Seasonal Wellness Tips
We want to offer some inspiration from the practice of Ayurveda, often called Yoga’s “sister science”.
November - Vata Season
Intention and Yoga for the Season
A seasonal routine, balancing the current climate around you with your lifestyle choices, is one of the simplest ways to protect your well-being year-round. When our outer environment is unpredictable, cold, rough, and moving it's a time to favor stability, warmth, and routine.
This season favor:
Movement with intention [Flow classes]
Steadiness and stillness [Relaxation classes]
Practices to go inward [Mediation or Sound Healing classes]
Cultivating a daily routine of when you rise, eat, exercise, and go to bed can also create stability and calm in your day-to-day. Wishing you wellness as we invite in the Holiday Season!
November - Vata Season
Embracing Calm & Feeling Grounded
As the first snowfall of the year blankets the mountains, and our days begin to grow shorter, we’re invited to embrace the colder season of movement and change, Vata season. We may witness the movement of wind blowing leaves and snow around us or experience the energy of movement or uncertainty in our minds and emotions. These feelings may even be heightened as we face a pivotal time for our nation.
Ayurveda, called the Sister Science of Yoga, teaches us that opposites create balance. So, in Vata Season grounding practices to counterbalance the shifting unpredictable nature of the season, can offer inner stability.
Here are a few practices to cultivate balance this season:
Focus on the present. Take a few deep breaths. Notice the rhythm. Allow your inhalation to calm your body and release tension as you exhale. Try this for a few rounds of breath.
Favor warm, nourishing foods and drinks. Root vegetables, soups, and stews with warming spices can help ground your body physically. We love these Ayurvedic Teas from our partners at Banyan Botanicals!
Cultivate a Routine. Establishing daily routines for waking, eating, exercising, and sleeping, can bring a sense of structure and calm.
Find steadiness in movement. Repetitive yoga flows, deep breaths, or longer holds can help calm the mind and emotions.
Even small moments of stillness can make a big difference in helping us feel steadiness no matter what is happening around us. We’re here to support you in this journey, with classes and community to cultivate balance.
October - Aparigraha
Cultivating Non-Attachment On the Mat
We all have our preferences for what we seek and love in our wellness practices. But what happens when we release our expectations, let go, and create space for something new? Maybe we try a new class and find our new favorite or surprise ourselves with what is cultivated in a class we didn’t expect to enjoy?
As we embody the Yogic Yama (restraint) of Aparigraha or non-attachment, we allow ourselves to let go, get out of our own way, and experience something new.
Of course, join the classes that you know and love!--but invite in the possibility of something different as well.
October - Aparigraha
Letting Go: Aparigraha in Modern Life
This time of year, we are blessed to witness the beautiful turn of the seasons all around us! We observe the leaves on many of our trees turn yellow or brown and fall to the ground. When trees shed their leaves, it's an act of letting go – but when the leaves fall, their lives are far from over. Fallen leaves create a natural mulch, and protect and give nutrients back to the soil in the seasons to come.
On the 8-Limb Path of Yoga, we embody the principle of non-grasping or letting go as the Yama of Aparigraha. Letting go isn’t about losing something, it’s an opportunity to practice non-attachment, say goodbye, and create space for what comes next in the natural cycle.
Here’s how we are embodying Aparigraha in daily life this season:
Declutter: It's time to declutter and release anything that is no longer serving a purpose in your space. Pack away Summer clothing and pull out your cool-weather clothing for the season. Get rid of, sell, or donate any goods that don’t need to take up space in your life anymore. Simplifying your environment can also help clear your mind!
Let go of Attachment to Outcomes: Notice any expectations you might be holding on to. Whether at work, in relationships, or performance on or off the mat. Practicing Aparigraha means releasing expectations for what things should look like and trusting that everything will unfold as it is meant to.
Release Emotional Baggage: Non-attachment doesn’t happen overnight, it’s a work in progress. When you observe an old emotion that isn’t serving you anymore, choose to befriend that emotion, work through it, or if you are ready – let it go. Moving the body, meditation for the mind, and practices like journaling can be helpful in this release.
Set Intentions: When we let go, we invite newness into our lives. Just as the leaves, we give new life to nourish ourselves and those around us. Envision what you are seeking in the season and find ways to infuse the intention into your daily life. If it’s abundance, remind yourself of all of that you have. If it’s peace of mind, create space to cultivate that state. Whatever your intention is, fully invite it into your life.
Wishing you peace and clarity on your journey!
September - Embracing Nature's Rhythms
Autumn is upon us 🍂 Are you ready to move?
Living in alignment with Nature’s rhythms invites us to change with each seasonal shift. In Summer, when sun is warm and days are long the invitation to transform is opened. And as we shift into the variable season of Fall, we see and feel the movement of wind, leaves blowing, and the season changing colors. In Autumn we are invited into the season of movement.
In Ayurveda, the juncture of time that signals the change of seasons is called sandhi. During each sandhi we can release the season past and prepare for what is ahead. It’s a time to rest, reflect, move and be moved.
Here are a few ways to nurture yourself during the season’s shift:
Take sometime to begin to slow down. This doesn’t have to be a full halt stop (unless that is what you are craving), but begin to slow the busy-ness of Summer as you invite the slower season of Autumn.
Move your body to move through the season. In times of deep transition, commit to a movement routine as much as possible. Your movement can be as slow or active as needed, the key is to try to cultivate a daily or weekly routine for consistency. Join an early morning Kettlebell class, try an afternoon PearlFlow, or settle in for a calming Restorative practice each week. Consistency is key!
Enjoy the last of the Summer’s seasonal foods and favor Autumn’s bounty. Begin incorporating warm teas and warm meals to ground your body for the seasonal shift.
If you are feeling the need for a deeper reset for the season, learn more about How to Do a Simple Fall Cleanse Appropriate for Your Constitution from our friends at Banyan Botanicals!
Wishing you wellness in the season ahead, we are grateful to be a part of your journey!
September - Embracing Nature's Rhythms
Embracing Natural Rhythms (The Circadian)
As we feel the seasonal shifts this month, we may also feel a shift in our daily routines.
Whether you are navigating a new back-to-school schedule, a new work schedule, or even just adjusting to our later sunrise and earlier sunset, our bodies naturally follow the rhythm of the Earth. Just as Earth adjusts seasonally and daily with sunlight and sunset – so do we.
Our Circadian Rhythm is a 24-hour internal cycle that regulates when we feel awake and active or tired and need rest. And at different times of the day, your body may crave different types of movement or rest. When we sync our daily activities—especially movement and relaxation—with this rhythm, we can feel more aligned during the day and restful at night.
September - Embracing Nature's Rhythms
Follow the rhythm of the Sun and Moon to cultivate balance:
When possible, wake with the Sun. Sleeping with your blinds or curtains open can allow the natural light of sunrise to help your body rise and prepare for the day ahead.
Practice Sun Salutations, energizing yoga flow, or take a walk in the morning to salute the Sun and welcome the new day!
Have warm drinks and a light breakfast to warm up your digestive fire.
When the sun is highest in the sky, midday, our internal (digestive) fire is also burning the brightest. This can be a sweet time for mindful, intentional stretching or activity to utilize your energy without overexertion. Eating the main meal of your day at this time can support digestion.
As the day begins to settle, our activities can too. After work or afternoon can be a wonderful time to unwind your mind with a walk or yoga class. This time helps us transition to a restful evening.
The sun sets and so does our digestive fire. Have a lighter, well-cooked dinner that will not overload your waning digestive fire.
As the night sky naturally darkens, dim the lights around your home and settle in for relaxing evening activities that calm your body and mind. Gazing at the Moon can be a sweet, calming practice to inspire you as you look up and connect with the rhythms within and all around you!
August - Rajas
Befriending Rajas Guna
Rajas is one of the three gunas, or universal qualities. It inspires us with energy, passion, and the ability to act.
What qualities of Rajas are you feeling in this season?
Endurance
Passion
Excitement
Desire
Expansion
Movement
Cravings
Restlessness
Overworking
Befriend yourself wherever you are in the moment and join us on the mat to cultivate balance in this season!
August - Rajas
Cultivate the Power of Rajas (on and off the mat)
In the last months of Summer, Sun’s intensity shines bright. You may feel this as you notice sweat dripping on your forehead, the craving for cooling foods, and/or a strong passion or spark of inspiration within you.
This is the time of year we feel the transformational influence of the Ayurvedic dosha, Pitta. So now is a time to have your cooling veggies and juicy fruits – but also to tap into what is moving you, lighting you up, and moving through you. This is the power of Rajas, one of the three gunas (fundamental qualities) in yogic philosophy.
The passion of Rajas offers excitement and the desire to follow our purpose! Are you feeling it?
Here’s how we are tapping into Rajas, on and off the mat:
Befriend edges. Whether you are feeling the desire to kick things up a notch with dynamic yoga, an early morning run, or an invigorating practice; or you're burning bright and need to cool off, take off work early, and dip in the river or join a relaxation class – Rajas is the force that moves us beyond our edges.
Harness inspiration. Now is a great time to try a new practice or change a habit you are ready to let go of. Let the spark of inspiration be your guiding force.
Cultivate drishti (focus): What dreams, desires, or goals are you ready to step into? Take the necessary step, today, to honor what you are passionate about and achieve one of your goals, on or off the mat.
July - Opposites Create Balance
The Ebb & Flow (of our Emotions) ☯️
In Summer, we can observe heat around us and possibly even within ourselves. Through the lens of emotions, heated emotions can look like irritability, anger, or even feeling critical of ourselves or others.
So now is the season to cultivate a gentle heart. Observe how you feel throughout the day especially before and after your self-care practices. Notice how you feel next time you walk into the studio, especially if you had to complete a lot or rush to get there. Observe the quality of your emotions during class, do they ebb and flow with different poses or breathing practices? Then, notice how you feel after class. 😅 We tend to shift the flow of our emotions after spending time in our practices.
We would love to cultivate a space for you to tend to your body and mind this month, in whatever you are feeling.
July - Opposites Create Balance
Exploring the Balance of Opposites (time to cool off!) ☀️
One of the foundational principles of Ayurveda (often called Yoga’s sister science) is: opposites create balance. Yoga and Ayurveda are inextricably connected. We can consider Ayurveda the ways in which we take our Yoga practice off the mat and into the rest of our lives. So, if we subscribe to the principle that ‘opposites create balance’, then the reverse is also true: like increases like. 🤔
These fundamental concepts can offer inspiration to achieve balance and harmony in our lives.
"Like Increases Like" suggests that similar qualities amplify each other. For example, if you're feeling cold and you consume cold foods, you may feel even colder. Similarly, if you're feeling hot and engage in heat-producing activities like eating spicy foods or jogging in the heat of the day, the heat within you may intensify.
"Opposites Create Balance" teaches us that balance can be restored in any area of our lives by introducing opposite qualities. If you're feeling hot, cooling foods and activities can help bring your body back into equilibrium. If you're feeling heavy, light and stimulating elements can uplift your energy.
Here are a few of our favorite ways to cultivate balance this Summer:
Find a balance of active and gentle yoga practices each week. If you are feeling sluggish, join an active class or take a brisk hike. Or if you are feeling overstimulated opt for a slower-paced class, a slow leisure hike, or a soothing swim.
In the heat of Summer, stay hydrated and cool from within with plenty of fresh water and herbal teas. (We love coconut water or Joyful Heart with hibiscus and rose!)
Sunbathing to soak in the warmth and energy of the sun is wonderful this time of year, as is Moonbathing! Take an evening to moon gaze and bask in the cooling light of the moon.
By considering the principles of "Like Increases Like and Opposites Balance," we can navigate our daily lives with mindfulness and cultivate well-being. We hope these insights inspire you to explore ways that resonate with you to bring balance into your life!
Shopping at Banyan Botanicals? Use the code: YOGAPEARL15 at check out to save 15%!
June - Svadhyaya (Self-Reflection/ Sefl-Study)
Embrace Self-Reflection (Svadhyaya) and Growth This Summer
As we head toward the warm embrace of summer, it's an ideal time to reflect on where we are, what we are feeling, and how we have grown. The practice of self-awareness or self-study, known as Svadhyaya, encourages us to look inward to acknowledge our thoughts, actions, and intentions. When we meet ourselves where we are and reflect on our intentions, we can set meaningful goals and align toward what we are seeking.
How we are cultivating self-study this month:
1. Contemplation and Journaling. Dedicate quiet space to reflect on your thoughts, feelings, and experiences so far this year. Identify recurring themes, notice how you have changed, and set meaningful intentions for the rest of the year.
2. Seated, Supine, or Walking Meditation. Spend 5-20 minutes daily in a relaxed state whether it’s seated meditation, Savasana (supine meditation), or mindfully walking while focusing on your breath and observing your thoughts. Daily meditation, in any form, can provide space to turn inward without judgment.
3. Mindful Movement: In your yoga asana practice, focus on how each pose feels and the emotions that arise throughout your practice. Observe how you feel at the beginning of your practice and how you feel at the end. Notice what you cultivate and where that shows up for you throughout the day.
Wishing you wellness on and off the mat this month as the light of summer illuminates our path to greater self-awareness and inner peace.
Let us know how you practice Svadhyaya by tagging us on Instagram at @YogaPearl
June - Svadhyaya (Self-Reflection/ Sefl-Study)
Self-Awareness (with a calm, clear mind)🌱
Take a few moments to observe what is on your heart and mind. Are you feeling calm and clear, or would more focus and present-moment awareness support you in this season of your life? Wherever you are along your journey, we would love to support you!
Here is our current selection of our fav Ayurvedic products to cultivate a clear mind:
Mellow Mind Tea: A soothing blend of traditional cumin, coriander, and fennel with notes of chamomile, lavender, and skullcap to relax your body and mind. You may have tried this one at one of our workshops or monthly moon classes!
Mental Clarity: A blend of Ayurvedic adaptogens and Nootropic herbs to support mental performance and healthy cognitive function.
Nasya Oil: Maybe one of the strangest Ayurvedic practices we’ve tried, but an essential this time of year! Nasya Oil is a soothing nasal oil for daily use. Featuring gotu kola, skullcap, and calamus, it protects and nourishes the tissues of the nasal passages, promotes clear breathing, and supports a calm, clear mind.
Use the code: YOGAPEARL15 at check out to save 15%!
May - Tapas (inner fire, burning enthusiasm, zeal)
Reaching Towards the Sunshine (with Tapas) 🌱☀️
May finds us reaching our way towards the warmth of seasons ahead, just as tiny seeds pushing through earth are doing now. Imagine the zeal it takes to surface and reach toward Spring’s sunshine! This is the embodiment of Tapas, often translated as “inner fire”, “burning enthusiasm”, or “zeal”.
Tapas invites us to harness the same determined spirit, to push through the heaviness towards lighter days, commit to the path, and break through stagnation to fully blossom.
This can be a wonderful time to challenge your edges and to lean into those big dreams and desires that you’ve been cultivating! Maybe that early morning Yoga class is calling you, you are feeling the excitement to hike or bike again, or you are exploring the call to commit to a new habit or practice.
To encourage you along your journey, we’ll offer these prompts to contemplate or journal with:
Reflect on what you’re bringing into the new month ahead. What limiting beliefs are you ready to shed?
What daily habit or big dream are you ready to cultivate?
What motivates you in this season of your life?
Recall a time you accomplished a personal goal. How did it feel?!
Does pushing yourself beyond your comfort zone or giving yourself space to recharge sound more aligned with where you are right now?
What supports you in sustaining discipline and the dedication to stay the course?
Through each step of your journey, take time to celebrate your progress, no matter the size. Remember that seeds take their time to blossom!
Let us know how you practice Tapas by tagging us on Instagram at @YogaPearl
May - Tapas (inner fire, burning enthusiasm, zeal)
Revitalizing Your Practice (+ Soothing Sore Muscles)🌱
Take a few moments to observe what is calling you in this season. Are you feeling the invigorating urge to stretch, move, and be more active? Or are you seeking more space for restoration and peace during this seasonal transition?
As you step into your practice this season, it’s natural to feel the sensations of sore muscles. So, we’ve curated a selection of our fav Ayurvedic products to soothe body and mind!
Turmeric Milk Mix: A beneficial blend of herbal adaptogens including Turmeric to support a healthy inflammatory response, and Ashwagandha to help the body’s ability to cope with stress.
Mahanarayan Oil: A beloved Ayurvedic oil for soothing and rejuvenating muscles and joints. Use for localized or whole body massage!
Triphala: Throughout the seasonal change, keep things moving with this simple yet potent blend of fruits renowned for its ability to detoxify and replenish while supporting digestion.
Use the code: YOGAPEARL15 at check out to save 15%!
April - Saucha (Clanliness or Purity)
Embrace Spring Cleansing with Saucha
As the first of Spring’s colors make their appearance, we witness Nature’s renewal and rebirth. During this time of the year, we too can benefit from seasonal cleansing to shed Winter’s heaviness and fully prepare for the rejuvenation of Spring!
This brings to mind the yogic niyama of "Saucha," which means cleanliness or purity. We can explore this idea in countless ways from physical cleanliness, to the purification of our thoughts, habits, and even our environment. Feeling the urge to Spring clean?
Let us know how you practice Saucha by tagging us on Instagram at @YogaPearl
April - Saucha (Cleanliness or Purity)
Here are a few ways to support your cleansing journey:
Declutter and Clean Your Spaces: Clear out the physical clutter that may have accumulated in your living and/or workspace. Get rid of or donate items you no longer need. (Or join us for a clothing swap on April 14th!) Clean, dust, and organize your belongings in a way that brings harmony to your surroundings and promotes a sense of calm.
Take Some Time for a Digital Detox: Reduce screen time or disconnect from devices for a few hours a day or for a few days. Use this extra time to enjoy Nature, catch up on reading, spend time with loved ones, take a new yoga class, or practice a long Savasana at home.
Cleanse Your Body: A seasonal cleanse can be as simple as taking 1 day, 3 days, or up to a week to:
Wake with the light of the early morning sun
Move your body with gentle yoga or a walk in Nature followed by meditation and relaxation
Eat fresh seasonal fruits and veggies with nourishing whole grains
Hydrate with plenty of room-temperature water to allow your body to naturally detox
Support the detoxification process with detox tea such as CCF
Keep your activities and engagements minimal and enjoy downtime
Get plenty of rest, sleep is your body’s best time to purify
Journal and reflect on releasing what is no longer serving you and what you hope to cultivate in the season ahead
Listen to your body, honor your needs, and embrace the practices of saucha to purify your body, mind, and spirit for a sweet Spring season!
March - Asteya (Non-Stealing)
Springtime Green Mung Bean Soup Recipe
What is a Mung Bean?
Whole green mung beans, also called green gram, belong to the legume family and are high in nutrients and health benefits. They have a slightly sweet taste and a cooling nature that could even help fight heat stroke.
With their wholesome and cooling nature, you can continue to enjoy these legumes into the summer months, and those with pitta imbalance may find this recipe to be particularly rejuvenative and soothing.
Where to get Mung Beans?
While mung beans are popular other places in the world, we don’t typically see them in US grocery stores.
We recommend buying Banyan Botanical's Green Mung Beans but you can check your local health food store as well.
Recipe Created By Molly McConnell
Molly McConnell is a Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner, RYT 500, and the co-founder of Cultivate Balance, an Ayurvedic practice that centers on collective wellness and radical self-care. Molly collaborates with clients to design an Ayurvedic Lifestyle that inspires re-alignment with nature’s intelligence through intentional nourishment, ritual, and rest. She recently taught a 10-hour Ayurveda Immersion here at Yoga Pearl. If you missed Design Your Life With Ayurveda, you can access the recording here.
Let us know what you think of the soup by tagging us on Instagram @YogaPearl
March - Asteya (Non-Stealing)
As we welcome the thawing of Winter and look ahead to the excitement of Spring — let us reflect on the Yogic Yama of Asteya, the art of non-stealing. In the last weeks of winter that seem to drag on, we may find ourselves looking ahead to brighter days, wishing that the day, week, month, or season would go quickly so we can move on to what's next. Yet in our rush from one thing to the next, we can easily miss the bounty in front of us.
In our yoga postures, we can practice and master pose after pose but what about the spaces in between the poses? The subtle movements and strength of muscles as we gracefully move from one shape to the next. How often are we giving attention to the forgotten or uncomfortable spaces in between, on and off the mat?
When we let go of the urgency to move on to what is next, the stealing of the present moment in favor of thinking about the past or the future, we can begin to flow in harmony. We can find contentment in the present.
March - Asteya (Non-Stealing)
How can you meet yourself where you are today? Honor your heart today, befriend the transitions, and embrace yourself just as you are in the moment. It’s an opportune moment to check in with yourself and seek inspiration from the wisdom of Ayurveda, Yoga’s sister science. To offer insights and guidance, we invite you to take the Dosha Quiz from our partners at Banyan Botanicals.
Find Consistency in Daily Routines
Follow the rhythms of Nature by rising with the Sun and sleeping with the Moon.
Connect within and cultivate balance through Yoga followed by relaxation or meditation.
Eat your meals around the same time each day.
Drink plenty of fresh water and savor tea or coffee as desired.
Wind down in the evening by dimming lights and shutting down your electronic devices about an hour before bed. Use this time to read or connect with loved ones.
If you find yourself wishing you had more time in the day, or feel that your scrolling is getting the best of you — we encourage you to think about where you might be “stealing time” from yourself each day. Creating a supportive "dinacharya", or a daily routine can offer structure to your days for alignment, balance, and harmony.
Let us know how you wind down by tagging us on Instagram @YogaPearl
February - Ahimsa (Non-Violence)
The Sanskrit word for love is the same word for oil: sneha. Ayurvedic abhyanga is the self-love practice of anointing your own body with warmed oil through self-massage. Quite literally, offering love, compassion, and physical touch to every part of your body. Even those parts of your body that you may find challenging to love or accept at times.
Self-massage is a revered practice in Ayurveda for many reasons. The benefits are said to include:
softer, calmer, hydrated skin
increased circulation and lymph drainage to loosen toxins
ease of tension or stress accumulated in muscles or the nervous system
improved sleep
The practice of self-massage can be a meditation in cultivating a loving and compassionate relationship with your body. Each stroke is an expression of care and appreciation for the vessel that carries you through life, fostering a sense of love and acceptance.
February - Ahimsa (Non-Violence)
Ok, ready to give it a try? In the morning or evening, before your shower or bath:
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(Use a high-quality organic oil such as sesame, sunflower, almond, or coconut.)
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Use long strokes on your limbs and circular strokes on your joints. Massage your abdomen and chest in a clockwise, circular motion. Give special attention to any areas of your body where you notice tension.
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(This is a good time for meditation or other self-care practices like trimming your nails.)
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(To protect your drain from oil, use a washcloth or paper towel to remove some of the oil from your skin before showering.)
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February - Ahimsa (Non-Violence)
Our February Picks from Banyan Botanicals:
TULSI ECHINACEA - Loose leaf herbal tea that supports a healthy immune system
DAILY MASSAGE OIL - Loose leaf herbal tea that supports a healthy immune system
SOOTHING SKIN BALM - Cooling and soothing skin salve that saturates and renews
Usr code YOGAPEARL for 15% OFF.