Copyright © 2021 Lee Spirit
As the seasons change, it’s a great time to go inside the mind, reflect on our lives over the past season, or year, and ask ourselves if we are where we want to be on our journey. This photo was taken at Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation area in Alberta – A very peaceful, quiet area. I chose it for this post because I love the wheat grass blowing in the wind. This is the time of year that the wind picks up, and the colours fade away into browns and greys. The leaves dry up, and fall off the trees. Often it’s a little depressing, but as the winds of change blow in nature, we can see it as an opportunity to go inwards and explore our minds, bodies, and spirits. This can be a comforting time, and a creative one too!
Why Go Inside the Mind?
Of course we can go inside the mind at any time of the year, but when the seasons change, it’s an especially good time to consider where we’re at, how far we’ve come, and where we’re going. As nature resets herself, we can do the same for ourselves. It’s like a refreshing cleanse of body, mind, and spirit – Letting go of that which no longer serves us.
This process can begin with a regular practice of meditation, including breath work, or pranayama. This breath work allows us also to go inside the body, where we feel tension or pain. Breathing through the pain, we ease the pain, and we can then go inside the mind to create peace and calm there too.
Lots is happening in our minds, but with breath practice and control, we can relax our minds. We are not emptying our minds of thoughts, but simply watching the thoughts float by like clouds until we come into a neutral space. This is where the magic begins, and we can start to let go of the dead leaves of our soul. This allows us to create and attract more of what we want in our lives.
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How the Practice of Ayurveda Can Calm the Mind-Body-Spirit
Part of the cleansing and manifesting process can happen through the practice of Ayurveda, particularly as the seasons change. This is an ancient, 5000-year old practice originating in India. It focuses on good health, as well as preventing and treating illness through yoga, meditation, diet, and massage.
I just did a brief introduction to this with one of my favourite kundalini yogis, Jai Dev Singh, with Lifeforce Academy. You can check the complete course at this link, but they have many amazing free offerings too. The wisdom shared in the kundalini classes is quite something, and well worth checking out! I’ll share a bit of what I learned now…
Keeping Balanced Inside the Mind
When the seasons change, it’s good to keep ourselves in harmony with nature. When we feel unbalanced, we may be drawn to more of what keeps us unbalanced. For instance, junk food! Usually when we crave a lot of it, we are a little unbalanced, and yet we crave more and more of it. On the other hand, when we’re more balanced, we are more likely to eat and drink healthy things. More balance in the belly means a more balanced mind!
Looking Inwards At the Body: A Digestive System Reset
Balanced mind, inner peace, and a sense of calm come from balance within. Oftentimes, this starts right inside our bellies and digestive tracts. As the saying goes, “You are what you eat”. If you’ve been over-consuming junk food, you are going to need to reset your digestive system to bring it back into a healthy balance. When your body is weak, your mind is also weak.
Inside the Mind & Your Energy System
In order to strengthen our minds and bodies, it’s good to know what energy system we have. What “dosha” are you? In Ayurveda, a dosha is your particular energy system that circulates and controls your physical, mental, and emotional characteristics.
The 3 main types are Kapha, Vata, and Pitta. Kapha is made up of the earth and water elements, and these body types gain weight easily; Vata is made up of the air and ether elements, and these types find it easier to lose weight; Pitta is made up of the fire and water elements, and these body types can easily miss a meal! I might fit into the Pitta category most, but also a bit of Vata. We are often a mixture!
Why this matters is because what you’re made up of will determine what types of foods, drinks, and herbs are best suited for your health, wellness, and healing. This changes depending on the season. That’s why in the winter months you want to eat warmer, heartier, thicker foods, whereas in summer you may lean towards lighter salads.
Resetting Your Systems At Season’s Change
I am no expert in Ayurveda, so I won’t get into the intricacies of what to eat and when. But in order to reset any of these energy systems, you can do a few recommended things that will help keep you in balance and harmony with nature.
Lifeforce Academy recommends:
- 3-day diet of only mung beans and rice.
- Drink hot lemon water every 15 minutes during the day to rehydrate yourself.
- Use anti-inflammatory herbs like turmeric.
- Tulsi tea (holy basil) is also recommended in the cooler months to help the heart and intuition, among many other health benefits. Just picked up some of that myself! Mmmm!
- Boosting your immune system at this time of year is also beneficial by taking more zinc, vitamin C, and vitamin D3.
- Practicing kundalini yoga and pranayama breathing.
- Take a soothing epsom salt bath to release toxins.
Creating Peace and Calm Inside the Mind
As you can see, mind-body-spirit are all connected. Once we have these balanced, we are able to create more abundance, ease, and flow in our lives. We start to manifest that which we truly desire. It’s also more possible to create the life of our choosing.
So when things start to go brown, grey, cold, and wet outside – very much like it is where I live today – there’s no need to feel down about it. Rejoice at the fact that this is the time to go quietly into the depths of our minds, bodies, and souls to uncover what it is we truly desire, and what we are here for. We can focus on rest and stillness, like the winter blanket that is about to silently cover the earth.
This looking-inwards allows us to reflect on what we have achieved this past season, or year. It also creates a space within where we can release the past, negative emotions, bad habits and tendencies, or limiting beliefs. By letting go and allowing space for something new, we can cleanse our energy with new love and light, and attract all good things to us. Creativity and new opportunities will arise from our intuitive knowing. Joy, love, and fulfilment will be yours!
Lee Spirit is an avid outdoors adventurer with a love for nature, photography, health & fitness, wellness, and spirituality. She helps those who suffer from anxiety & negative thinking to become healthier in mind-body-spirit. Her own personal journey has led her to the study and practice of mindfulness, health, wellness, yoga, spirituality, sound healing, meditation, and personal development for over 20 years. Get mindfulness, meditation, and personal development tips in her Free Natural Mind Healing Report.