FALLING INTO ABUNDANCE
“Autumn can be a time of exciting new changes, as well as a time to focus on healthy lifestyle routines. Ayurveda encourages us to find health and balance and to welcome the new season by focusing on how we can better eat, digest, and create new habits for a peaceful internal and external existence.”
– Karta Purkh Singh Khalsa, A.D., D.N.-C., R.H.
Autumn is a time of change! We feel it clearly in the weather, experience it in back-to-school routines and end of summer shifts. Daylight is waning and the abundance of the harvest is upon us. Its the perfect time to re-evaluate our physical and mental health and focus on the management of money and our mindset around it.
When we use the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda, which gives us tried and true tools to help identify imbalance and remedies to get back into balance, we can literally Fall into Abundance.
USING THE ANCIENT WISDOM OF AYURVEDA FOR BALANCE 
“Ayurveda is a holistic system of medicine that is indigenous to and widely practiced in India. This healing system has been practiced in daily life in India for more than 5,000 years.
According to the teachings of Ayurveda, every human being has four biological and spiritual instincts: religious, financial, procreative and the instinct towards freedom. Balanced good health is the foundation for the fulfillment of these instincts.” The Science of Self-Healing, A Practical Guide, by Dr. Vasant Lad.
One of the basic concepts of Ayurvedic science is the capability of the individual for self-healing. We can do this by identifying imbalances in our tendencies. In Ayurveda, there are three types of core constitutions: kapha, vata and pitta. Everyone is at least one of these core constitutions inherently, often a combination of two or rarely all 3. Our core constitution is with us at birth and never changes throughout our lives. However, everyone can experience an imbalance in any of the dosha types at any time.
When you notice that you have any of the following tendencies or excesses, use the remedies in the chart below to get back into balance. The chart I’ve created below all relates to money tendencies. Within Ayurveda, there are many other physical and emotional imbalances that can be added outside of money.
VATA
Spending Habits of: Emotional and Physical Excess:
Vata – spends quickly, impulsively Fearful, Anxious, Insecure, adjust easily to
trifles money, ungrounded, prone to change, may need to develop boldness,
money worries, retail therapy worries too much, cold, dry, cracking
REMEDIES to Balance Vata: Grounding practices, meditation, a mantra, wearing the color red on the lower half of the body especially (shoes, pants, skirt, socks, underwear), using a heavy essential oils such as Vetiver, eating or drinking grounding foods (see 21 Ayurvedic Practices for Transitioning into Autumn). Keep warm by bundling up, hydrate with probiotics, Essential Fatty Acids such as ghee and electrolytes such as pink himalayan salt.Grounding and Connecting to what is coming and going money-wise by WRITING it DOWN (see my Boss Budgeting Blueprinttool).
Set intentions with your money. Consistency is key for Vata. Putting an automatic deduction in place to a savings account, or sitting down at the same time each week or month to review finances would be very good. Pacify the need for retail therapy or spending sprees by setting a non-negotiable budget and going to a small ticket retailer such as a hobby store, thrift store, dollar store, etc.
PITTA
Spending Habits of: Emotional and Physical Excess:
Pitta – spends moderately, methodically aggressive, irritable, jealous, ambitious
good money managers, sharp reasoning angry, hot-headed, over-heated, risk-taking
skills, clear-headed
REMEDIES to Balance Pitta: Soothing and cooling practices such as breath work, using a harmonious or cooling essential oil such as Ylang-Ylang or Peppermint, eating or drinking cooling foods and herbs (such as coriander, dill, mint, aloe vera, greens). Hydrate with coconut water and use a cooling essential fatty acid like coconut oil. Have checks and balances in place to avoid impulsive spending, or spending on very large ticket items. Having a budget in place with allowances, as well as automatic transfers to a savings would also help Pitta.
KAPHA Spending Habits : Emotional and Physical Excess: spends slowly, saves, spends on greedy, attached, self- contented, excess
food, breadwinners, caretakers tolerant, calm, cold, dense, excess of mucous
REMEDIES to Balance Kapha: Set a monthly allowance for spending, on things other than necessary expenses such as fun and charitable giving, that is non-negotiable. Set goals for larger purchases such as vacations. Setting limits on spending esp. food or gift giving would also benefit Kapha. Having a budget to show what spending is covering bills, what is going to save and what is available for discretionary spending can also help Kapha.
Remember that if you want to increase any of the above tendencies, you would incorporate the remedies of that dosha. Just remember to keep everything as balanced as possible. Being in excess does not equate to abundance in your money life. Incorporating these remedies, however, you should be able to counteract the diminishing tendencies of the fall season, and keep and increase your abundance.
If you enjoy this holistic approach to money and money management, other Money Boss articles you may enjoy:
- Ayurveda and Money: Using Ayurvedic Wisdom to Help with Your Money
- Thrive with a New Chance to Re-Set
Resources
The Yoga of Herbs: An Ayurvedic Guide to Herbal Medicine, by Dr. David Frawley and Dr. Vasant Lad
Michelle Boss is a Personal Finance Coach and Certified Financial Education Instructor. She is certified through the NFEC. As a Professional Money Coach, Michelle helps successful women get smart with money so they can grow their wealth and finally feel financially secure. With Michelle’s Group and One-to-one Coaching Sessions, she helps take the Fear out of Finances.