Spring Melt and Kapha
We are in the heart of the kapha season, which usually extends from the second half of winter all the way through spring. Up here, that can mean snow and freezing rain, or it can mean warm days and nature greening up, as is happening today.
This is a period of dramatic shift for the doshas as we move from dormancy to dynamic growth. Anytime there is a substantial shift in the environment, the doshas are more vulnerable to becoming imbalanced.
What are the doshas? I'm not a trained Ayurvedic practitioner, but in general terms, there are three doshas that comprise a person’s constitution: vata, Pitta, and kapha. Each dosha is characterized by its own unique qualities. All three doshas are present in each of us, but the proportion varies. We have a predominant dosha or sometimes a combination. Knowing your dosha constitution can help you live a more balanced life.
Kapha dosha consists of water and earth and is responsible for protection and lubrication—synovial fluid in our joints, mucosal lining of our stomach, immune system, and healthy psychological boundaries. Balanced kapha supports groundedness, endurance, strength, and dependability.
Spring is a time of change and growth. The winter freeze thaws and melts and nourishes budding life stirred by warmer days. Fresh and energetic energy fills the air as Winter fades. When kapha is in balance, its qualities are stability, strength and nourishment. Our physiology senses the transition and as the weather warms, we intuitively Spring clean, start new fitness routines, and crave spending time in good company. But the spring melt can also cause built-up winter kapha to make us feel sluggish, dull and sleepy. Our kapha imbalance might present as weight gain, lethargy, fatigue, depression even as Spring is joyously erupting around us.
In yoga, one of the ways we address the stagnation that we sometimes feel in early Spring when kapha can be over abundant is through dynamic twisting poses. I know that I am often drawn this time of year to twisting, and flow practices that incorporate a lot of twisting and counter twisting, effectively "wringing out" the works and rejuvenating/rebalancing energy in the physical body and mind.
