Ayurveda is a holistic system of health & healing based in nature’s wisdom. It works to bring each individual – body, mind, and spirit back into a state of true, vibrant health in alignment with nature.
One of the most simple and beautiful ways we can align ourselves with nature’s rhythms is by honouring the change of season. Ayurveda recommends developing a ‘ritucharya’ or seasonal routine to stay healthy and vital as the seasons shift.
We’ve reached spring here in the southern hemisphere and Ayurveda views the season as a time dominated by kapha dosha which holds an earthy, heavy, and slow quality. As all of nature comes out of hibernation, it’s normal to feel a little sluggish as we shake off the stagnancy of winter.
To shift into the season, we can adopt changes in our diet, lifestyle, and daily routine to balance kapha dosha. The foundation of Ayurvedic practice is ‘like increases like and opposites balance’ so to balance kapha dosha we must invite the opposite qualities of warmth, energy, and motivation into our seasonal routine.
To help you stay healthy and vital in Spring, here are a few tips Ayurveda recommends:
Ahar (Diet)
- Enjoy food that is light, warm, and energizing to balance the heaviness of kapha dosha such as fresh salads with wholegrains, nourishing vegetable soups or kitchari.
- Eat seasonally and enjoy fresh local produce like leafy greens, spring onions, radishes, sprouts, fresh berries, grapefruit, and watermelon.
- Favour the light tastes of bitter, astringent, and pungent in your meals and avoid overly sweet or salty foods.
- Embrace using spices to stimulate your digestion such as ginger, turmeric, cardamom, clove, and black pepper.
- Spring can also be a wonderful time to do a gentle Ayurvedic kitchari cleanse, as can be guided by an Ayurvedic practitioner.
Vihar (Lifestyle)
- To stimulate your digestion in the morning, you may like to try having a large cup of ginger tea or a cup of hot water lemon.
- Spend as much time nature and bathing in the sunlight as possible to re-set your circadian rhythm to the season.
- Establish a more energizing exercise routine to shake off the winter stagnancy. Enjoy brisk walks in nature, a vinyasa yoga class or a fresh swim in the ocean.
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Avoid activities that increase ‘tamas’ or heaviness such as over sleeping, watching TV or overindulging in alcohol or junk food.
- Journal, release what is no longer serving you & start setting intentions for the future.
Dinacharya (Daily Rituals):
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Waking ideally before 6am during vata time when the energy of the day is fresh and light.
- Practice tongue scraping to clear ama (toxins) with a copper tongue scraper every morning upon waking.
- Practice Jala Neti to clear the sinus and boost immunity during spring using warm water and a pink of rock salt.
- Practice Garshana (dry body brushing) to stimulate the body, enhance circulation and remove dead skin.
- Practice a more energising and invigorating Yoga Asana & Pranayama practice.
Special thanks to our Ayurvedic Specialist writer Emily @emilycartonwellness for this article.
