These times of the year can be easy for some of us and bad for others. So how do you stay healthy during the seasonal transitions from summer to autumn? What should we pay attention to during seasonal changes?
As we begin to transition from summer to the cooler season of autumn, we find ourselves shifting gears and returning to more structured routines. For some people, this may mean scheduling daily activities around pets, school, work, homework, mealtimes, exercise, spending time with friends and family, and personal rest time for focused rejuvenation.
For some people, transitioning to autumn may be a simpler transition to adapting to the change in weather and fewer daylight hours; this affects everything from the time we do work to our exercise regimens and what kind of meals we prepare. For most of us, it’s a combination of all these things.
Whatever our individual styles, it turns out that each of us — at this time of year — needs to be placed at the seasonal crossroads, with greater awareness of how to stay healthy between Summer and fall. There are three things that will make the transition easier.
Seasonal Cleansing for a Healthy Body
The transition between summer and fall is a great time of year to get your seasonal clean or juice quick. As we know, seasonal cleaning cleanses our body of all kinds of toxins, pollutants, harsh chemicals, pesticides and other but (toxic residue) substances that our physical body accumulates during the summer.
The cleansers will help cleanse and finalize the internal organs, cells and tissues of the body and will remove impurities that do not serve us.
Meditation for a Healthy Life
One of the most powerful things we can do for ourselves during seasonal changes is to set aside some quiet time that doesn’t involve agenda. This ‘downtime’ allows us to simply be; connecting with stillness, experiencing silence, and introducing ourselves to the ever-present witness that is our essential nature.
Through the inactive participation of honoring quiet time at some point each day, we are able to relate aspects of activity and rest in a way that creates a dynamic state of balance within.
If you’ve walked away from your silent meditation practice, now is the time to start over. If you’re rushing from one activity to another from a busy summer season, find time to sit quietly in nature or your favorite place and just listen.
If your meditation practice is solid and you use your sacred quiet space frequently, perhaps it is time to delve deeper into this stillness with the practice of yoga nidra.
Recapitulation
Introducing the practice of recapitalization at the end of each day can also be a powerful, informed choice tool. Recapitulating (or repeating) your day allows you to play your day in your mind’s eye and enter a state of witness awareness where it is possible to observe your choices and determine if there are any changes you want to make.
- Recapitulation is best done at the end of each day, just before going to sleep at night. Here is an easy-to-follow guide to practicing recapitulation. The whole process should only take a minute or two.
- Sit upright on your bed and close your eyes.
- Take a few deep breaths and settle into your space comfortably.
- Start playing your day on the screen of your awareness.
- Begin from the moment you wake up and work your way through each of your experiences, speeches, and actions so far.
- Play through your day relatively quickly—as if you’re watching a reel of film—don’t spend too much time on the details.
Just observe. - When you’re done, go to bed at night and sleep well.