Āyurveda for Spring

Spring has sprung in the Northern Hemisphere, and our bodies are adapting to the changes in temperature and light.

At first these changes can cause disruption to our natural rhythms such as sleep, appetite and energy levels. The weather is vacillating between warm days and then back to rain and wind. The light is growing. Now is a good time to shift your routine to support your body's adaptation to the longer, warmer days and bring more stability to your organism during this in-between time, or sandhi.

Aligning with Nature's rhythms is foundational to good health. When seasons shift, it's natural to fall out of rhythm and feel a bit discombobulated as our bodies react to the external changes. A skillful response is to shore up your regular rhythms so you are supporting a stable mind-body. You can do o this by sleeping, waking, exercising and eating at regular times. And if you have some irregularity built into your schedule, regular irregular routines are just fine. Here are some suggestions

DIET: Make it a little lighter overall. Include more of the green vegetables coming up now. Especially good are dandelion greens, collards and kale. Here's a simple recipe to make these taste great. Add fresh salads, ideally at room temperature at your mid-day meal, when your digestion is stronger. and with a dressing of cold-pressed olive oil, lemon and fresh-pressed garlic, black pepper and salt to taste. Enjoy local organic berries as they become available. Enjoy artichokes. Bitter spices such as turmeric, and roots like burdock will support your liver. A happy liver means clearer skin, less heat in the body, and more emotional balance.

ĀSANA: Chest openers, prone back-bends, twists and abdominal work like agni sara and nauli will help release excess mucous, open the lungs and support healthy digestion and emotional balance.

MEDITATION: 6 – 24 minutes once or twice a day. Set a timer. Prepare by relaxing your entire body from head to toe and practicing some abdominal breathing for a few minutes. Slowly release control of your breath, while maintaining your focus on the sensation of breathing in your lower belly. If you want more support, try counting your breaths up to 10. If you lose count, start over. Inhale 1, exhale 2…until 10 and then start again. If you "don’t have time to do 6 minutes, do 12. In other words, if you “don’t have time” to meditate, you REALLY need to meditate.

PRĀŅAYĀMA: Fast breathing: kapalabhati and bhastrika are very good right now for stimulating the abdomen, and clearing the lungs and head. Start with kapalabhati, actively exhaling while drawing your abdomen towards your spine, followed by a passive inhale. Start with 36 pumps, and add more until you can continue for 108 pumps, followed by a resting breath and then holding the breath our for as long as you can comfortably. Here's a recorded practice to support you. Place your hand over your navel center and take care that you don't tense your head or heart, or move your shoulders. A stronger effect is bhastrika, which is active exhale AND inhale (hyper ventilating). Focus on the action in the belly.

LIFESTYLE: Sinus care is important now. Consider using your neti pot weekly or more followed by daily oiling of your sinus passages with a little oil on your clean little finger. The salt water rinse keeps removes excess mucous and keeps things clear, while the oil lubricates so your nasal passages don't dry out. Take time to walk and be outdoors. Clear and inspire your senses by the sights, sounds and feeling being in Nature inspires in you. Connect with the prāņa of the Natural world and allow it to cleanse your energy field. How’s your sleep? Consider reevaluating your nighttime routine (the hour before sleep) so support winding down in preparation for sleep. Here are some suggestions: Gentle yoga, lower lights, meditation, easy reading, writing in a "worry journal" so you don't bring those to bed with you; writing in a gratitude journal, so you remember all that's going well. Wake a little earlier and enjoy the peace and clarity of the early morning hours. Sleep deeply before midnight.

KEY QUALITIES: Stable Stimulation, Warmth, Lightening, What needs quickening in your life? Where has stagnation set in? Where do you need to lighten up? Where do you need to get moving? What is distracting you? Where do you want to place your focus?

We'll be exploring all of this and more in the Spring Cleanse beginning April 6th.

Enjoy your Spring refresh in whatever form it takes. You deserve it!

Love, Shannon