Ojas October: Nourishing Your Inner Radiance and Resilience
- Jennifer Peck
- Oct 5, 2025
- 4 min read
As the air cools and the days shorten, autumn invites us to slow down, turn inward, and nourish stability. The trees release their leaves with grace, reminding us that letting go can be a beautiful act of renewal. Yet for many, this seasonal transition can feel unsteady—especially when our lives are also shifting in other ways. Whether we’re navigating menopause, recovering from stress, or simply adjusting to the rhythms of fall, our bodies and minds crave grounding. In Ayurveda, this essence of stability and vitality has a name: ojas.
What Is Ojas?
In Ayurvedic wisdom, ojas is considered the vital essence that gives us strength, immunity, and a radiant glow. It is the purest form of energy in the body—the final refinement of all the tissues (dhatus). When ojas is abundant, we feel calm, clear, and resilient. When it is depleted, we may feel anxious, weak, fatigued, or more susceptible to illness.
As written in the Charaka Samhita:
“Ojas is the essence of all the dhatus; it is the living being’s strength. When ojas is diminished, the body perishes; when it is full, the body flourishes.”
In simple terms, ojas is our inner nectar—the substance that sustains life, health, and joy. It is our immunity, our stability, our glow from within.
Ojas and the Season of Transition
Autumn marks the rise of Vata dosha, governed by air and ether—qualities that are light, dry, cool, and mobile. These same qualities can leave us feeling scattered, depleted, or ungrounded if not balanced with warmth and nourishment. This is why Ayurveda calls for building ojas in the fall: to root ourselves in steadiness while nature invites change.
In my own experience, I’ve seen how nurturing ojas supports smoother life transitions. Over the past weeks of my own menopausal journey, I’ve noticed how my hot flashes have eased, my energy feels steadier, and my mood more balanced—signs, I believe, of years of cultivating ojas through nourishment, rest, and mindful living. Menopause offers a beautiful example of this process, serving as a bridge between personal experience and universal truth—showing how ojas sustains us through transformation and change. During times of transition—whether hormonal, emotional, or seasonal—ojas acts as our reserve of strength and stability. When nourished through daily routines, wholesome food, and rest, this essence helps us move through transformation with greater ease.
Ojas and Immunity
Just as nurturing ojas steadies us through seasonal and life-stage transitions, it also fortifies our overall resilience and immunity.
As we move toward cold and flu season, ojas becomes our first line of defense. When ojas is strong, our immune system functions optimally; when it is low, our resistance weakens. This is why Ayurveda teaches that cultivating ojas through rest, nourishment, and self-care is not only about feeling good—it’s about staying well.
Charaka describes ojas as the very foundation of vitality and longevity:
“In whom ojas is strong, that person lives long, is cheerful, and immune to disease.”
By nurturing ojas, we build a natural shield that protects us from both physical and emotional stressors.
How to Build Ojas
Nourish with Ojas-Building Foods
Choose warm, moist, and grounding meals: soups, stews, kitchari, ghee, whole grains, root vegetables, and milk or nut milks spiced with cardamom, cinnamon, or turmeric. Sweet, unctuous, and mildly spiced foods are ideal. Avoid processed, cold, or overly light foods that deplete nourishment.
Prioritize Rest and Routine
Ojas thrives on rhythm. Maintain consistent sleep and meal times, and honor your need for restoration. Early evenings and slow mornings are especially healing this time of year.
Practice Loving Self-Touch
Daily or weekly Abhyanga (warm oil massage) deeply replenishes ojas. During October, my Twilight Treatments on Wednesday evenings (4:30PM & 6PM) are designed to support this exact need—offering either Abhyanga or Vishesh bodywork at a 15% discount. These treatments calm the nervous system, lubricate the tissues, and nourish ojas from the inside out.
Cultivate Stillness and Heart Energy
Gentle yoga, breathwork, meditation, and Reiki all restore prana and convert it into ojas. My next Reiki Restorative Yoga session on Sunday, October 19 at 3PM is a beautiful opportunity to embody this practice—a sacred pause for the body, mind, and soul.
Spend Time in Nature and Connection
Walk slowly through fallen leaves, share warm meals with loved ones, or simply sit under the autumn sky. Love, connection, and gratitude all enhance ojas.
Honoring Your Ojas
Ojas is not something we can buy or rush. It is cultivated slowly, through mindful living and self-compassion. In a world that often glorifies doing, ojas reminds us of the power of being. This month, as you move through the golden days of autumn, I invite you to honor your ojas by slowing down, nourishing deeply, and choosing practices that replenish your life force.
Join me this Ojas October for a month of grounding, glow, and renewal.
✨ Twilight Treatments: Wednesdays at 4:30PM & 6PM – Abhyanga or Vishesh, 15% off all month.
✨ Reiki Restorative Yoga: October 19 at 3PM.Stay tuned for my upcoming Ojas Harvest Roast recipe and more practices to help you restore your radiance this season.
✨ Rooted in Autumn Yoga Series: Begins October 29th – a 4-week journey designed to explore nourishing ojas and balancing Vata season through movement, mindfulness, and Ayurvedic wisdom. Sign up by Friday, October 10th to receive $15 off (Regularly $115) with coupon code AUTUMNYOGA2025.
From My Heart to Yours
As we settle deeper into autumn, I hope you feel inspired to slow down and savor the quieter rhythms of this season. Building ojas isn’t about doing more—it’s about softening into presence and remembering that nourishment begins within. May your days be filled with warmth, gentle light, and steady energy.
With love and gratitude,
Jennifer
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