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I strongly feel a sense of renewal during Spring Equinox; like this is the new year beginning rather than in January. Being my birth month plays a role as well but, seasonally, this makes a lot of sense. The natural world has died away during winter & is now ready to re-emerge with a whole new vibrancy.
March 20th marks the Spring Equinox, when day & night are in equal parts. We are shifting towards the sun’s warmth now. I am so ready for this shift! Winter was long & cold (Vata) & now I’m ecstatic to bask in all of the sun’s glory for the upcoming months! As soon as it begins to warm up from Winter, we tend to rush ahead, craving Summer. Let’s not disregard the beauty of Spring & her messages. Let’s innerstand her wisdom & hold great presence to honor her, rather than rush her.
Spring Equinox is a great time for deepening our awareness. Winter may bring pain when we are in resistance to rest, internal inquiry, & solitude. Hopefully, you’ve learned to love all parts of yourself when productivity is at the lower end of its cycle, and embraced all the gifts of Winter so you can reap the bountiful blessings of spring! Flowers begin to emerge & bloom, the days are growing longer which signals the birds to sing their songs, the sun is charging our spirits, we rejoice as we gather with loved ones during this time of renewal & honor the Earth.🌞
Sitting with the Earth’s energies as they are is a beautiful way to give gratitude to our collective home. She gives & gives through all of her cycles to us. Honoring Spring time can be done with a simple ritual. Gather objects to represent the elements: a candle for the sun, a glass or dish of water for the flowing rains/rivers & oceans, & a living plant for the blossoms of life. You may either sit in silence & appreciation for the elements or say/write some words to acknowledge & reflect on this time. Another way to invoke Spring gratitude is by honoring the Spring Goddesses.
Artio: (Swiss) She is the bear Goddess, hibernating in Winter & re-emerging in the beginning of Spring.
Brigit: (Celtic) Honored during Imbolc as her maiden aspect right at the beginning of Spring (early February). Flora: (Roman) She gifts us with flowering plants, especially those bearing fruits. She is celebrated with the Spring festival Floralia in April /early May, where everyone sings, dances & worships the flowers.
Freya: (Nordic) Goddess of fertility bringing us the growth of Spring flowers.
Hare Ke: (West African) Bestowing the Earth with Spring rains, she brought fertility back to the land with sweet waters.
Hebe: (Greek) Spring Goddess of eternal youth.
Kono-Hana-Sakuya-Hime: (Japanese) “Lady who makes the trees bloom”, she is associated with Spring blooms, especially cherry blossoms. She is honored at the sacred site of Mt Fuji
Maia: (Greek) She gifts us with the forces of growth & the warming sun.
Ostara: (Celtic) The Goddess of fertility & rebirth, she is often celebrated during Easter.
Persephone: (Greek) Withdrawing into the underworld each Autumn, she left with darkness. Upon her arrival each Spring, her mother Demeter, rejoiced with growth & abundance for the lands.
Sita: (Hindu) The Spring Goddess of tending to the land & rebirth.
During winter, it was good to eat heavier foods that could help us bulk up in the cold. During Spring, if we continue to eat the same, we will bear weight & create congestion (in the sinuses & digestion). Increase the bitter, astringent, & pungent tastes with leafy greens, artichokes, beets, bok choy, cruciferous veggies, eggplant, hotter peppers, mushrooms onions, potatoes sprouts, squash, beans, basmati rice, buckwheat, rye, dried fruits, apples, cranberries, kiwi, pear, persimmon, pomegranate, strawberries, flaxseed, pumpkin seed, sunflower, fresh water fish, turkey, almond milk, ginger tea, warming/ stimulating teas, & perhaps a cup of coffee per day. Think to avoid or lessen eating food with heavier qualities such as dairy, wheat, brown/white rice, oats, sweet potatoes, zucchini, tomatoes, chickpeas, humus, sweet treats like dessert, peanuts, pickles, beef, lamb, pork, chicken, seafood, ice old drinks & breads.
Use all spices (especially garlic & ginger) to avoid blandness so that your foods may be digested. You’ll want to stimulate your digestive fire since it may be naturally low at this time. Enjoy livening up your foods with anise, basil, bay leaf, black pepper, chamomile, caraway, cardamom, cayenne, cinnamon, clove, coriander, cumin, dill, fennel, fenugreek, garlic, ginger, horseradish, hyssop, marjoram, mustard, nutmeg, oregano, peppermint, poppy seed, rosemary, saffron, sage, spearmint, star anise, thyme, turmeric.
Surround yourself with brightening, joyful colors: orange, red, yellow, gold, white, & blue. Wear these colors or decorate your home/car with them. Doing a color meditation is a fun, calming way to align with a color’s vibration as well. Add life to your space with living plants or flowers. Use inspirational quotes (from others or yourself) in your space to lift your spirit. You can print some out, handwrite them, write on mirrors, or even make one your phone’s wallpaper.
To break out of brain fog, sinus congestion, sadness, & stagnation use aromatherapy with: orange, peppermint, basil, bergamot, eucalyptus (our Citrus Sun Ritual Wax Melts and Uplift Ritual Mists were designed specifically for the Kapha season!)
To alleviate slow, heavy digestion, use the essential oils of: ginger, ajwan, cinnamon, orange peel, oregano, thyme, cloves
For lethargy, dullness in the mind and spirit, & stagnation: holy basil, lemongrass, juniper berries, elderberry (our Uplift Ritual Tea Blend contains a delicious combination of these!)
For chest congestion, back pain & stiffness: cardamom, orange, calamus, elecampane, hyssop, eucalyptus, sage
For swelling & painful joints: ginger, eucalyptus, turmeric, calamus, juniper, cypress (check out our Uplift Ritual Soak to truly offer your body relief!)
For sinus irritation & headaches: basil, eucalyptus, elecampane, camphor, rosemary
Consider movement to be one of the ways you consistently wake up your body & mind. It may be hard to create this habit at first, but think about how your energy will be free flowing & loose from stagnation. Take up fun activities such as running, jogging, hiking, or biking. You may even consider doing more stimulating yoga flows during the Kapha time of day (6-10am/pm).
At a time when Kapha is accumulating its good to gain clarity on the growth you wish to experience. Here we have some prompts for contemplation:
Which aspects of myself would I like to see grow this season?
In what areas of my life am I feeling stagnant?
How is my appetite & digestion lately?
Am I feeling the need for more rest? Is it rejuvenating rest or perhaps avoidance?
What are 3 things I’m looking forward to in the next 2 months?
Which relationships do I wish to nourish currently?
Am I content with my work situations?
What are my 3 biggest goals for the year?
Do I feel aligned in action & beliefs for those goals?
What time of day do I feel most activated?
When is my energy the lowest?
What sort of activities am I excited to do to awaken my body?
How do I want to honor the Earth this season?
