October is Menopause Awareness Month, a time to open up conversations around a natural transition that every woman experiences differently. Ayurveda offers another perspective: rather than viewing menopause simply as a collection of symptoms to manage, it sees this chapter as a profound shift in the body, mind and way we move through life.
In Ayurveda, the later stages of life are increasingly governed by Vata dosha, the energy of air and space, characterised by movement, lightness, change and subtlety. Menopause is therefore considered a Vata-led transition, although individual experiences can also involve Pitta or Kapha.
This doesn't mean menopause is an imbalance in itself. It is a natural passage. But as Vata qualities increase, the body may ask for something different: more nourishment, more warmth, more consistency and, perhaps most importantly, more time to pause.
What does Vata have to do with menopause?
Vata governs movement and change within the body. As we enter this chapter, hormonal changes can coincide with qualities traditionally associated with Vata: dryness, lightness, restlessness and variability.
For some women, this might show up as skin and hair feeling drier than before. For others, it can mean disrupted sleep, a feeling of being mentally scattered, increased stress or difficulty finding stillness. Ayurveda also recognises that the experience isn't one-size-fits-all; hot flushes and irritability, for example, can reflect an additional Pitta influence.
The Ayurvedic response isn't to resist these changes, but to create their opposite.
Where there is dryness, bring oil and nourishment.
Where there is restlessness, bring rhythm.
Where there is overstimulation, bring stillness.
Where there is depletion, bring replenishment.
It is a beautiful reminder that sometimes doing less can be a powerful form of self-care.
Nourish the skin with oil
One of the simplest ways Ayurveda traditionally works with Vata is through snehana, the practice of oiling and nourishing the body. Regular oil massage, or abhyanga, is traditionally used to soothe Vata and bring a sense of grounding while nourishing dry skin.
The perfect place to start is with the Surrender Vata Body Oil, specially formulated for the vata dosha, it's infused with frankincense, chamomile and vetiver to ground, warm and calm the senses and bring the mind back into balance.
For the face, an oil-rich ritual can also feel particularly beneficial.
Supreme Skin Face Serum brings together sixteen Ayurvedic botanicals in a lightweight facial oil designed to replenish dry skin and support it through hormonal changes. Warm two or three drops between your palms before pressing gently into freshly cleansed skin, allowing the ritual itself to become a moment of pause.
For an extra layer of nourishment, follow with Lotus & Bakuchi Skin Harmony Cream. This cream was specifically designed for hormonal or menopausal skin Together, the serum and cream form Mauli's two-step Radiance Ritual — a simple approach to skin that feels increasingly relevant when dryness and sensitivity become part of the picture.
The intention isn't to chase younger-looking skin. It's to care for the skin you are in, with more attention and less urgency.
Create a rhythm for better rest
Vata is inherently mobile. When it becomes excessive, Ayurveda associates it with a busy mind, difficulty settling and disturbed sleep.
This is where ritual becomes more than skincare.
A consistent evening rhythm can help create a clear transition between doing and being. Dim the lights. Put your phone away. Take a warm bath. Massage oil into your body. Practise a few slow breaths. Then mist a calming aromatherapy blend like Sleep Dharma Pillow Mist over your pillow and let scent become a cue that the day is coming to a close.
It may sound simple, but Ayurveda places great importance on dinacharya — the consistency of daily rituals. Regular meals, sleep and moments of stillness can all help create the grounding that Vata naturally lacks.
And if sleep is proving difficult or menopause symptoms are significantly affecting your wellbeing, speak to your GP or healthcare professional. Ritual can sit beautifully alongside appropriate medical support; it doesn't have to replace it.
When the mind feels scattered
Menopause can be a time of enormous change — physically, emotionally and mentally. Ayurveda traditionally connects an excess of Vata with restlessness and difficulty concentrating, making grounding practices particularly valuable.
Rather than filling every quiet moment, try creating more of them.
A walk without your phone. Ten minutes of meditation. A slower morning. Gentle yoga. A few minutes of breathwork. Even a simple facial massage can become an opportunity to step away from the noise.
Mauli's Kansa Acupressure Tool is designed around Ayurvedic marma traditions and can be incorporated into a slow facial ritual. Used with a few drops of Supreme Skin Face Serum, gentle movements around the face become a tactile reminder to soften the jaw, release tension and come back to yourself.
Nourish rather than restrict
Ayurveda's approach to Vata isn't only about what we put on the body. Food and lifestyle matter too.
Traditionally, Vata is supported by warmth, nourishment and regularity: warm, cooked meals; plenty of hydration; nourishing fats; and fewer cold, dry foods.
It's also a good time to reconsider the idea that wellness needs to mean doing more.
More supplements. More workouts. More routines. More optimisation.
Perhaps this chapter calls for the opposite.
Fewer, better things.
A nourishing meal instead of another restrictive plan. A walk instead of another punishing workout. An early night instead of another late email. A few minutes of oil massage instead of another ten-step beauty routine.
A new chapter, not an ending
There is something deeply beautiful about the Ayurvedic perspective on menopause. It doesn't ask us to turn back the clock.
Instead, it recognises this as a transition into a different stage of life, one that can invite greater self-awareness, discernment and inward attention.
Menopause may bring change, but change isn't inherently something to fear.
Perhaps the invitation is simply to meet your changing body with the same care you would offer someone you love.
To nourish where you feel depleted.
To soften where you've been holding tension.
To rest when you need to.
And to create rituals that help you feel more rooted in yourself.
Because this isn't the end of vitality. It's a new expression of it.
