There are few seasons more anticipated than spring, am I right? If you’re a fan of the warmer months (and even if you’re not), you’ll be quite familiar with the feeling of waiting, and waiting, at the end of a long winter for those first hopeful signs… The slight increase in temperature, crocuses or daffodils popping up everywhere… runny noses and itchy eyes.
Well spring has arrived!
And as much as we’ve been counting on its appearance, it can still manage to catch us off guard, and tip us slightly off balance.
and we all know why.
Spring is a fresh start, a chance for renewal, a long awaited parole from winter’s incarceration.
It’s the official season for cleaning up you’re act and clearing away anything that’s standing in the way of you being your best you (even though technically you can do that anytime of year!).
Most often we arrive on spring’s doorstep feeling heavy, slow, cold, and yeah a little wet, looking the spitting image of kapha dosha. Which is why spring is known in Ayurvedic circles as the kapha time of year. It’s also our signal to shed the layers of winter and walk towards the light.
The simple trick for doing that is following the kapha balancing principle for spring… STIMULATION!
Wanna know what that looks like?
Great, cause I’ve pulled together some of the best tips going, to help you lighten up, warm up and stimulate your way to balance this spring. So keep reading this Ayurvedic guide to spring!
First up are a few key pieces of advice when it comes to conquering your day. What you do everyday matters. It also needs to accommodate the changing world around you if your goal is to stay balanced.
Spring is one of the key times of year for cleansing and detoxification which are an important part of the Ayurvedic approach to health and happiness. Ayurveda offers lots of options for detoxing, but the simplest form of cleansing can be done at home in just a few steps and with a little bit of guidance. And consider giving cleansing a try this spring.
As much as we love spring, it isn’t always sunshine and roses! Especially if you’re an allergy sufferer (kaphas often fall into this category) or tend to catch colds and flu (vatas can fall prey to this!).
Is all about balancing kapha, so as you might imagine it’s gonna be energizing, warming and dynamic! I’ve put together a few suggestions for poses and mini-sequences that might be just what you need!
My favorite part (and sometimes the most confusing)… what to eat. As you might have guessed, spring is the time to go light. It’s also the time to make the shift to foods that are a little drier than your average winter fare. I’ve grabbed a few of my favorite recipes for a day of springtime eats. Check it out!
Breakfast is important. Plus it’s one of my favorite meals of the day (truly) and one that can tend to get pretty boring (can you say cold cereal or smoothie?). So here’s a few of my breakfast faves to throw a little color and variety into your spring. Guess what? Changing things up is balancing for kapha!
My girl Erin over at Naturally Ella knows how to do brekkie (and lunch and dinner and snacks!).
Oh and last, but certainly not least, I usually recommend that breakfast be one of the lighter meals we take during the day. Have just enough to fill your belly and warm you up from the inside out!
As with any season, you’re gonna want to make lunch your biggest meal of the day! So choose wisely, don’t over do it and make sure to include some pungent (spicy), bitter (greens) and astringent (a little dry) tastes in your meal.
Go light at dinner time too! Salads and light soups are the perfect spring time dinner choice. Keep it light with enough heaviness to satisfy!
The general recommendation is that we avoid snacking in order to give our digestive fire sufficient time and space to do it’s job. But every once in awhile (and often until you can master the art of eating just enough at breakfast and lunch), you’ll find the need for a snack starts to mess with your mind, body and productivity. If that’s YOU this spring, here’s what I would suggest you dive into…
Spiced Popcorn (super simple, very delicious) – Make a batch of air popped popcorn and top it with about a teaspoon of melted ghee, a pinch of pink salt and a light dusting finely ground pepper.
Okay so that’s a lot to chew on! The beauty of making the shift to spring is that most often the mind and body are ready to embrace the light. Approaching it in an intentional way makes it even more powerful and supportive of your wellness.
We’ve all got our traditions around spring (many of which support the ayurvedic principles of lightening up this time of year). I’d love to hear yours, so share in the comments below!
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