A Kapha Season Primer
WHAT IS KAPHA SEASON?
In Ayurveda, it’s not the calendar which defines the season but the qualities found in the atmosphere. According to Ayurveda, Kapha season extends from the latter half of winter (when the ground is frozen) into spring (when the earth begins to thaw out).
Thinking of the weather we associate with Kapha season, words like heavy, wet, dense, dull, static, and cold come to mind. These factors influence our bodies by increasing the same qualities in our mind and body. These cold, heavy qualities manifest in us as feeling more sluggish, accumulating toxins, lowered immunity and after weeks of this, we move into spring and really feel the effects of those imbalances as we struggle with allergies and trying to build up our energy levels.
To avoid the imbalances that can occur during Kapha season, we need to reduce Kapha qualities by adding more qualities from Vata* (dryness, lightness) and Pitta (warmth, transformation) into our daily routines, our food, our exercise, and our self-care practices.
Here are some simple ways to bring more dry, light, warm, and invigorating energies into our daily routines:
Rise early. Try rising at or before sunrise before the Kapha time of day, 6-10am. Waking up during Kapha time makes getting up and moving more difficult for all of your body’s systems. By rising before Kapha time, you’ll start your day in Vata time with your mind and body alert.
Eat for Kapha season. During fall and winter we need heavier foods to help ground and nourish us through Vata season. As we move into Kapha season, it’s still cold so we’ll definitely want to use food to keep warm. Transition to light, warm foods such as vegetable soups, leafy greens, adzuki beans, and lentils. Spices include coriander, parsley, mustard seed, ginger, turmeric, and chili.
Move your body. Kapha season is marked by heaviness and stagnancy. Increasing your activity level is beneficial! Begin your day with a workout—Vinyasa yoga, Pilates, Barre—to get your heart pumping and your body sweating.
Spring clean. Seasonal transitions are a great time to cleanse both your body and your house! A seasonal cleanse is great for eliminating excess Kapha and bringing your body back into balance. There are many cleansing options but one of my favorites is a simple Kitchari cleanse to support toxin removal and enhance digestion. Find my go-to Kitchari recipe here.
Eat for the season. If you’re unsure what to eat, look to what food is available at your local farmer’s market and eat the bounty of the season.
Create a routine and stick to it. There are many small things you can do each day that do not take a lot of time: use your tongue scraper, use a neti pot or nasya oil, dry brush your body.
PS: Find my Vata Season Primer here and Pitta Season Primer here.
* If you live in an extremely cold, dry climate, be mindful of bringing too many Vata qualities into your days! Vata will also be a strong component of your winter season so you will want to actively keep Vata calm and happy as well.