As the wisdom of Mother Nature directs the buds to sprout and the grass to grow during the months of spring, ayurveda, India’s ancient system of health, can help us tap into rituals for optimal health and well-being during this time of year.
Are We Out of Balance With Nature?
“When the weather begins to change, it has an effect on our health and well-being,” Laurie Dean, an ayurvedic practitioner certified by the National Ayurvedic Medical Association (NAMA), told The Epoch Times.Ayurveda translates to the “science of life” and was laid out more than 5,000 years ago in Vedic texts as comprehensive teachings on preserving and maintaining health. One of ayurveda’s primary doctrines is that humans are simply microcosms of the macrocosm. Accordingly, we respond to not only daily environmental changes but also seasonal ones.
This response manifests in our cravings for foods at certain times of the year. Winter often brings longings for warm, dense, and nourishing food such as soups, stews, and breads. In the summer, one is more likely to crave hydrating and cooling foods such as watermelon, salads, and even ice cream.
Ayurveda postulates that the five elements found in nature—ether (or gas), air, fire, water, and earth—are also present in the human body. Understanding how these elements emerge and interact and how the body responds to changing environments is the science of ayurveda. According to ayurvedic wisdom, human nature is composed of a mix of three combinations of elements: “vata,” which combines the elements of ether and air; “pitta,” which combines fire and water; and “kapha,” a melding of earth and water—with one usually predominant. These are known as the primary “doshas,” or constitutions. Balancing them in accordance with the rhythms of nature is the key to ultimate physiological, mental, and spiritual health.
“Nature has always brought us our medicine and our food,” Kathryn Templeton, licensed professional counselor and NAMA-certified ayurvedic practitioner, told The Epoch Times. “Now, it’s different. We’re out of relationship to nature.”
Ms. Templeton said that these days, most people are also nourishing themselves less while eating more, contributing to chronic diseases such as obesity.
“All your senses eat; they all nourish,” she said.
Nourishing yourself should be a sensory experience, according to Ms. Templeton.
Aligning Habits With the Sun
Many modern health experts are putting a new spin on some of the core tenets of ayurveda and marketing them as something new, such as intermittent fasting.Theoretically, eating should cease by the time the sun goes down.
“We don’t need food after that,” Ms. Templeton said.
A Fresh Start for the Season
Spring is the season of birth and is “the most lush, the most ripe, the most growth-oriented time of the year,” Ms. Templeton said.It is also a vital time of transition, and altering our diets and daily habits is crucial to managing the change and thriving. Ms. Dean offered some tips to take advantage of this time of year and its opportunity for renewal.
First, wake up earlier. This may be more difficult in the early days of spring, particularly when the clocks spring ahead and it can still be dark at 7 a.m. However, waking up before 6 a.m. will help the body and mind feel more energized. If you’re not a morning person, Ms. Dean recommends starting slowly. Set the alarm 15 minutes earlier than your usual wake-up time for a few days and incrementally build up until you reach the prescribed goal. As spring moves, your body will begin syncing with the earlier sunrise.
Ms. Dean also recommends moving in the morning to revitalize your body and observe and appreciate the change in the environment around you.
Mustard greens, arugula, spinach, kale, and asparagus are excellent choices. Ms. Dean also suggests adding small amounts of ginger, fresh garlic, black pepper, or cayenne pepper to dishes to “provide a spark to help enliven your palate and yourself.”
Ms. Dean encourages those who wish to take advantage of the season to embrace better health to “take the time to reflect on what that would look and feel like” for themselves.
“Then take steps to adopt a fresh seasonal routine that will help you move into the revitalized nature of spring,” she said.
