Spring Into Summer, Let Ayurveda Help

Spring Into Summer,

Let Ayurveda Help

Ah Spring, just the mention of the words conjures up images of flowers blooming, cute animals flourishing, and the promise of warmer days ahead. Why do we feel like Winter is not loosening its grip? In short, Spring is a time of transition. Some days are warm and sunny, others are rainy and cold, often it’s a mix of all those. We feel the fluctuations in our bodies, and they often affect our moods and habits. As we inch closer to Summer in Central Virginia, the transition seems more variable. To comfort ourselves, we remember old adages such as, “April showers bring May flowers”. Quotes like these allow us to accept the discomfort of the season’s changes knowing good days are ahead. This is the art of living with nature and believing in its wisdom. Remembering to live with the flow of nature allows us to balance our lives despite the gyrations of temperature and light.

 Ayurveda is a science we can rely on to live in harmony with the seasons and their transitions. Ayurveda is an ancient yogic science that works equally with philosophy and our belief systems. Ayurveda takes in account our individual constitutions, and teaches us how to keep them in balance. Perhaps you’ve taken an Ayurveda Dosha quiz in a magazine, but weren't quite sure what to do with the information. For clarity, Doshas are our individual constitutions, numbering three: Vatta, Pitta, and Kapha. One of these is usually dominant and needs balancing, causing discomfort that can be physical or mental in nature. Using Ayurvedic wisdom is an easy way to aid this. Learn to flow with nature and follow the two golden Ayurvedic rules: like increases like and opposites balance. For example, if it is determined that your constitution is Pitta, hot and fiery, eating spicy food and doing heated, high intensity exercises will only increase your discomfort, even if it’s just those things you crave. Eating dairy and cooling foods, and participation in slower or restorative exercises will help create  a sense of balance and comfort. 

The seasons are Doshic just like we are. We are all a part of nature, remember? Spring (March through May) has a tendency to be a Kapha in the early months, and a Pitta as it becomes Summer. Following the similarities of our Dosha, Kapha has the characteristics of being cool, wet, cloudy, and soft. Pitta is hot, dry, and energetic. We have to pacify our own Doshas knowing they are affected by the season’s Doshas. A pitta type might feel great during early Spring, but agitated during the late Spring as the season takes on a more Pitta nature (like increases like). A Kapha individual might feel their Kapha tendencies increase during the early Spring, leading to feelings of lethargy, congestion, and depression. Eating warm foods and getting increased exercise will help balance out a Kapha person in Kaphic season (opposites balance).  

Being aware of our own Doshas and remembering the Doshas of the seasons will help us live in harmony with nature. Enjoying seasonal outdoor activities and eating seasonal foods are also great ways to embrace the changing seasons. The key is to listen to your body, keep up your daily habits, and move with nature as she dances through the seasons. 

"It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold, when it is summer in the light and winter in the shade."

– Charles Dickens