Spring is a time for awakening, renewal, and growth; and although it arrived with snowy
conditions this year, how have you been greeting Spring within your own self? Did you
participate in Sonic Yoga’s 21 Day Asana Challenge and try out different postures?
Have you been setting new goals? Spring is an excellent time to reassess where we
have been all winter and break free from cocoons that have been binding us, keeping
us locked indoors, and habits that have been created due to the cold weather. It is a
time to do some “Spring Cleaning”, not just in our homes, but within our minds, bodies,
and hearts.
characteristics, or Doshas. Winter was driven by Vata, and as we enter into Spring’s
dosha of Kapha, we need to focus on balancing the early part of the season’s qualities
of heavy, wet, and cold, in order to emerge from this hibernation successfully. Many of
us will find muck surfacing from the winter’s months, such as congestion and coughs;
while others will feel the sluggishness of the season pulling upon us.
However, we are all like brilliant, beautiful lotus flowers, seeking to surface from the
mud, yearning to embrace the arrival of the season’s sun that will finally warm our frigid
NYC ground, the humans hustling through it, and all of nature throughout. Soon it’ll be
time to pause and smell flowers, picnic in the parks, and make time for other outdoor
activities.
Spring is a time to rejuvenate our entire beings. Hit reset and come out of dormancy.
Varying our yoga practice and even our diet can assist greatly with that, as food is the
fuel that generates our power. Of course we have to consider our own individual
constitutions as well when making these choices or consult an Ayurveda specialist for
ultimate guidance. Without seeking professional advice, we can ask whether we are
feeling balanced or unbalanced based on our doshas. Here is a form to get you started.
Fill it out once based on how you are at your average and once based on how you feel
right now. Add the two totals for each dosha together and based on the three you can
see where you might be in need of adjustment.
Web-based suggestions for the season are to eat lighter, easier to digest foods and
avoid (or eat less) dairy, as it tends to trigger mucus build-up in the body. Dry, warm
foods are also recommended, as well as fruits and vegetables, especially bitter greens
and spicier flavors. Reduce heavy, oily, and fried foods, as well as sweet, sour, and salty
tastes as much as possible. Even cold items can be eliminated during this time, such as
iced beverages and ice cream.
In regards to our yoga practice, we want to continue to assist cleaning out what no
longer serves us, so we can enter into a new season with a renewed energy. We want
to take in prana, life force, and expel that which is no longer needed. We can do that
with our ujjayi breathing, our victorious breath, or we can go deeper and practice
Kapalabhati Pranayama. “Kapala" means “skull” and “Bhati” means “light”. Therefore, the translation is “Light Skull Breathing” or “Skull Shining Breath”. As you go through this practice of 95-105 quick inhalation and exhalations from the nostrils while sitting in Virasana, Vajrasana, or other grounded seated position (you can use a block or blanket to sit on), perhaps visualize an illumination filling your mind, while the forced breaths detoxify and energize your entire being. Let your body shift and change with the season organically, moving from the inside, starting with your breath and your inner light.
Spring is a perfect time to focus on postures that create heat, improve joint mobility, aid
digestion, and increase circulation. Utkatasana (Chair Pose), Malasana, and twisting
postures are extremely beneficial during the Spring season. Energizing Sun Salutations
(Surya Namaskar A), heart opening backbends (such as Bridge, Wheel, and Camel),
and inversions are also advantageous.
So as the bounties of the universe share their Spring gifts with us, let’s be mindful of our
practice and our intake in order to assist ourselves with this gentle balance. If cleansing
is right for your body, now is a wonderful time to introduce one or perhaps a self
massage with sesame or sunflower oil could be another welcomed, gratifying way to
honor yourself. Taking that extra time to hear your needs, no matter what the season, is
always enormously beneficial; but in times of seasonal change it is pivotal.
Namaste Blossoming Yogis
