From where I sit in Switzerland, I see kids already back to school, biking the streets with their backpacks, small children walking with their reflectors and both parents and children experiencing yet another transition from summer to back to school. Even if you don’t have children and or they are already out of school, end of summer typically presents this feeling of moving from holiday rhythm to stressful mode.
In Ayurveda, planning in advance for transitions makes for smooth, healthy passages. We see this with seasonal transitions known at Ritu Sandhi. Ritu in sanskrit means season and Sandhi means meeting place or junction. In India, there are six Ritu Sandhi’s. This is interesting to me as there are only four seasons. And understandable as rainy season is also taken into account.
6 Ritu Sandhi’s (Seasonal Transitions)
- Late winter and Early Spring
- Spring and Summer
- Summer and Rainy Season
- Rainy season and Autumn
- Autumn and Winter
- Winter season and Late Winter
Ritu Charya is the time in between transitions where sticking to a seasonal regimen promotes balance, health and a peaceful state of mind. Charya meaning regimen.
While the transition from summer holiday to back to school and or work, does not meet the criteria for one of the six Ritu Sandhi’s, it is still a transition. And, in my opinion should be approached in a similar way to seasonal transition. The rule of thumb with Ritu Sandhi is to gradually change diet, lifestyle and behavior 7 days before the actual change and 7 days after. Hence, you spend 14 days gradually prepping for the shift.
So what would happen if you spent 7 days transitioning from holiday status to school/work mode? And continued for another 7 days while working and or going to school? What would that look like? Perhaps…..
- Moving toward a scheduled daily routine
- Rising with the sun
- Incorporating a set time in your day for exercise, yoga, meditation and or pranayama
- Preparing lunch for either your kids and or just you
- Making a sustainable breakfast that carries to lunch
- Starting to arrange daily activities and logistics in advance
- Planning light supper menus early in the week
- Lights out early, sleeping by 10:00pm!
Summer time lends itself to sleeping late, unscheduled meal times, spontaneity, and late nights. This seems to be the Ritu Charya, Seasonal Regimen of Summer! And, since we are moving away from this Season, perfect time to reintroduce daily routine, more emphasis on scheduled meal times, waking with the sun and being in bed before 10:00pm. Would love to hear how this goes for you!! Always striving to Find Balance!!
Find Your Balance Me 