Spring Forward

Please listen to the video message - here are some of the highlights: 

We are in a time of changing seasons, of springing forward. Spring is the awakening or birthing time, bringing everything back to life.  This is the part of the annual cycle of life we find in nature - and also yoga!  In yoga we have the forces of Brahma the creator, Vishnu the sustainer, and Shiva the force of destruction. All things having a beginning, middle and end. 

Spring is a great time to take stock of where you are at, to reflect and commit to some changes. It is a time of renewal after all! 

Springing forward might look like the following:

Diet - What are you putting into your body? 

• In the Spring it's time to move into eating lighter foods as the digestive forces are not as strong in the spring and summer.  Move away from the heavy comfort foods of the winter months. 
• Eat breakfast and make lunch the biggest meal of the day, while having a light meal for dinner. This aligns with the subtle forces of energy throughout the day.
• Stop snacking. Constantly putting food in your gut dampens your digestive fire. Sip water if you get hunger pangs.

Cleansing - Spring is a great time to cleanse the digestive tract. 

• Consider a mono-diet of Kitchari, a dish made with split mung beans and basmati rice, with a few herbs. Eat this for a few days as your only meal.
• Add Psyllium husk to your diet. When consumed for a few days it will gently scrape the digestive tract ridding it of excess toxins that build up.
• Taking Triphala - an ancient Ayurveda combination of 3 berries - will also gently scrap the digestive lining of toxins.
• Sip hot water throughout the day.
• Rehydrate by drinking room temperature water. Ice water is hard on the digestive fire making your digestion less stable.
• Try Intermittent fasting where you skip dinner, giving your body the opportunity to burn off excess fats and toxins that accumulate in them; do this a couple of times per week for a period. 

Lifestyle - Making some choices to positively affect your well-being.

• Reconnect to the circadian rhythms of nature. Get to bed around 10 pm and get up around 6 am. You want the fire of pitta to deeply digest at night so be in bed around 10 pm. By getting up with the sun you will actually feel more energized and according to Ayurveda, this is the best way to lose weight. 
• Remember to eat your largest meal at lunch. Dinner is light.
• When you get up clean your mouth, scrape your tongue, take some hot water with lemon and then eliminate.
• Do your morning yoga practice, with breathwork and meditation. If you don't practice yoga, try some other form of gentle physical activity such as Thai Chi. 
• Add self-care to your daily regime; this will benefit you immensely.
• Consider taking a walk after eating lunch to help with digestion. 
• Treat yourself on weekends, make sure you have a self-care regime where you pamper yourself. 
• Try adding journalling to your practice. Journalling is a powerful way for you to unburden yourself of some of the unconscious baggage you carry. 

I hope you consider some of these changes or reconnect to those you know work well for you as part of springing forward.