In the winter, the Kapha time of year, you may be prone to slowness and depression.
If you’re experiencing SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) in the winter, you are not alone. In fact, you may be experiencing something that many other people struggle with, and it is also understandable and explainable through Ayurveda, the 5,000-year-old Vedic philosophy of life that originates in India. When you learn what causes this from an Ayurvedic standpoint, you can start to change your SAD and create a better quality of life for yourself. I want to give you some tips based on my own experiences and the wisdom I gained from studying Ayurveda. Let’s dive into exploring wisdom about Ayurveda and winter.
“With any shift in season, there are steps you can take to stay balanced even when the weather threatens to throw you off.”
— Leo Carver, Chopra Center
Ayurvedic Perspective
While studying Ayurveda, I learned about the doshas and how they relate to seasons of the year. It has changed my life, and I want to try to help others understand how it can change theirs as well. All it takes is a new way of approaching life, a shift of habits, and a realization that everyone’s bodies aren’t the same. If you think you are suffering from SAD, it’s worth learning about the Kapha dosha and how to get your three doshas (Vata, Pitta, and Kapha) back in balance.
You may also benefit in general by discovering your dosha through this quiz from the Chopra Center. However, the knowledge presented here will still be useful no matter your type because all of us have all three doshas represented in us.
Kapha Season
Winter is Kapha season according to Ayurveda. This means that we are already living in very Kapha-oriented conditions — dry and heavy shows up in our lives more dominantly. We feel sluggish and more like we want to stay on the couch snuggled under a blanket. We call this the “Kapha time of year” because all of us become more influenced by a Kapha imbalance at this time.
For those who are already heavily Kapha-oriented through their prakruti, or our personal types, winter can be especially hard. Kaphas are innately prone to depression normally, but winter can really exasperate this problem. If we don’t intervene by trying to balance the three doshas and reduce the uncomfortable dominance of Kapha at this time, more serious illnesses can arise.
How to Bring Kapha Back to Into Balance
The wisdom of Ayurveda tells us that if we have a Kapha-dominant problem, we should increase our activity and fire to counteract it. Exercise is a great way to do this, as well as meditation that helps with internal movement and fire, such as those involving the breath of fire. Try daily walks, yoga, and getting off the couch once an hour at a minimum.
Foods can help with Kapha as well. More light food should be sought, and heavy foods should be avoided. Specifically, salty, sour, and sweet foods should be avoided since Kapha already has enough of those elements in it and doesn’t need more to aggravate it! Foods like sour cream, fried things, and sweet desserts should be kept at a minimum.
Aromas can also be used to help coax the doshas back into balance. For Kapha, eucalyptus and sage can be beneficial scents to increase the other two doshas, Vata and Pitta, and decrease the over-activity of Kapha. I find that aromas are great because they create an external atmosphere that produces a new atmosphere in my mind.
This is just a quick overview of some approaches to begin to alleviate SAD, but I encourage readers to investigate this more. The most important lesson I have learned from Ayurveda is that everyone’s body isn’t the same — foods have different effects, thoughts and habits produce different outcomes, and all exercises are not equally beneficial for every human. You have to listen to your body and spirit to understand what it needs most and follow your intuition. Knowing what Ayurveda recommends can guide you in this self-discovery.
