata-predominant, Pitta-predominant, Kapha-predominant;
Three dual Prakritis,
We’re two doshas are equally, or nearly equally predominant: Vata-Pitta predominant, Pitta-Kapha predominant
And Vata-Kapha predominant
And one Prakriti that has all three doshas equally prominent: Vata-Pitta-Kapha predominant.

Note: Even a thoughtful test cannot take the place of an evaluation by a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner. The results of this test may give a good indication of the primary doshas in your Prakriti but the evaluation of your practitioner may be more accurate.

Vata governs movement in the body, the activities of the nervous system, and the process of elimination.

Qualities of Vata:

• Cold
• Light
• Dry
• Irregular
• Rough
• Moving
• Quick
• Changeable

As the external environment changes during the Vata season, your internal environment can experience the same type of changes; dry leaves, dry skin; crackly leaves, crackly joints; shorter days, shorter attention span; colder days, colder extremities, windy days, windy bowels. The qualities of Vata dosha are found in the disorders that are common at this time of year. By observing the processes of Mother Nature, you can better understand the processes of your body, mind, and spirit.

Applying the Ayurvedic principle that opposite actions create balance, you can maintain balance during the Vata season by emphasizing lifestyle and food choices that are grounding, stabilizing, warming, moisturizing, and softening.  You can stay calm and connected in this whirlwind season with a consistent practice that includes nourishing and protective measures. Ayurveda promotes simple and regular routines as having a deeper effect on balancing Vata than an ‘as needed’ approach.

Offered here are Ayurvedic recommendations for enjoying the Vata season with stability and serenity:
Fall is a time of transition. It is evident everywhere around you. Many trees and shrubs are quietly undressing in preparation for the winter. There is a subtle browning of the earth. Temperatures, which, just a few weeks ago were raging with the intense heat of summer, are beginning to hint at the telltale crispness of autumn. And there is the wind: slowly gathering strength, carrying the tides of winter on its breath. The autumn harbors a certain emptiness that can leave us feeling exposed and a little raw, but it is also filled with possibility—a time when we, too, can strip down to a quiet essence of being and savor the simplicity. The fall brings with it a predominance of air element and prana (the vital breath, the subtle essence of life) is abundant in the atmosphere. Autumn is dry, rough, windy, erratic, cool, subtle, and clear. These are all qualities shared by Vata dosha, and because like increases like, autumn is considered a Vata season. This same principle illustrates why taking a few simple steps to balance Vata this fall can be tremendously beneficial.

Ayurveda considers a seasonal routine an important cornerstone of health, year-round. Balancing the nature of your local climate with lifestyle choices that offset the potential for seasonally-induced imbalances is one of the simplest ways that you can protect your well-being. But keep in mind that the seasons vary widely from one place to another, as do the qualities that they engender. “Vata season” is whatever time of year most embodies the attributes that characterize Vata dosha: dry, light, cold, rough, subtle, mobile, and clear (or empty). Autumn is the classic Vata season. However, depending on where you live, the dry and expansive qualities of Vata may be prevalent components of your environment as early as summer, and the autumn may be followed by a very drying, cold, isolating, and/or windy winter.
Beginning to observe your environment from this qualitative perspective empowers you to respond to both daily and seasonal fluctuations in your local climate. The truth is that many of us adopt seasonally appropriate habits already, without even being conscious of doing so. For instance, summer is a time when we often enjoy salads and watermelon in abundance, both perfect antidotes to the heat and intensity of the summer. Whereas by October and November, we’re often baking delicious pumpkin bread and dining on hearty, grounding soups—foods that naturally subdue the dry, light, and erratic nature of the fall. By making diet and lifestyle choices that counter the effects of each season, you can better maintain your internal sense of equilibrium throughout the year

If we consider the Ayurvedic principle that opposites balance, Vata season (which is cool, light, dry, windy, and unpredictable) will be less aggravating if you fill it with warmth, oiliness, deep nourishment, loving relationships, and a sense of stability, routine, and groundedness. In addition, you may find it helpful to familiarize yourself with signs and symptoms of Vata imbalance so that you are better prepared to address those immediately if they do arise. The following recommendations are appropriate for most people, but if you know your constitution or your current state of balance, you can tailor your seasonal routine appropriately. Below the general recommendations that follow, you will find links to more dosha-specific considerations.

Your diet is a powerful way to soothe Vata this fall. Substantive, oily, nourishing foods that are high in protein, high in fat, brought to life with warming, stimulating spices, and served hot, will go a long way toward maintaining your internal reserves of moisture and keeping you grounded through the Vata season. You’ll also want to favor the sweet, sour, and salty tastes. In general, eat mushy, soft foods, and garnish them generously with ghee or oil. Breakfasts of cooked grains—like oatmeal, tapioca, cream of rice, and cream of wheat—are perfect at this time of year. Lunches and dinners that include steamed vegetables, hearty grains, soups, and stews are grounding and moisturizing. If you eat meat and eggs, this is one of the best times of year to enjoy them. Dairy products and most nuts and seeds are also beneficial. In general, you’ll want to reduce your consumption of raw vegetables, cold and frozen foods, as well as the bitter, pungent, and astringent tastes. It is best to minimize light, cooling, and drying foods like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, sprouts, leafy greens, white potatoes, beans, popcorn, crackers, millet, and dried fruit. If you do eat these foods, eat them in moderation and make sure that they are soaked, well-cooked, or served with ghee.
You may find that, during the course of the fall, you’ll naturally want to increase your intake of food, but be careful to follow the lead of your appetite and digestion. This is also a great time of year to do a mono-diet type of cleansing. Vata requires adequate nourishment so it is best to avoid fasting.

The following is a list of ideal Vata season foods:

Fruits to Favor
Apples (cooked)
Avocados
Bananas
Dates
Figs
Grapefruit
Grapes
Lemons
Limes
Mangoes
Oranges
Papayas
Prunes (soaked)
Raisins (soaked)
Tangerines
Vegetables to Favor
Beets
Carrots
Chilies
Garlic
Okra
Onions
Pumpkins
Squash, Winter
Sweet Potatoes
Grains to Favor
Amaranth
Basmati Rice
Brown Rice
Oats
Quinoa
Wheat
Legumes to Favor
Kidney Beans
Miso
Mung Beans
Tur Dal
Urad Dal
Nuts and Seeds to Favor
All nuts and seeds are supportive of Vata season
Dairy to Favor
Butter
Buttermilk
Cheese
Cream
Ghee
Kefir
Milk (not cold)
Sour Cream
Yogurt
Animal Products to Favor (If You Eat Them)
Beef
Buffalo
Chicken
Crab
Duck
Eggs
Fish
Lobster
Oysters
Shrimp
Turkey
Venison
Oils to Favor
Almond Oil
Ghee
Olive Oil
Peanut Oil
Safflower Oil
Sesame Oil
Sweeteners
Honey
Jaggary
Maple Syrup
Molasses
Rice Syrup
Sugar (Raw)
Spices to Favor (All Spices Are Good for Vata Season)
Allspice
Anise
Asafoetida (Hing)
Basil
Bay Leaf
Black Pepper
Cardamom
Cinnamon
Clove
Cumin
Dill
Garlic
Ginger
Mustard Seeds
Nutmeg
Oregano
Paprika
Parsley
Rosemary
Saffron
Turmeric

Vata Season Lifestyle Choices

One of the most effective ways to support Vata is by establishing a daily routine. Try to do the same things (wake up, exercise, eat meals, go to bed, etc.) at roughly the same time each day. Set the tone for your day by rising early, taking full advantage of the silence, stillness, and peace that are intrinsic to the early morning hours. Then, you can calm your nervous system, awaken your tissues, and ground your energy by massaging your skin with warm, organic Sesame Oil. Follow this practice with a warm, relaxing shower, leaving a coat of oil on the skin to absorb throughout the day. Steam baths and humidifiers can help to preserve internal moisture as well. Some gentle yoga and ten to fifteen minutes of meditation will further your sense of stability and wellness. If you enjoy a little fragrance, vetiver, geranium, and citrus essential oils are very appropriate this time of year. Dress in autumn colors when appropriate—reds, yellows, oranges, and whites—and wear enough clothes that you stay warm throughout the day. When you step out into the elements, cover your head and ears to protect them from the biting wind and cold. If possible, minimize your exposure to drafts, loud noise, aggressive music, fast driving, and excessive sexual activity. Try to be in bed by 10 p.m. so that you get plenty of rest before dawn.

Vata Season Exercise

The best times of day to exercise are in the early morning and evening hours (6–10 a.m. and 6–10 p.m.). Vata is very easily aggravated by fast, mobile activities, so consider slow, gentle, strengthening forms of exercise instead. Walking, hiking, swimming, biking, yoga, and tai chi are good choices, provided they are done at an appropriate level of intensity. Ideally, exercise at about fifty to seventy percent of your capacity, breathing through your nose the entire time. And remember to balance your activity with adequate relaxation and sleep so that your tissues can rejuvenate properly.

Vata Season Yoga

Incorporating a sense of warmth, grounding, stability, and focus on your yoga practice has a profoundly calming effect on Vata and can work wonders during the Vata season. Your breath should be deep and fluid. If you practice pranayama (yogic breathing exercises), alternate nostril breathing is very balancing this time of year. In your asana practice, favor Vata-pacifying yoga. Warm-up slowly and include some joint rotations. Move with intention and fluidity—grounding the hands and the feet on the mat whenever possible—and avoid jumping between postures. Gentle flows like a relaxed sun salutation are perfect for Vata. You can also favor standing and balancing poses such as mountain, warrior I, warrior II, and tree pose to increase stability and strength. Connect with the earth beneath you in poses such as thunderbolt, cat-cow, cobra, and child’s pose, and quiet the mind with forwarding bends such as intense westward stretch. Gentle inversions and restorative poses such as legs up the wall are also very good for Vata. Close your practice with a long corpse pose, covering yourself with a blanket so that you don’t get chilled.
Herbal Support for Vata Season
Taking Chyavanprash in the morning can help to reinforce immunity, strength, and energy during the autumn season. Ashwagandha is stabilizing to the mind and nervous system, and can promote sound sleep, strong digestion, proper elimination, and appropriate strength; it is available as a powder, tablet, and liquid extract. Similarly, herbal teas made from ginger, licorice, or a combination of cumin, coriander, and fennel, can help to promote proper digestion and warmth. Another grounding, vitalizing herbs and formulas include Dashamula, Haritaki (also available in tablets), Triphala (also available in tablets), and Vidari. The following herbal tablets are also generally quite supportive during the Vata season: Healthy Vata, Joint Support, Mental Clarity, Stress Ease, Tranquil Mind, and Vata Digest.
More Specific Support for Your System
The following links to dosha-specific recommendations are intended to assist you in offering more personalized support to your particular constitution. If you don’t know yours, consider taking our simple Prakriti quiz, and then choose the appropriate link below to further customize your seasonal routine.
Remember, a seasonal routine is an investment in your own health and vitality. And while the specifics may vary from one person to the next, we all stand to benefit from aligning ourselves with the rhythms of nature throughout the year. This fall, embrace the unique gifts of autumn and—with the help of an appropriate seasonal routine—enjoy it from a place of stability, humility, and gratitude.

Ayurveda is an ancient science based on elemental principles that pertain to life on earth. Ayurveda recognizes the elements of ether, air, fire, water, and earth as the building blocks of the natural world. According to Ayurveda, these five elements pair-up in three combinations to form the primary forces of nature called doshas. Ether and air from Vata dosha.  Fire and water make up pitta dosha.  Water and earth create Kapha dosha.

Under the influence of Vata’s ether and air contributions, you can feel light, carefree, and creative or spacy, scattered, and unstable. The etheric nature of Vata creates a sense of space, in which you may feel free or lost. The airy aspect of Vata can inspire productivity or promote anxiety. Ayurveda teaches that like increases like. If you are dominantly Vata by nature or are consistently influenced by Vata, you are more likely to experience the negative effects of excess Vata during the Vata season.

As the external environment changes during the Vata season, your internal environment can experience the same type of changes; dry leaves, dry skin; crackly leaves, crackly joints; shorter days, shorter attention span; colder days, colder extremities, windy days, windy bowels. The qualities of Vata dosha are found in the disorders that are common at this time of year. By observing the processes of Mother Nature, you can better understand the processes of your body, mind, and spirit.

Applying the Ayurvedic principle that opposite actions create balance, you can maintain balance during the Vata season by emphasizing lifestyle and food choices that are grounding, stabilizing, warming, moisturizing, and softening.  You can stay calm and connected in this whirlwind season with a consistent practice that includes nourishing and protective measures. Ayurveda promotes simple and regular routines as having a deeper effect on balancing Vata than an ‘as needed’ approach.