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We’re continuing with our Ayuvedic reset, a journey from summer into fall, with all the suggestions that will help us be our healthiest moving into this new season. The theme for month two is Nurture. And the focus for this week’s post is “making space.”
In Ayurvedic language we would say that we are making a transition from the hot, humid pitta season into the cold, dry, windy season of vata. These are the most obvious qualities of pitta and vata, the characteristics that we notice the most around us and in our own bodies. There is another quality of vata which is not as obvious, the quality of spaciousness.
Consider how important space is in our lives. When we have too much space, we feel “spacey” and ungrounded, anxious and even afraid. When we don’t have enough space, we feel constricted, limited and stuck. But when we have just the right amount of space, we can move around freely and safely, having the right environment for spontaneity and creativity to flourish.
It’s this “right amount of space” that we seek as we transition into vata season. Here are some ways of making space for creativity and spontaneity:
• Reflect on the important questions: Am I digesting well? Am I eliminating well? Am I sleeping/resting well? Am I moving well? Am I connecting with others well? Is my soul at ease? When you discover some area of your life that is not flowing well, ask yourself another question, What is one thing I can do to bring balance to this area?
• Arrive early: Whenever you have to be somewhere—a meeting, house of worship, yoga/meditation class, dinner with family or friends—show up 10 minutes early. This will give you time to use the bathroom, wash your hands, get a drink of water, and settle into your seat to engage fully with the experience.
• Transition well: So often we move way too quickly from one thing to the next without a proper transition between activities. Going from a phone call directly into a meeting, you find yourself still thinking about the call, not fully present to the meeting. Stepping into the gym after being at work all day, you are still going over the details of the day. Here’s an easy yet powerful practice: In between activities take 1-3 complete breaths and say to yourself, “I let go of what has come before and I turn my attention fully to what is coming next.” You will have made a clean separation from what you were doing previously, showing respect for those you are meeting with and ready to engage whatever creative process is required.
What are your favorite ways to make space for curiosity and creativity in your day?
In Ayurvedic language we would say that we are making a transition from the hot, humid pitta season into the cold, dry, windy season of vata. These are the most obvious qualities of pitta and vata, the characteristics that we notice the most around us and in our own bodies. There is another quality of vata which is not as obvious, the quality of spaciousness.
Consider how important space is in our lives. When we have too much space, we feel “spacey” and ungrounded, anxious and even afraid. When we don’t have enough space, we feel constricted, limited and stuck. But when we have just the right amount of space, we can move around freely and safely, having the right environment for spontaneity and creativity to flourish.
It’s this “right amount of space” that we seek as we transition into vata season. Here are some ways of making space for creativity and spontaneity:
• Reflect on the important questions: Am I digesting well? Am I eliminating well? Am I sleeping/resting well? Am I moving well? Am I connecting with others well? Is my soul at ease? When you discover some area of your life that is not flowing well, ask yourself another question, What is one thing I can do to bring balance to this area?
• Arrive early: Whenever you have to be somewhere—a meeting, house of worship, yoga/meditation class, dinner with family or friends—show up 10 minutes early. This will give you time to use the bathroom, wash your hands, get a drink of water, and settle into your seat to engage fully with the experience.
• Transition well: So often we move way too quickly from one thing to the next without a proper transition between activities. Going from a phone call directly into a meeting, you find yourself still thinking about the call, not fully present to the meeting. Stepping into the gym after being at work all day, you are still going over the details of the day. Here’s an easy yet powerful practice: In between activities take 1-3 complete breaths and say to yourself, “I let go of what has come before and I turn my attention fully to what is coming next.” You will have made a clean separation from what you were doing previously, showing respect for those you are meeting with and ready to engage whatever creative process is required.
What are your favorite ways to make space for curiosity and creativity in your day?
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