Unlocking the power of seasons: how Ritucharya enhances your well-being!

Unlocking the power of seasons: how Ritucharya enhances your well-being!

The term "Ritu" means season, and "Charya" means regimen.

It's all about understanding how to live in harmony with nature's cycles to maintain our physical and mental well-being.

In Ayurveda, the year is divided into six seasons, each lasting two months.

These seasons are:

  • Shishira Ritu (Winter)
  • Vasant Ritu (Spring)
  • Grishma Ritu (Summer)
  • Varsha Ritu (Monsoon)
  • Sharad Ritu (Autumn)
  • Hemant Ritu (Late Autumn/Pre-Winter)

 

Each season requires specific dietary and lifestyle adjustments to balance our doshas (energies) and maintain overall health. For example, during winter, we should focus on warming foods and exercises, while in summer, we should opt for cooling foods and relaxation.

Ayurvedic practices, such as dinacharya (daily routine) and ritucharya (seasonal routine), help individuals adapt to their environment and lifestyle.

 Guide to practice Ritucharya:

Shishira (Winter)

  1. Diet: Warm, nourishing, oily, and sweet foods (meat, milk, ghee)
  2. Lifestyle: Exercise, sleep, warmth, and relaxation
  3. Avoid: Cold, light, and dry foods

Spring (Vasanta Ritu)

  1. Wake up early (before sunrise)
  2. Follow light diet (laghu ahara)
  3. Eat sweet, sour, and salty tastes
  4. Perform gentle exercises (vyayama)
  5. Take warm baths (ushna snana)
  6. Apply cooling oils

Summer (Grishma Ritu)

  1. Stay cool, avoid excessive heat
  2. Eat cooling foods
  3. Avoid excessive physical activity
  4. Take cool baths (shita snana)
  5. Apply cooling oils
  6. Rest during peak sun hours

Monsoon (Varsha Ritu)

  1. Follow moderate diet
  2. Eat sweet, sour, and salty tastes
  3. Avoid excessive water intake
  4. Perform gentle exercises
  5. Take warm baths
  6. Apply nourishing oils (pushtikara abhyanga)

Autumn (Sharad Ritu)

  1. Follow light diet
  2. Eat sweet and bitter tastes
  3. Perform moderate exercises
  4. Take lukewarm baths
  5. Abhyanga
  6. Avoid excessive cold

Winter (Hemanta Ritu)

  1. Wake up late (after sunrise)
  2. Follow nourishing diet (pushtikara ahara)
  3. Eat heating foods (ushna ahara)
  4. Perform vigorous exercises
  5. Take warm baths
  6. Apply warming oils
Back to blog