Varsha Ritu: Food, Lifestyle, Prakruti and yoga -

What is Varsha Ritu?

According to Ayurveda Varsha ritu is a period of two months of peak of Monsoon. Varsha ritu comes in Mid-July to September month of a year period.

Beginning of Varsha Ritu

Varsha ritu is First season of ‘Visarga kaal’ of year. Visarga Kal is 6 months of period. During the Visarga Kaal, Sun moves in the southern direction. It is also called Dakshinayan.

‘Restoration of strength – Sun and Earth’s behaviour in Varsha ritu

This period is called Visaraga and it contains three ritus i.e Varsha, Sharad and Hemant.

In this period, during the movement of sun towards southern direction which starts in Varsha ritu and earth moves from hot to cold environment.

Sun releases strength, moon is more powerful and hence earth becomes cool.

In this Kala, wind is not dry and not very pierce. Due to power of moon, snigdhata is increased. Sour, sweet and salty taste will become predominant.

Hence, mother earth produces food, plants, water and medicines with Snigdha gunas i.e. sweet, sour and salt. Due to these 3 rasas, human body gains water, hydration is improved and hence strength of the living being will increases.

But, during the starting of the Visarga Kaal, it means in Varsha ritu the strength is less

Prakruti: Human’s and earth’s nature/dosha

During this season, sun and air becomes not very intense and hence Pita dosha will decrease.
Hence due to such condition Vayu dosha becomes more aggravated.
Increase Vayu and also sun is visible when there is no rainy days and it is like summer, hence sun increases Pitta dosha
Vayu Prakopa and Pitta Sanchay in environment and it will affects mother earth as well, Earth is unable to clean herself effectively and hence disease increases.
Due to Vayu Prakopa the stool become rigid and cause constipation and due to Pitta Sanchay but vayu accumulation the digestion power start becoming weak.

Food for Varsha Ritu

To reduce vayu dosha, one need to take Kapha add pitta related foods one should take food with taste of sour, sweet and salty.

Food to TAKE

Sweet, Salty and Sour

Eat Sweet, Salty and Sour taste foods.

Laghu Foods/Low-Calorie food

Food must be light (Laghu) to have better digestion process.
Light food like Rice, barely, lentils, green gram, sour and salted soups, moong.
User Ginger, lemon, black peeper extensively in your food preparation.

Food to AVOID

No Snigdha food

Foods like deep-fried, pre-cooked/processed
Dry foods without any oiliness e.g. wafers.

Food which aggravates vayu

Uncooked food and vegetables.
Peas, potato, beans, lentils, carbonated drinks, cruciferous vegetables, onions, etc

Guru food (Heavy food) /high-Calorie foods

Avoid very high-calorie intake foods.
Food prepared from Maida (Refined wheat flour)

Tamasic Food

Food with very low pranic energy is called tamasic food or dead food
All Junk foods/Fast foods, All Non-veg foods, Extremely sweet food, carbonated soft drinks, Buffalo milk, Burned foods, Very hot and spicy food, extremely sour foods, etc.

Dincharya (Vihar) for Varsha Ritu

Bathing and cleaning in Varsha ritu:

In Varsha ritu, take Bath with warm water and take bath 2 times in a day.
During varsha ritu, avoid excessive use of Soap.
Ensure your skin must cleaning after sweating otherwise high chance of clogging of skin pores.
Avoid Deodorant in varsha ritu, instead use Gulab jal OR very high-quality Attar. Jasmine flavor of smell is best in varsha ritu.
User good natural face pack (Lepas) or simply rub a cucumber on face for freshness.
Avoid wetting in rain, your body must not be wet for a longer time in a day.

Clothes in Varsha ritu: Which type of clothes should be worn in Varsha ritu?

Light coloured clothes like white, navy blue, mild yellow, etc
Use cotton clothes to wear in this season of Varsha.
Clothes must be thick but it should allow air to reach your skin.
Avoid wearing skin-tight Jeans or such garments in Varsha ritu.

Exercise in Varsha Ritu

Avoid very extreme level of exercise, hence do not go gym in this season.
Do not do daytime vyayam/ exercise, best time is before sunrise and at sunset.
Do yogasana which reduce vayu e.g. Pavanmukta asana, adho mukh savasana etc

Sleep in Varsh Ritu

In this ritu, night is less and day is more, hence day time naps(not sleep) is permitted
Best way is to Sleep early and wake up before sunrise.
If you have sleep issue in this varsha ritu then do Nasya of A2 Cow milk before sleep. Nasya means putting drop of oil/ghee in your nasal passage.
Avoid AC! Yes it increases dryness and not bring fresh air in room and removes humidity, both are not good for seasons like varsha and cause problems to human body
Water based cooling system is good for room, in ancient time curtains soaked in water were used.

Work

Take good amount of water during your working hours.
Avoid to go outside during the noon time (1 -4)
Maintain calm and coolness in your behavior otherwise situation gets worsen in quick time.

Take very light food as described above during lunch and evening time.

Yogasana and Pranayam for Varsha ritu | Yoga and Pranayam in Monsoon

In Varsha ritu, as vayu dosha aggravated, Pitta dosha is accumulating and hence we propose yogasana which can decrease vayu dosha and reduce pitta dosha in accumulation.

Chandra bhedana Pranayama

Chandrabhedan pranayama is very simple breathing technique. Bhedan means enter through something. Chandra means moon. Hence, Chandra bhedan means entering into Chandra (cool) energy.

Steps to do Chandra Bhedana Pranayam | Procedure to do Chandrabhedan pranayama

Sit into Sukhasana Or Padmasana. Keep the spine straight.
Make Pranav mudra Or just bring right hand thumb to right nostril and press/close it gently
Now take deep inhalation from left nostril and after inhalation do exhalation from the left nostril.
Repeat this from left (inhalation) to right (exhalation) process for next 5 minutes.
After 5 minutes relax and do deep breathing for 2 to 3 minutes

When you should not do Chandra bhedan pranayama?

If you are suffering from Ashthama, Low blood pressure, cold and cough then do not do Chandra bhedan pranayama

Pavanmuktasana

Pavan means air and mukt means release. Hence it is air releasing asana. In varsha ritu, vayu is aggravated and hence Pavanmuktasana is very suitable to do.

Steps to do Pavanmuktasana | Procedure to do Muktasana

Lie on you back and flat.
Keep your legs adjoining together. Now bend the knees and place leg palms grounded.
Raise the both legs towards the stomach, bring thighs closer to chest.
Inhale deeply and during exhalation raise your face and try to connect your chin with knees.
Hold this position for few seconds and do normal breathing.
Practice this asana for 5 minutes.

Savasana

Sava means body in death state. Hence savasana means body is so relaxed that it looks like body does not have any movement of life. Savasana is relaxation pose and people do after all yogasana practice. Savasana calms central nervous system, reduces stress, reduces headache, fatigue and anxiety, helps in lowering blood pressure.

Steps to do Savasana | Procedure to do Savasana

Lie on your back on mat and do not take support of cushion. Close your eyes.
Keep distance between your leg and place your arms alongside with your body. Keep your palm open and facing towards sky.
Give your ‘load’ of body towards the mother earth. Just relax. Maintain steadiness.
Start your attention towards your palm of your legs (both legs).
Take deep breath and visualize it come in from both of your legs.
Visualize the breath is in form of golden sun rays and it travels into your body.
Keep doing deep breath and slowly move upwards from palm of legs to ankle to knees and so on.
On every deep inhalation visualize sun ray coming in body and on every deep exhalation feel the relaxation.
Keep doing deep inhalation and exhalation till you reach head and then start again from head to toe again.
Do savasana for 10 to 20 minutes and then slowly get up.

Utttanpadasana

Uttan means upword and pada means legs. Hence rise your legs. This is extremely good asana for stomach.

In Varsh ritu, Digestion power become very weak and hence stomach needs to do overwork to digest food. Stomach is governed by Samana vayu and it is responsible for digestion. Hence it is advisable to make saman vayu very strong in varsha ritu

Steps to do Uttanpadasana | Procedure to do Uttanpadasana

Lie on your back side and keep your legs grounded.
Keep you hands alongside and put your palms facing downward.
Inhale deeply and slowly and lift your both legs and bring it to 45 degree angle. Keep your knees straight.
Hold the position and take normal breathing for 30 seconds.
Now, exhale slowly and bring both legs towards floor but slowly.
Do such 5 rounds and take rest.
For beginners, do not hold for 30 seconds but take 2-3 breaths and hold.