Māgha Māsa – January 4 – February 1

Māgha māsa is an intensely cold month, shrouded in fog and silence. It is a month when the Sun offers little warmth and the earth is hard and blanketed with frost. Māgha māsa also is the start of the second of the two Winter seasons of the subcontinent – Shishir Rtu. This season is also last of the seasons in the Rtu Chakra or annual cycle of seasons. And it is a season of intense change and transition as we go from the bone-chilling cold at the start of Māgha māsa to the balmy warmth of Spring or Basant Rtu.

Māgha māsa itself offers us a slow and subtle transition of energy – in the beginning it is intensely cold but it gradually begins to give us glimpses of warmth.

Winter Blues

Māgha māsa can be a difficult month to navigate both physically and emotionally. The lack of external warmth and the Sun coupled with the fog-shrouded grey world can cause what is commonly characterised as “Winter Blues”. In some individuals this general sense of melancholy can be exacerbated to the point of a form of depression called Seasonal Affective Disorder. Both conditions, in varying degrees, are characterised by a sense of sadness and lethargy. This manifests as a gloomy mood and a lack of desire to engage in activities. There is speculation that it is the lack of abundant sunshine disrupting the circadian rhythms that is behind this sense of melancholy. It is also possible that after the festive cheer of December it is a return to the mundane grind of day-to-day life. The fact that it is the start of the Gregorian calendar New Year can also add to the stress – this is the month when so many of the resolutions made for the New Year need to be put into practice and that is not always easy.

There are some simple ways to combat this sense of sadness if you do feel a bit blue in Māgha māsa.

• Fragrance Therapy: Our sense of smell can have a profound impact on our mood and mind. A burst of citrus scent reminds our mind of sunshine and refreshes our senses. The warming scent of Clove can make our bodies feel warmer psychologically. A floral fragrance fills our mind and senses with delight. Invest in good quality incense or an aromatherapy set. Pick the fragrances that make you feel energised and happy. The gentle glow of the tea candle on the aromatherapy holder is also helpful.
• Be Bright: Colours subliminally impact our mood. The simple act of wearing brighter colours in the depth of Winters can also be an effective mood enhancer. Swap the greys and blacks, the beiges and browns for bright and cheerful colours like red and orange and emerald green. It will subtly lift your mood.

Winter Self Care

Winter is the time of fire – we naturally seek it in all that we do. When we are in a state of health, our digestive fire is also at its strongest during this time. This is a time for nourishing our bodies with warmth and foods that help the body build strength. But while the Kapha dosha dominant Winter season can offer us stability and strength at its best, it also has a downside. In this season many of us become susceptible to congestion, colds and other similar complaints. Moreover, despite being the season of Kapha dominance, “certain Vata-provoking qualities such as dry, cold, and windy are sometimes prominent on winter days.”  Thus, some amount of Vata pacification may also be very helpful. Dr Vasant Lad, an Ayurvedic expert offers two simple practices for dealing with Winter’s impact on our body.

• No Naps: Napping during the daytime should be strictly avoided during Winter as it “will increase Kapha, slow down metabolism, and reduce the gastric fire.”
• Regular intake of a warming tisane after breakfast: Dry Ginger powder ½ teaspoon + Cinnamon powder ½ teaspoon + Clove (either a pinch of the powder or half a Clove). Boil with a cup of water for about 5 minutes. Strain and drink. “This tea will increase heat and Pitta, improve circulation and eliminate mucus from the system. However, if you have an ulcer please don’t drink this tea as it will be too heating,” says Dr Lad.

Along with Dr Lad’s recommendation there are two other practices that can help nourish and nurture our bodies in Māgha māsa.

Abhyanga: Regular self-massage of the body with gently warmed oil such as Sesame or even Mustard at this time of the year is highly beneficial for our bodies and mind. In Ayurvedic understanding of the body, this practice also helps pacify Vata dosha in the body. On a visible note, a regular oil massage keeps our skin supple and nourished. It improves blood circulation as well. Mustard oil is deeply warming oil and Sesame oil penetrates our skin’s layers with ease. Thus, either is an ideal choice during the cold season.

Foot Massage: This simple bedtime ritual can help you sleep better even as it warms you up and helps improve circulation. Use Sesame or Mustard oil to massage the soles of your feet before you get into bed to sleep. It will improve blood circulation in the feet, offer stress relief and also allow you mind to unwind and transition to a calmer state, which can lead to deeper, more restful and restorative sleep. Using Mustard oil to massage the soles of your feet is also said to help relieve eye strain and strengthen eyesight.

Focusing Inwards

The two Rtus of winter – Hemanta and Shishir are both seasons of interiority, a time of inward focus, when we should nurture and nourish both the body and the mind. Like the external world goes silent and still, so should our minds – this is the time to rest, to reflect and through the right practices – rejuvenate ourselves.

A regular Breathing practice – such as different types of Pranayama can offer multiple benefits, such as calming the mind and improved circulation. Dr Lad recommends the practice of Bhastrika (Breath of Fire), which he says, “will cleanse Kapha dosha.” And he goes on to say that it should be followed by a “few minutes of Right Nostril breathing, which promotes circulation and heat.”

In the Vedic world, Shishir Rtu is also the time of Tapasya, at the root of which is the word ‘tap’, which simultaneously embraces nuances of ‘heat, warmth, to shine and to burn’. But how do we understand and embrace Tapasya in our daily life today? At the simplest level it is creating a routine for ourselves and then following it without a break – daily Mantra meditation, a chanting practice, daily journaling, a walk, a workout, the possibilities are endless and unique to each of us. We can choose a practice to help us focus on what we feel needs work in our lives.

Māgha māsa, one of the coldest months of the year is also the penultimate month of the traditional calendar. It begins on a grey note – shrouded in fog. And it is in this month that we honour the earth and acknowledge its abundance with harvest festivals such as Lohri and Pongal.

Māgha māsa also offers us the beauty of stillness and the subtle passage towards a different season of which it offers us the most beautiful glimpse on Basant Panchami. This day, celebrated as the day dedicated to Goddess Saraswati, she who presides over learning and art, is also seen as a day when we experience a whiff of Spring or Basant. Suddenly, tiny flowers, especially yellow ones can be seen blooming in the wild areas and the first green tendrils seem to appear. This is attributed to Kama, the god of desire. Spring supports his efforts to awaken love in the heart of Shiva on this day. Alas, Shiva in his anger at being disturbed in meditation opens his third eye and incinerates Kama. Forty days hence, Kama’s rebirth will be celebrated with Holi and will mark the closure of Shishir rtu and the Samvatsara (annual year). But on Basant Panchami yellow clothes will be worn and Saraswati will be offered flowers and a special Rice dish made with Turmeric and Jaggery. This year Basant Panchami will come on January 23.

May we find warmth and peace this Māgha māsa.