Snippets of Ayurvedic Wisdom November 2025
- Dr. Arlini Singh
- Nov 26
- 4 min read
Easing into Early Winter: Gentle Grounding and Gratitude
1. A Warm Reflection
Namaste, dear friends 🌸
It’s hard to believe we’ve already reached the last week of November!
The days have grown short, the air has that familiar chill, and Burlington is beginning to settle quietly into early winter.
If you’ve been feeling a bit tired, dry, or scattered lately — you’re not alone. The transition from fall to winter is when Vata dosha tends to take centre stage. Life speeds up just as nature slows down, and we often find ourselves caught between the two rhythms.
This is your gentle reminder to pause, breathe, and soften into the season. Ayurveda invites us to see late November as a time not for doing more, but for doing less — to rest, reflect, and prepare for the deeper winter months ahead.
2. Seasonal Wisdom: Between Fall and Winter (Hemanta to Shishira Ritu)
In the Ayurvedic calendar, we’re now moving from Hemanta Ritu (early winter) toward Shishira Ritu (deep winter).
This is a natural turning point — a time to protect your inner warmth and strengthen your immunity (Ojas) before the snow and cold fully arrive.
What happens energetically now:
The cold, dry winds of late fall increase Vata — leading to dryness, restlessness, or difficulty sleeping.
The body begins storing energy and building Kapha, which will support us through the months ahead.
Digestive fire (Agni) is strong — a good time to enjoy nourishing, warm meals that ground and strengthen.
Ayurveda’s wisdom for this threshold:
“As the earth settles and quiets, so should we.”
Focus on warmth, oiling, rest, and gratitude — all qualities that balance the light, mobile nature of Vata.
3. Grounding Before Winter – Simple Ayurvedic Ways to Rebalance After a Busy Month
Late November is often filled with preparation — for holidays, family gatherings, or just keeping up with life’s pace before December’s rush. It’s easy to forget to care for ourselves during this time. Ayurveda teaches that our well-being depends on staying connected to rhythm — not rushing past it.
Here are a few gentle, Ayurvedic ways to ground and replenish right now:
🌿 1. Return to Routine
Even small rituals help calm Vata. Try to wake, eat, and sleep at consistent times each day.
Keep your mornings slow — drink warm water, oil your body, and enjoy breakfast without distraction.
🔥 2. Feed the Digestive Fire (Agni)
Your digestive fire is at its strongest now, but it needs steady, warm fuel.
Choose soups, dals, porridges, and cooked grains over raw or cold foods.
Add ginger, cumin, cinnamon, and black pepper — spices that support digestion and circulation.
💧 3. Lubricate and Hydrate
Vata season brings dryness to skin, joints, and even the mind.
Massage your body with warm sesame or almond oil before your shower.
Drink warm water or herbal teas throughout the day — hydration is internal nourishment.
🕯️ 4. Cultivate Inner Warmth
Beyond physical warmth, Ayurveda encourages emotional warmth — connection, gratitude, laughter, and stillness.
Spend time with loved ones, light candles, and take a few minutes each evening to list what you’re grateful for.
🌸 5. Rest, Reflect, and Restore
You don’t have to finish the year running. Nature is slowing down — and you can, too.
Allow rest to be your medicine. Sleep early, read nourishing books, or listen to calming music.
4. Simple Routine Tips for Late November
Time Tip Why It Helps
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Start your day with warm water and a slice of ginger Awaken digestion and circulation
Midday Enjoy your largest meal between 12–1 PM Agni (digestive fire) is strongest
Afternoon Take a brief walk in sunlight Supports mood and Vitamin D
Evening Massage feet with warm oil before bed Calms the nervous system and promotes sleep
5. Ayurvedic Recipe of the Month: Hearty Mung Bean and Tomato Soup
This recipe is one of my favourites. I first cooked this soup when we were living in Newfoundland, and it was difficult to get fresh vegetables. Mung beans (like all lentils) was easy as it could be stored easily and still provide a good warm and hearty meal, especially when the temperatures had dipped. This soup also pairs beautifully with rice or crackers or even any hard cheese, you may have.
Ingredients:
1 cup whole green mung beans
7 ¼ cups water
1 t fresh ginger, minced
½ t fresh green chilli
2 ripe tomatoes, grated
2 t brown sugar
1 ½ t salt
2 T fresh lemon juice
2 T ghee or olive oil
1 ½ t cumin seeds
¼ t asafoetida powder (found in Indian grocery stores)
2 T chopped cilantro or parsley
Method:
Wash and drain the mung beans.
In a large pot, boil the beans, water, turmeric, ginger and chili over high heat.
Once the soup comes to a boil, reduce the heat to moderately low and cover with a tight-fitting lid and boil for about 45 minutes to 1 hour until the beans become soft.
Add the grated tomatoes, sugar, salt and lemon juice.
Continue to simmer for about 5 minutes to allow the flavours to fuse and settle in.
Meanwhile, in another smaller pan, heat the ghee or olive oil and add the cumin seeds until they turn a golden brown.
Saute the asafetida for a short while and then add to the soup.
Serve hot.
Mung beans provides about 14g of plant protein and 15g of fiber. They are especially rich in folate (about 321 mcg per cup) plus magnesium, pottassium, iron and zinc which supports energy, nerve function and healthy blood.
7. Closing Words
As November comes to a close and winter quietly arrives, I invite you to take a slow, grateful breath.
Feel the warmth of your home, the comfort of familiar routines, and the gentle rhythm of nature guiding you inward.
This is the time to honuor rest as medicine — to let your body and mind recharge, so you can move into December feeling nourished, not depleted.
Wishing you warmth, health, and peaceful moments as the season deepens.
With love and wellness,
Dr. Arlini Singh (B.A.,LL.B; Ay.D)
Ayurvedic Doctor
289-768-7303
Comments