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According to Ayurveda everything is governed by the 5 elements – Air, Ether, Fire, Water, Earth.  These elements pair together to make up a Dosha.  A Dosha can be defined as a particular pattern of energy that creates your unique physical, emotional, and mental being.  We all have each of the Doshas in us, but typically we have the predominance of one. A Doshas prominence can also be witnessed in the seasons and times of day. 

The three main doshas are Kapha, Pitta, Vata. Kapha is made up of earth and water and offers us stability.  Vata is air and ether and offers us movement.  Pitta is fire and water it is the force behind digestion. 

Pitta is the force that helps us transform and metabolise.  It basically helps us take the outside in and make that part of us.   On a mental level it promotes clear thinking, taking in  new information, and the gift of discernment.   It supports self – confidence and allows us to be organised.

People who’s make up is predominantly Pitta typically will have really good digestion and elimination. They will have a menstrual cycle that is regular with a moderate flow.  They are really good decision makers, make excellent leaders, and know how to get stuff done.

Out of balance pitta will cause:

• Loose stools and heartburn (think fire element here)
• Known to become ‘Hangry’ when missing a meal
• Excessive feelings of heat in the body
• Red or irritated skin
• Feelings of frustration, anger, and irritability
• Judgment, impatience, criticism, and intolerance
• Excessive perfectionism
• Menstruation that is heavy, hot & intense

Overall tips to balance Pitta:

• Eat cooling foods & spices like fennel, coriander, cucumber, & coconut
• Herbal teas like mint, lemon balm, peppermint, lime
• Surrendering rather than controlling
• A supportive daily routine with regular times for eating, sleeping, working, and so on. Make sure you make time to play and to relax as well as to work
• Spend time around water, enjoy a dip in the ocean or river
• Keep your mind and body cool
• Enjoy sweet and soothing music, smells, scenes, and company
• Giving yourself ample time to wind down in the evenings without screens or to-do lists. Going to bed by 10 p.m. to support sound, restful sleep

How to work with the power of Pitta throughout the day:

Ever wonder why you were able to get 50 things done in the morning with ease and then come afternoon you are struggling to do anything.  That is because Pitta is strongest from 10 am – 2pm.  This is the best time of the day to be productive.  It can be really helpful to schedule in tasks related to planning, organising & focused work, and getting those emails sent.   It’s also helpful to note when the sun is at it’s highest, as this is said to be the best time of the day to eat our largest meal.  Which makes sense if we are in line with fire being the element that governs digestion.

10pm – 2am is when the body enters a state of cleansing and detoxification.  This is the time of day in which the liver works it’s hardest, digesting all it has processed during the day including emotions.  Being in rest state at this time of the day can have wonderful benefits for your overall health – including alleviating uncomfortable symptoms associated with menstruation. 

Summertime – the season of Pitta.

In summertime the fire element is at it’s strongest in line with the longevity of the sun.  We are reaching out to feel the heat in our bones and bodies.  The sparks of possibility and joy emanate from all around us.  Living in Ireland, an island in the North Atlantic, does not allow overindulgence in the fire element, with a consistent wet and heavy climate.  However, we do have daylight for up to 17 hours a day.  This can make getting a good night’s sleep quite difficult, particularly if you are a lover of catching sunrises and sunsets.  There is a level of changing your routine to adjust as well as making sure you are getting enough rest and fun time.  As with all things fire it is easy to burn out. Adapt recommendations from tips to balance Pitta outlined above. 

If you are interested in this topic and would like to learn more about how Ayurveda can support your overall wellbeing, get in touch by booking a free discovery call.

One of my favourite memories as a kid was running out to the garden and picking daisies and primroses for my mom. She praised my efforts like she had received a gift straight from the Gods.  Said flowers were placed in the obligatory eggcup, and placed on the hall table in front of the statue of Holy Mary.  I didn’t grow up in a religious house. However, every May there was always a certain emphasis placed on our Holy Mother, and that hall table always became a sacred place of worship – which I’m very proud to say my child picked flowers played a role. 

While Mom wasn’t religious, she was worshipping and honouring the feminine. She was playing homage to something that represented love, compassion, understanding even in the midst of hardship.  It was a worship to the sacred that birthed an incredible human into this Earth. She, who continued to be a symbol of hope and peace even in the face of hardship.

As I’ve grown through life finding and developing my own spiritual path which has taken many routes from Irish Catholicism to something that has no definition. I become more and more fascinated by the meaning and association behind the pagan festivals, their deep association with nature, and the intertwining of Christianity into these festivals.

Bealtaine the halfway point between the equinox and the summer solstice. It symbolises new life, creation & fertility it is the beginning of the Celtic summer, the light season of the year ahead.  It is a time to connect with nature spirits. People celebrated by wearing flowers in their hair and placing them around their doors and windows. Our childhood May altar, was no coincidence.

The tradition was to build fires and jump over the flames.  Young women would leap into it to ensure their fertility, and couples would leap to strengthen the bond.  The fires were also a symbol of protection and an honour to the Gods in the hopes for the bountiful harvest to come; and of course, feeding that evolutionary human need to sit around the fire and have the chats. They partied, bartered in cattle & did some mad stuff with sacrificing. They believed in Bealtaine like in Samhain (Halloween), the veils between the 2 worlds, was at its thinnest.

Our ancestors depended on nature in a way that we don’t, in a way that I don’t think our modern life can even fully comprehend.  They were stargazers and astrologers, and build places of worship for each of the seasons, surrounded by wells and magic trees. They understood and worshiped the light, accepting the dark, and being at one with our divine Earth Mother. Herein lies the connection between the 2 beliefs, and how both were in fact, honouring the same thing – the feminine!

In our modern world can we find a way of connecting with the changing seasons and these festivals in a way that is fitting with ourselves? Rituals can be very complex or as simple as picking a daisy with an intention or evoking a fond memory. It can be as easy to celebrate by taking pleasure in life and enjoying the gifts of nature and the goddess. 

 It’s a very personal path, and for some of us, we live in a world where we are blessed to have freedom to find meaning & get our spiritual cup filled in a way that suits us.  Ironically for me, once I began to understand the deeper meaning behind the pagan festivals, I developed a new appreciation for the Christian celebrations attached.

I’ve included some really straight forward and easy rituals to help get you started or to try something new, and remember intention is everything!!

Ways to celebrate

• Celebrate by lighting a fire or lighting a red, orange or yellow candle to symbolise the fire.
• Spend some time in nature observing the growing season .
• Create a May altar by picking flowers from your garden or the roadside, include a candle and an object of devotion.
• Do some journalling on what is bountiful in your life.
• Have a party & wear some flowers in your hair.
• Make a daisy chain.

A gentle reminder if you are going out into nature picking flowers, only take what you need as these are food sources and homes for Earths little creatures.

I’d love to hear your feedback, so please feel free to share your experiences or if you have any other fond memories or rituals of your own that you would like to share, please email them to sharon@apricitywellbeing.ie