The sun is shining and and the earth is coming back to life. Colorful blossoms are opening up and green buds abound. Springtime is here! As the earth makes this monumental shift, so should we, as we ebb and flow with the natural world. Fortunately, we can look to the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda (yoga’s sister science) for guidelines on how best to transition into the Spring season and cleanse the body of the heavy qualities of winter.

I like to look at Ayurveda as a way to take my yoga practice off the mat and infuse into my daily life. You simply can’t do yoga asana all the time! But we can certainly benefit from yoga all the time. Though the word yoga is often used to represent yoga asana (the physical poses), yoga is so much more than that. In fact, asana is only one of the eight limbs of yoga. Meditation, breathing, mindfulness, self-study, being kind, and practicing self-care are some of the other ways in which we can practice “yoga.” BKS Iyengar stated it beautifully in his timeless book, Light on Yoga…

As a well cut diamond has many facets, each reflecting a different colour of light, so does the word yoga, each facet reflecting a different shade of meaning and revealing different aspects of the entire range of human endeavor to win inner peace and happiness.

BKS Iyengar

Yoga is turning inward, it is connecting with one’s higher self, it is bringing together body-mind-spirit, it is being kind to yourself and others. Yoga is so much more than physical poses. Although, admittedly, some aspects of yoga are easier than others! Taking a warm bath infused with essential oils while focusing on the breath… that is a kind of yoga we can all get down with, and that is where Ayurveda comes into play.

This ancient science offers a complete system that promotes our living in harmony with the physical world and harmony within ourselves by balancing our doshas. If you are unfamiliar with the dosha system, I highly recommend taking this DOSHA QUIZ provided by the Chopra Center. Here you can learn more about your personal constitution and how it impacts your life and well-being. By understanding your dosha, you can anticipate when you will become unbalanced, how that imbalance will manifest in your body and life, and know how to correct it.

In Ayurveda, each season is also associated with a dosha as well. Springtime is associated with Kapha energy, which is characterized by heaviness, moistness, and lethargy. Even if you have a tendency towards these characteristics, the below Ayurvedic tips, when combined with some honest self-reflection, will allow you to renew, revitalize, and blossom this time of year!

Ayurvedic tips for transitioning into Spring:

LIFESTYLE:

THE MORNING ROUTINE: Create a morning routine that energizes you and inspires the day ahead! Self massage with warm oil can be extremely balancing in the Spring, especially if you have a Vata constitution. Journaling, yoga & meditation are also great activities to start the day. Even if you just make time to do 15 minutes of these activities, you will feel a big difference in how you show up for the world.

SELF CARE: If you can swing it, take a warm bath in the morning with energizing Epsom salts like peppermint, orange blossom, or Eucalyptus essential oils. 

HYDRATE: Drink plenty of water to help flush the system, promote detoxification, and nourish your cells

PLAY: Embrace play and be adventurous! Try hiking new terrain or partaking in a new outdoor activity like earthing (literally walk in bare feet through Spring grass & mud!). Definitely take your kids earthing with you.

EMBODY: Literally be like a flower, and wear bright & warming colors like red, orange, and yellow.

SWEAT: Found a Bikram yoga class near you or hit up the sauna to sweat it out and promote your detox pathways. 

DIET:

LIGHTEN UP: Move away from the stews and pasta dishes of winter and favor smaller portions, lighter fare, and avoid snacking between meals.

PICK PLANTS: Consume more fruits and lightly cooked vegetables (local, organic, and seasonal if possible).

GET SPICY: Continue to enjoy warming spices like turmeric, black pepper, cinnamon, ginger & cumin.

KAPHA BALANCING TASTES: Favor pungent (onions, leeks, ginger, garlic), bitter (broccoli, cauliflower, greens), and astringent flavors (pomegranate, green tea, grapes, yogurt) and minimize heavy, oily, sweet and salty foods.

GO GREEN: Incorporate alkalizing greens into at least 1 meal/day. Try the Kapha balancing Cleansing Soup recipe below!

DRINK TEA: Avoid cold drinks and dairy products. Fresh ginger tea and green tea are great options.

MOVEMENT:

FLOW: Time to get your blood flowing, increase circulation, and produce heat in the body through regular movement and exercise. Consider taking up yoga, biking, swimming, or hiking.

DO YOGA ASANA: Incorporate yoga poses that open the chest (think Puppy pose, reverse tabletop, and camel) as well as ones that stimulate the kidneys. Here is a great article on poses that support kidney health.

CHOSE YOUR TIME OF DAY: The best time windows for exercise in Spring is between 6am & 10am and 6pm &10pm so decide whether your a morning or evening exercise person and be consistent.

DO PRANAYAMA (breathwork): Consider starting your day with the breath of fire (check out my IG video to learn how) and make the commitment to intentionally breathe at least once per day. It is estimated that on average, we only use 1/3rd of our lung capacity!

Cleansing Soup

Ingredients:

• 4 cups vegetable stock or bone broth 
• 1¾ cups coconut milk
• 1 cup broccoli florets
• 1/2 leek, chopped
• 1 TBSP fresh ginger, grated
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric 
• Juice of ½ to 1 lemon (add desired amount)
• ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes 
• A small handful of cilantro, roughly chopped
• Sea salt to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

1. Simmer first 9 ingredients for about 15 minutes. Remove from eat and blend until smooth.
2. Stir in cilantro, salt and pepper. 

Note: Make sure to add black pepper as it promotes better absorption of curcumin, the powerful antioxidant in turmeric.

Detox Smoothie

This smoothie is so yummy and full of great ingredients that support the liver in detoxification. It also promotes good digestion (also important to detoxification!). This makes a large smoothie that can be enjoyed over the course of the morning. It’s also super hydrating!

Ingredients:

• 2-3 frozen bananas
• 1/2 cucumber
• 1/2 cup frozen pineapple
• Handful of cilantro
• Squeeze of lemon juice
• 1/2 cup coconut water
• 1/2 cup water (or more for consistency desired)
• Optional: handful of ice

Instructions:

Blend, pour into a large glass, and enjoy!