SPRING RITUCHARYA: SEASONAL ROUTINE

VASANTA RITU (spring season)

April to mid-June (approximately) is considered vasanta ritu (spring season). This season is considered a time of birth, new beginnings, renewal, and growth. Winter’s accumulated snow and ice are beginning to melt. The earth is heavy with moisture and the landscape springs to life. The predominant rasa (taste) during this season is kashaya (astringent) and the predominant mahabhutas are prithvi (earth) and vayu (air). The strength of the person remains in medium degree, imbalance of kapha dosha occurs and agni remains in manda (low digestive fire) state. Increasing digestive fire and expelling the accumulations of winter is essential.

DIETARY GUIDELINE FOR BALANCING SPRING SEASON

According to Ayurveda, spring is the season for a lighter, cleansing diet. The foods that are provided by nature are of the lighter fat free and mucous free variety, such as wild greens. Ayurvedic healers believe that this is part of nature’s cycle, that the wild greens are purposely available immediately after winter when heavier foods with greater amounts of fats, dairy, nuts and red meat are consumed. Easily digestible foods and mono diet are encouraged. Now is the time to avoid the sweet, sour and salty foods that have been enjoyed throughout winter and favor tastes of tikta (bitter), katu (pungent), and kashaya (astringent). A bounty of fruits and vegetables should be consumed. Only avoiding heavy fruits such as banana, avocado, orange, pineapple, fig, date, watermelon, coconut. Vegetables should be plentiful avoiding only heavy and watery cucumber, olives, squashes and pumpkins. Hard boiled eggs, fresh water fish, tofu, tempeh and most other beans, all heavily spiced, are welcomed in moderation. Reduce pasta, wheat, rice and oat porridge, preferring other lighter grains. Now is the time for unlimited herbs and spices. Although sweet, honey is to be included in the diet in small amounts as it has a “scrapping” effect and is considered beneficial to help reduce kapha like liquids such as shleshma. Shleshma is a kapha and ama mixture caused by weak digestion. Symptoms may be congestion, post nasal drip, cough, sneezing and watery eyes.

30–40 % whole grains, cooked grains, dry cereals, rye crackers.
20 % proteins of chicken, turkey, boiled and poached eggs, small amounts of goat milk or goat cheese and most beans (including garbanzos, adzukis, pintos, white beans and black or red

lentils).
40–50 % fresh fruit and vegetables.

LIFESTYLE

Heavier exercises will aid in the expulsion of accumulated kapha. During spring season exercise should be performed in the earliest hours of the day followed by abhyanga (self oil massage) massage and a very warm shower. When performing abhyanga a smaller amount of oil and oil soaking time is recommended. This is the most important time of year for the oils to be heated before application, warming the oil with hands is not sufficient. Heat inducing oils of mustard or sesame are preferred. Mustard oil can increase pitta energy and is not recommended for those with eye infections or recent eye surgery. The body should be massaged with a downward squeezing action of the marma points called mardana. Alternatively, a massage with herbal paste (udvartana) can be practiced such as sandalwood, vacha (acorus calamus), crocus (crocus sativus), or agarwood. The essential oils of PRASAD Kapha Perfum are perfect for misting over the body to stimulate the elements. Mustard and sesame oil are also available on the PRASAD web shop. PRASAD Spring Nectar is a tincture made with wild spring herbs to help cleanse the body and spirit.

Medical procedures such as dhooma (smoking), anjana (medicated eye wash), and evacuative measures, such as vamana (emesis), nasya (nasal insufflation) and snehapana (oleation) followed by virechana (therapeutic purgation) are advised by professional guidance. PRASAD ghee detox is a mini panchakarma (purification) offering snehapana followed by virechana. Mono diets, for example, daily intake of Kitchari (rice and moong beans) can also be wonderfully supportive

during this time. Day-sleep is strictly contraindicated during this season.

HOW TO BALANCE THE EFFECTS OF SPRING SEASON?

- oils for self and professional massage must be heated before application - eat plenty of local and European fruits and vegetables
- focus on local wild greens as supplementation or fresh from nature
- increase body movement