After what seems like endless grey skies at last the sun is shining and the earth is beginning to show signs of new life; green shoots are making their way towards the strengthening sun, days are drawing out and the promise of things to come is in the air. Spring begins on the 20th March at the time of the Spring Equinox.
Spring is known as the “king of all the seasons”. It is the time of blossom on the trees, the earth warming up and new shoots of greenery appearing; Mother Nature wakes up! The days and nights are of equal length now.
This is a time of transition from one season another. As the warmer weather starts to melt the snows and ice so the build-up of kapha dosha in the body liquefies and can result in many springtime colds and coughs. Kapha is the water and earth element which creates mucus and heaviness in the body at this time of year. Add the pollen in the air from the spring plants and the more susceptible kapha folks can also have an allergic reaction: sneezing, itchy eyes, wheezing, and sinusitis.
Boosting immunity is key; good exercise, good sleep, good digestive fire (Agni).
Spring Spices: Ginger, cinnamon, cloves (wonderful as a tea) and black pepper help decrease excess kapha.
Foods: Eat foods that are easy to digest. Avoid eating cold food and foods that are heavy, oily, sour, sweet and salty as they increase kapha in the body; as does dairy.
Increase bitter, pungent and astringent foods in your diet such as: legumes (red lentils, yellow split peas), spinach, onions, garlic, broccoli, carrots, apples, pears.
Exercise: If you practice yoga, Sun Salutation is good in the morning. Meditation is good for overall health. Early morning walks, (on the way to work even if part of the way!). If you have springtime allergies then it is best to avoid too much time in the air. But do keep moving as it will improve and increase your immunity!
Sleep: Avoid sleeping in the daytime as this increases kapha in the body.
Nasya treatment: This Ayurvedic treatment is the administration of oils into the nasal passage. It clears sinus congestion and accumulated toxins in the throat, nose, head and neck areas. Nasya is also part of an Ayurvedic daily routine of self-care.
Ayurvedic massage: will ease joint pains, improve immunity and help bring about physical and emotional balance and harmony.
Astrologically: The sun moves from chaotic, dreamy Pisces (where the solar eclipse was on the 9th March) into fiery Aries on 20th March; so if you’ve been feeling like your energy just isn’t there; too many upheavals, crisis, don’t want to get out of bed, want to stay in “the dream”, escape reality… well, the creative Fire element, Aries (impulsive, make the dream a reality, the warrior), will kick us all up the butt! Time for us all to get aligned; ethics, morals, values, truths based on our beliefs (Saturn moving through Sagittarius) and Jupiter in Virgo encouraging us to clean up our act; all perfect timing for a Spring cleanse and detox of body, mind and spirit! Foods, herbs, yoga, lifestyle are all to the fore now!
Namaste.