According to Ayurveda, the transition from winter to spring is when we are most vulnerable. It’s easy for us to catch a cold during this time, and we could be at risk of becoming stagnant in our daily routines. Spring is the time to take care of yourself and is full of new self-healing opportunities. Let’s look at a few different ways you can heal your mind and spirit this spring.
Mantra for Spring
To encourage self-care this spring, we want to inspire you with a mantra from Maya Tiwari. You can use this in your yoga practice, during your self-care routines, or as you go about your everyday tasks. This mantra is “Regenerate and Transform.”
If you haven’t heard of Maya Tiwari, she is a spiritual pioneer who has helped nourish and heal people with her message of Ahimsa (or harmony). She teaches Ayurvedic principles and even established the Wise Earth School of Ayurveda. With her vision of helping people recognize their inner power to heal and transform themselves, Maya has impacted individuals and communities worldwide.
As you work on activating self-healing this spring, remember Maya’s mantra, “Regenerate and Transform.” By focusing on caring for your mental, physical, and emotional health, you will reawaken your inner spirit and plant seeds of new beginnings and new behaviors. Transformation and healing begin with one step. Take a step today with one of the following self-care practices.
Practices for Self-Care
Spring is the perfect opportunity to adopt new self-healing practices. Invigorate your mind, strengthen your immunity, and cleanse your spirit with these five self-care techniques.
Dry Brushing
Started as an ayurvedic ritual, dry brushing is the practice of rubbing a bristled tool over your skin. This ritual boasts more benefits than just exfoliating your skin; it also stimulates your circulatory system to remove waste and helps you feel better about your body. Dry brushing is a detoxifying experience that leaves your skin smooth and glowing!
Kapha Balancing Recipe
Whenever you feel a dip in energy, have a cold, struggle with poor bowel movements, or have sudden weight gain, you may be experiencing a kapha imbalance. As Ayurveda teaches, each of us is made up of three doshas – vata, pitta, and kapha. When these doshas aren’t balanced, we can feel off. If you’re experiencing an imbalance in your kapha, try a light, healthy kapha balancing recipe. Find recipes online or make this kapha salad:
Ingredients
- ¼ cup mung bean sprouts
- 2 carrots, grated
- Lettuce of your choice
- ¼ cup roughly chopped raw broccoli
- ¼ cup cabbage
- Fresh green beans
- Lemon
- Oil
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Steps
- Mix the sprouts with your vegetables.
- Drizzle lemon and oil over the veggies, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Toss gently and enjoy.
Yoga Poses to Cleanse the Lungs
With the beginning of spring comes seasonal allergies and colds for many of us. Our lungs require a little extra attention during these times, especially since our breath (or “prana”) is our life force. Yoga can be a great way to activate self-healing in any area of your life, such as your breathing. While incorporating self-care practices into your daily routine, try these heart and chest openers to cleanse your lungs.
- Triangle Pose: This pose opens the chest cavity by spreading your arms. One hand is placed on the ground, and one stretches into the sky.
- Fish Pose: This pose boosts blood circulation and stretches your lungs. It encourages deep breathing and can relieve respiratory issues, such as allergy-related asthma.
- Wild Thing: We love having a little fun here at Health Yoga Life because you can’t (and shouldn’t) always take life so seriously, not even your self-care practice. Shake things up with this chest opener. Not only does it free the spirit, open the heart, and increase lung capacity, but it also strengthens your shoulders and upper back, which is great for improving your posture (and good posture means easier breathing).
Epsom Salt Baths
Boasted for its soothing powers, Epsom salt is a popular addition to any self-care practice. Soaking in an Epsom salt bath can heal your mind from the stresses of the day (or year). To get a bath started, fill your bathtub with warm water and add no more than 2 cups of Epsom salt per gallon of water. Soak for 15 minutes or more.
Why Epsom salts? Great question! The amount of magnesium in Epsom salt is believed to reduce swelling and relieve aches. It may also soothe skin irritations and itching. These benefits make an Epsom salt bath the perfect way to wind down from a tension-filled day. Step into the warm water, ease your muscles, and let your mind drift.
Drink Water with Lemon
Let’s face it: plain water is boring. It doesn’t matter how much our bodies crave it; it will never not be flat and unexciting. For this reason, it can be hard to stay motivated to consume the recommended daily amount. Thankfully, there’s a solution: lemon water!
Drinking water infused with lemons can promote hydration by improving the flavor, encouraging you to drink more. Additionally, lemons are chock-full of Vitamin C, which can help boost your immune system and reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease. Lemon water can also support weight loss, improve your skin, and aid in digestion. You can drink it cold, but warm lemon water has a soothing quality that’s perfect for relaxing at the end of the day or after a long yoga practice. One of the best ways to activate self-healing is through hydration, and what better way to improve your intake of water than with lemon water? Mix up a cup (or mug) of lemon water today.
Transform Your Life with Self-Healing
Now that the cold weather is moving on and the flowers and trees are breathing life back into the earth, it’s time to shake off the winter blues and focus on your wellbeing. Activate self-healing this spring by keeping Maya Tiwari’s mantra at heart and starting a new self-care practice. Remember to listen to your body; it’ll tell you what you need to be whole again. If you’re ready to transform your life, join Health Yoga Life in one of our yoga classes. Review the classes and instructors then sign up here.