Springtime is magical and dynamic! The transition can be smooth for Mother Nature, but for us humans it's not as easy to transition gracefully from one season to the next. It's much easier to get sick during this time. Ayurveda shows us that the key to being healthy during seasonal transitions is to harmonize with nature. Here are 4 ways to do just that!
1. Balance Kapha Dosha
To enjoy a healthy spring, you need to understand Kapha Dosha and bring it into balance. Of the three doshas, it is Kapha that endows your body with its grounded, nourishing, earthy-watery qualities. It's essential to a healthy life. When Kapha is in balance, you will feel strong, composed, happy and stable. When it's out of balance, you might feel sleepy, mentally dull and depressed. You may also experience excess phlegm in the lungs or sinuses, nausea, unhealthy weight gain and water retention.
It's especially important to balance Kapha in the spring, because kapha accumulates during winter and can create diseases and sicknesses by the time spring arrives. In spring, you need to shed this excess Kapha that accumulated or risk becoming vulnerable to seasonal allergies and head colds, as well as weight gain.
Your Ayurvedic prescription for spring is to develop a rhythm and routine that helps you lighten up physically, mentally, and emotionally without pushing Vata and Pitta into excess. The best approach is to eat lighter foods, adding certain herbs to your diet, and practicing Yoga, Pranayama and meditation. Whatever changes you decide to make, even if they're small, commit to sticking to them. That's the only way to balance and remove excess Kapha Dosha.
2. Make Space In Your Life For Sweetness
Ease the transition to spring by creating sukha, or "sweetness" in your life. Creating sukha is especially important when you're trying to remove excess Kapha. Make sure that you stick to a Yoga and exercise regime that you enjoy and that gets you moving. To increase sukha and prana in your practice, add squats. Poses like Chair Pose, Garland Pose, Lion Pose and Tail-Wagging Pose create heat, improve joint mobility, aid digestion and elimination and increase circulation. Along with Yoga and exercise, meditate, cook food you like, and relax!
3. Breathe, Breathe, Breathe Easy
The stomach, chest, throat and head are the energetic seat of Kapha. Because of that, all of these areas produce and accumulate mucus. Practicing deep, rhythmic Ujjayi Pranayama (Victorious Breath) and seated twists help circulate Kapha. Inverted forward bends are also essential to breathing easy.
4. Light Your Digestive Fire
According to the principles of Ayurveda, a healthy digestion (agni) is essential. Agni gives us the physical power of digestion as well as the energy to digest our sensory impressions, thoughts and feelings. Strong, balanced agni will help your body stay detoxified and vibrant.
Balancing Kapha includes stoking digestion in your Yoga practice, your breathing, your relationships in life and your diet. To strengthen agni in your practice, you must build inner heat by doing strong standing poses and Sun Salutations and concentrating on a powerful breath. To continue to balance and strengthen in your life, cultivate healthy relationships, a daily spiritual devotion and a fresh, wholesale diet.
Disclaimer
All views and information shared here is only for the sharing of Ayurvedic knowledge. Please do not try or prescribe or take any of the remedies and suggestions here without talking to your regular, qualified doctor. Kottakkal Ayurveda and no other person associated with Kottakkal is responsible for unwanted side-effects or contraindications in your health.