The transition from Winter into Spring is understood as a ‘Kapha time’, then as we progress towards Summer, Pitta rises. Kapha and Pitta, along with Vata, make up the three ‘doshas’ meaning ‘that which can cause imbalance’.
When certain qualities naturally increase, it is their opposites that will create a sense of balance. In early Spring, the qualities of heavy, dull, dense are likely to be somewhat clinging on. This is why we engage in Spring Cleans in the home and Spring Cleanses in the body. We want to get things moving, and draw on lightness, vibrancy and spaciousness in order to create that sense of equilibrium. In later Spring, as the qualities of Pitta increase: hot, sharp, intense, we can draw on cooling, soft, calming practices to return to a feeling of stability.
Here are 3 Ayurvedic practices we can implement throughout this wonderful season (before summer arrives) to skilfully create balance within:
- Enjoy More Movement In Your Yoga Practice
Those heavy, dull, dense qualities we often associate with the darkness of Winter linger on in our bodies and minds unless we do something to shift it. It’s useful in Winter to store energy, stay warm and feel grounded but with the lighter, warmer days, it’s time for us to move forwards, just like the rest of the natural world. Yoga is a safe and widely appropriate way of moving the body since it can increase blood flow, without unsettling the mind. Enjoy cleansing asana practices that encourage more movement and lead you into deeper twists to ring out the stagnant energy.
- Tongue Scrape
While this is a helpful ritual for all year round, it is particularly important to remove the toxins at this time of year as there may have been an accumulation over the cooler months. In the morning, first thing (really, before anything, even swallowing), take yourself to the bathroom and with a lightly firm stroke, take your copper scraper from back to front, catching the edges. You can rinse and repeat as many times as you like until you feel fresh and clean. Follow by brushing your teeth and splashing your face with cold water – Spring has entered your body!
- Focus On Bitter, Astringent & Pungent Tastes
These tastes bring lightness and dryness while supporting the natural detoxification process, as opposed to the salty, sweet and sour tastes that may encourage the qualities already predominant at this time of year. Here are some examples of foods that can offer us balance in Spring:
– Bitter: dark greens, cacao, turmeric
– Astringent: beans, cauliflower, dill
– Pungent: radish, cloves, black pepper
Enjoy this as a helpful guide, no strict rules, just some ideas to play around with and see how they affect your body, mind and spirit. Join Heather on Sunday 16th April for the Spring Cleanse Day Retreat ‘Radiant & Renewed’ – a super inspiring, playful & powerfully purifying day of Yoga & Ayurvedic practices, techniques & lifestyle to help achieve a physical, mental & energetic ‘Spring Clean’! In this day long retreat held at our beautiful yoga centre in Saltaire you will explore a variety of accessible yoga techniques that can help in the daily detoxification & rejuvenation process on all levels of our being. Includes delicious Ayurvedic Vegan Food.
This retreat day is also part of our Spring ‘40 Days Integrate, Illuminate’ Yoga & Coaching Programme! If you want to supercharge your yoga practice, body, energy, and lifestyle through 40 days of daily practice, weekly coaching, retreat day, private Facebook community, additional resources, and optional Ayurvedic cleanse. Listen to Heather sharing about it – click here.