The Season of Kapha – An Ayurvedic Perspective
Ayurveda is the sister science of yoga. According to its principles, the depth of winter and early spring is the season of Kapha which is where our American word “cough” originated from. This season is marked by the coldest, wettest, and heaviest qualities of the year. Imagine the elements of earth plus water which equals mud. The main location of Kapha in our body is in the chest and when this Dosha is aggravated it leads to colds, problems with sinus congestion, allergies and slows digestion. Ayurveda teaches that like increases like and that opposites bring balance. It is the premise that each of us has a unique inner state of balance and that the same circumstances such as seasons might affect two people very differently. For some of us, this February and its record snowfalls have brought delight in outdoor play, but others find any way to avoid the cold and enjoy the heat of summer instead. Our environment influences us by increasing the same qualities within our minds and bodies.
We are emerging from the winter season and we may feel sluggish and dull despite knowing spring is just around the corner. We can bring more support to our body during this season through diet and activity choices. Our bodies actually require more fuel in the fall and winter so you may have found yourself feeling hungrier and eating more than during other seasons. As we move out of winter and into spring, Ayurveda prescribes a diet that is directed toward reducing the Kapha Dosha in the system. We can do this by eating foods that bring in the qualities of dryness, lightness, warmth and turn the digestive fire up. Since Kapha is still a colder season we want to eat foods that are cooked, warm, healthy in fat content, and seasoned with warming spices such as cinnamon, cayenne, ginger, turmeric, and others. We can increase foods that have bitter or astringent properties. Vegetable soups highlighting leafy greens are great as well as legumes that are well seasoned. Avoid frozen, fried, heavy, sweet, oily foods and choose instead healthy grains that incorporate as many vegetables as possible.
Try to avoid red meat, artificial anything and processed foods. Staying away from cold or iced drinks that put out the digestive fire and instead choosing water that is room temperature or a hot beverage is helpful. A couple of great choices would be CCF tea (whole cumin, coriander and fennel steeped with ginger) and Golden Turmeric Milk. Raw honey (not heated) can also be useful as it liquifies Kapha and moves it out of the system. Seasonal transition is always a good time for a cleanse and can help enhance digestion as well as rejuvenate our system.
To help ourselves emotionally and physically we can balance the cold, gray of winter with warmth in our home and surroundings. Since this is still a season of cold temperatures, make sure you are physically warm and maybe experiment with some of the heating, purifying pranayama’s such as Kapalabhati.
Moving the body, despite the cold is important and any increase in physical activity is generally beneficial. Opting for brighter colors in our clothing can lift and energize the spirit. Essential oils that can help invigorate are peppermint, bergamot, eucalyptus, cardamom, clove, orange and citrus.
Another Ayurveda practice that can be especially comforting is a sesame oil massage followed by a warm shower. Just as we spring clean the body, we can spring clean our environment and take inventory of our material possessions and let go of things we no longer use or need.
Daylight is increasing and the first spring flowers will be poking their heads out soon. Allow yourself to savor a bit longer the introspective quality of winter as you begin to cultivate awareness of your current state which is always the first step in achieving balance and stability in the body, mind, and spirit.
Guest Blogger - Deb Bagley