Spring it!

Spring signifies the birth of a new year for many of us. As we unearth our selves from the snow and the layers of clothing, we start to think of newness….unlike in January, when we ring in the new year often in a blizzard, in March and April the days are longer, the sun is stronger, and we start to make new plans.  Hearing the birds chattering first thing in the morning as we get out of bed gives us new energy.  That’s the ideal – but for many of us it's not as easy to transition gracefully from one season to the next—especially from winter to spring. More often we find ourselves feeling heavy and sluggish, like Punxatawney Phil the Groundhog who gets poked with a stick under a myriad of lights to come out of his hole.

Ayurveda, yoga's sister science and the world's oldest surviving system of healing, shows us that the key to feeling in step with the seasons is to harmonize with nature.  Ayurveda characterizes our bodies as having types, or “doshas,” qualities or constitutions of our bodies that help us understand our physical temperaments. If you are interested in the doshas, contact me and I can give you more information.  Of the three doshas—vata, pitta, and kapha— it's kapha that endows us with its earthy-watery qualities. 

Staying healthy and vital in the spring means understanding the kapha dosha and bringing it into balance. When kapha is in balance, you feel strong, composed, and stable. You might even feel a little Spring Fever a comin’ on. That’s when we get that burst of energy, open the sun roof, blare a little Katrina and the Waves (“I’m walkin on sunshine….and don’t it feel good?!”), maybe buy a skimpy bathing suit …..  But when it's out of balance, you might feel sleepy, mentally dull, or depressed. You may also experience excess phlegm in the lungs or sinuses, nausea, unhealthy weight gain, water retention, or heaviness in your limbs.

It's especially important to balance Kapha in the spring, because kapha accumulates during winter and can create diseases by the time spring arrives. As the world becomes colder and wetter in winter, the body mirrors these kapha-like changes. Because you tend to eat, sleep, and stay inside more during winter, it can result in a "winter coat" of insulation. In spring, its important to shed this excess kapha or risk becoming vulnerable to seasonal allergies or head colds (Hell-ooo... as I write this I am sitting on the couch with a box of Kleenex, sneezing so hard I have to keep wiping off my screen….but that would make me a hypocrite now wouldn't it). You might also gain or retain weight or succumb to a general lethargy or emotional dullness.  Check, check, and check. Got em all.  So now what?

The Ayurvedic prescription for spring is to develop a rhythm and routine that helps to gradually lighten up physically, mentally, and emotionally without disturbing the stable virtues of kapha. The best approach to a healthy spring is not radical – just slow and gentle changes to the body to slough off the extra (and yes, this can include shaving off the excess leg hair that has given you that extra layer this winter)  and includes eating lighter foods (decreasing most meats, dairy, wheat and white flour, sugar and salt, and increasing seasonal fruits and veggies, like leafy greens, and adding legumes).  Set your alarm with the sunrise and begin your day by practicing yoga – some vigorous sun salutations, accompanied by pranayama (good strong deep belly breaths) in the morning are a great way to get everything moving and flowing.  And of course, attending a weekly yoga class is a great way to spring it!