Ayurvedic and Somatic Wisdom for the Season of Wind
As autumn deepens and the air turns restless, the world begins to move with a different rhythm. The branches sway, the leaves scatter, the nights lengthen. In Ayurveda, this is the Vata season — the time when the elements of air and ether grow strongest. Their presence can be felt in the way the mind flutters from thought to thought, the skin dries, or sleep becomes lighter. The same winds that sweep through the trees begin to stir through us.
This is the season of movement, release, and transition — and the nervous system feels it most. When wind dominates, our inner grounding can loosen. We may find ourselves unanchored, overthinking, or simply unable to rest as deeply as we did in summer’s warmth. Yet the invitation of this season is not to resist the wind, but to befriend it — to learn how to root and sway with grace.
The Nature of Vata and the Nervous System
In Ayurvedic philosophy, Vata dosha governs all movement: breath, circulation, nerve impulses, and even the rhythms of thought. It’s the energy that animates life, inspiring creativity and curiosity — but when it becomes excessive, it leads to anxiety, fatigue, insomnia, and instability.
Because Vata is light, cool, and dry, it amplifies when our environment or lifestyle mirrors those same qualities. Too much cold food, travel, scattered schedules, or overstimulation can set the nervous system spinning.
The remedy lies in cultivating the opposite: warmth, stability, nourishment, and rhythm. This is how we tend to the nervous system when the winds rise — not by stilling all movement, but by inviting a grounded pulse back into the body.
Daily Anchors for Calm
Small, rhythmic practices are medicine in the windy months. Each one signals safety and steadiness to the body — a message that it can rest and digest rather than brace and react.
1. Oil the Body, Settle the Winds
Abhyanga, the Ayurvedic practice of warm oil self-massage, is among the most powerful ways to soothe Vata. Before a shower, warm sesame or ashwagandha-bala oil and massage it from head to toe. The oil becomes a protective sheath, insulating the nerves and restoring suppleness to the skin.
2. Keep Time Sacred
Eat and sleep at consistent times each day. The nervous system craves predictability — it is steadied by rhythm.
Favor grounding foods: stews, roasted root vegetables, and warming spices like cumin, cardamom, and ginger. Avoid skipping meals, as irregular digestion fuels more inner wind.
3. Create Moments of Weighted Stillness
Add 10–15 minutes of restorative yoga or a body-based grounding ritual to your evening routine. Lying supported on the floor with a folded blanket across your abdomen can help signal “rest mode” to the vagus nerve.
4. Practice Gentle Tremor Release
A brief standing shaking practice, inspired by Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises (TRE), helps discharge built-up tension:
Stand barefoot with knees soft.
Begin gentle shaking from the ankles upward, letting the body loosen naturally.
Breathe out through the mouth, allowing the shoulders, jaw, and belly to relax.
This helps the body reset and restore balance to the parasympathetic (rest-and-repair) system.
Herbs and Teas that Ground and Nourish
Ayurvedic herbs offer another layer of nervous system support — helping the body rebuild what constant movement depletes.
Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera)
A deeply grounding adaptogen that strengthens the adrenals, supports steady energy, and restores calm without sedation. It’s the herbal companion for those who “can’t turn off.”
Tulsi (Holy Basil)
A heart-opening herb that clears the fog of fatigue and balances both Vata and Kapha. Tulsi helps us breathe a little easier, feel uplifted, and release emotional heaviness.
Oatstraw & Skullcap
Western nervines that complement Ayurveda beautifully. They feed the myelin sheath of the nerves, soften rigidity, and help restore a sense of ease.
Warming the Inner Flame
When the wind rises, the flame within can flicker. Our goal is not to control the wind, but to tend the flame.
Keep a small evening ritual — light a candle, sip tea, breathe slowly through the nose.
Wrap the body in soft layers; warmth communicates safety.
Avoid excess screens and late-night scrolling; the wind of stimulation can stir more internal motion.
Each of these small choices is a declaration: I choose steadiness over speed.
Listening to the Quiet
Ayurveda teaches that health is not the absence of movement, but the balance of motion and stillness. The windy months are not meant to be feared — they are sacred teachers of flexibility, surrender, and rhythm. When we root our nervous system with warmth, nourishment, and gentle ritual, the wind ceases to be an adversary. It becomes music through the branches — the whisper of renewal.
Stillness is not the absence of movement,
but the rhythm that steadies all things.
Try This Practice: Grounding Ritual for Windy Days
When the air feels unsettled and the mind begins to race, return to this five-minute grounding ritual. It anchors the senses and nourishes the nervous system.
1. Warm your hands.
Rub them together briskly until heat gathers between the palms.
2. Place your palms over your chest and belly.
Feel the rhythm of your breath. Let the exhale lengthen, slow, and soften.
3. Sip something warm.
Herbal tea is ideal — Feel the warmth travel down and expand through the belly.
4. Sense your feet.
Bring attention to the soles of your feet, pressing them lightly into the floor. Imagine roots extending downward, steadying you.
5. Whisper a quiet mantra.
“I am here. The winds may move, but I remain rooted.”
Repeat until the body softens and the mind steadies.