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AUM IS FOR EVERYONE

AUM represents the network of Ayurvedic professionals in the Midwest with a mission of bringing awareness to the community and further promoting the knowledge and practice of Ayurveda for our communities’ wellbeing. Empower every community through awareness and knowledge of Ayurveda and bring holistic health and wellness to all.



RITU CHARYA - moving from Winter into Spring

the science of working with seasonal change

Ritu = seasons

Charya = regime, rules, discipline


Ayurveda teaches that we are a “microcosm of the macrocosm.”

As a part of the macrocosm, we respond to the changes in the environment around us. When the weather changes, it can affect our health and well-being. Ayurveda recognized a critical period extending from the last 15 days of one season into the first 15 days of the next season. Ritu Sandhi (meaning “seasons” - in between) describes this transitional period.


At the beginning of each season, the qualities of that season begin to accumulate. When nearing the end of that same season, the qualities can become aggravated. It is in this transition between seasons we ( as a microcosm of the macrocosm) run the risk of doshic imbalance and become more susceptible to dis-ease. When we gradually shift with the seasons, we can move from one to the other healthier and more easily.


As we begin to move out of winter, here in the Midwest, we are all dreaming of the warmth of summer. We are poised at the juncture between winter and spring when Kapha's heavy, wet, congestive qualities have been building and accumulating. We also tend to eat heavier foods during the winter months, so our bodies can stay warm and maintain normal body temperature. This may overwhelm our digestive fire (Agni) and result in poor digestion , which leads to an accumulation of toxins or ama in our system.


If not properly cleaned up and moved out at this time of ritu sandhi, the body and mind can become imbalanced by the excess accumulation and aggravation of each dosha. An example is - due to the dryness of winter, our body produces more mucous to help balance. This can be why we experience more seasonal allergies as we move from winter into spring.

As the earth and the macrocosm around us starts to warm up, if there is excess dampness and congestion in our bodies, it will present as runny noses, phlegm, congestion, and seasonal allergies.


So what to do during this transitional time? Here are a few simple ideas to adjust and move into the new spring season.


Slowly start to wake earlier…Kapha time of day begins at 6 am-10 am. With the darkness of winter, it is often cozy to stay in bed and hit the snooze alarm. Vata time extends from 2 am - 6 am when the light, subtle qualities of dawn begin to break thru. Waking early - before 6 am - will help the body and mind feel energized and less inert.

Get moving early in the day! The qualities of Vata present in the spring help us feel more light and mobile! Use that to your advantage to lessen winter stagnation - take a brisk walk through your neighborhood - enjoying the spring flowers and fresh air. Try an active morning yoga class to help melt away the accumulated Kapha of winter.

Have a cup of tea - Tulsi (holy basil) tea with a small amount of honey would be perfect! Tulsi is described as “the Queen of herbs” and is revered in Ayurveda. It has a gentle heating effect and helps to clear excess kapha from the lungs and upper respiratory tract. Ayurveda views honey as having a scraping effect and is considered a healing tonic - offering sweetness and digestive support.

Eat lighter - with an emphasis on pungent, bitter, and astringent tastes. During the winter months, we often crave and eat more heavy, dense, caloric foods - which can help us to stay warm and fortified against the cold. This can also cause a Kapha accumulation in the physical body. So springtime is the time for favoring foods with pungent, astringent, bitter tastes - especially fresh greens like dandelion greens, mustard greens, arugula, spinach, kale, and asparagus will be perfect moving into spring. These could be added to soup or sautéed in a delicious stir fry.

● If you are moving from winter into spring with low energy, constipated, feeling heavy or sluggish, this may be the time for you to do a Spring cleanse. Eating a lighter diet for a few days or longer can help your digestive system clear away the toxins ( ama) weighing you down. Detoxifying in the spring is an important part of ritucharya, and can be done easily at home. Seek out a local Ayurveda professional to help you with this! This link to Banyan Botanicals Spring cleanse article will provide more details. https://www.banyanbotanicals.com/info/ayurvedic-living/living-ayurveda/cleansing/a-very-simple-three-day-cleanse/


Happy Spring!!




AUM Midwest is proud to be an associate member of this informative and potentially life-changing Virtual Lecture Series:



TAM (Traditional Ayurvedic Medicines) Series

Session 20: Pharmacological & Therapeutic Effects of Jatiyadi Ghrita


Program

Sunday, April 2nd, 2023 Live on - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ccaycollege Time: 10:00 am to 11:30 am (EST in Canada & USA) Zoom – Register https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_HVhe8whfSQedQA4Fy-yvyA





Such a beautiful time of year in the Midwest! With its glorious colors and refreshing temperature change, autumn is a lovely transition after the summer season. Autumn brings the decline of Pitta dosha, with its dominance of the fire element, and the air element of Vata dosha begins to rise. Vata embodies the energy of change and movement, a time of transition. You can feel its cool, windy, irregular, and drying qualities swirling thru the air… just like the leaves on my windy walk yesterday. These qualities of Vata that are present in autumn can easily begin to distract or dysregulate you. It is important to be aware of balancing diet and lifestyle during this time of year, in preparation for even more change to come!


Simple changes in lifestyle can help us to stay centered and grounded in body, mind, and soul. As the days grow shorter, we feel a natural urge to draw inward, get cozy, reconnect, and gather our energy. We gather the intensity and energy of summer and use it to move us through fall and into winter, so this is a great time to plan projects to do as you spend less time outdoors. (One reason I love fall is that it is time for working on puzzles!)



As the days get shorter, aligning our daily routine with the change of season often means feeling ready to go to bed earlier. Without the distractions that come with a longer day and extra outside time, we can align with the Ayurvedic clock and cozy into bed by 10 pm. An extra blanket on the bed helps to ground Vata energy and adds another layer of coziness to promote restful sleep. This also will help us feel more rested when we wake in the early hours, in alignment with Ayurvedic wisdom, which suggests awakening by 6 am at the end of Vata time to begin our day and establish a solid daily routine.


Because autumn is Vata season, we experience more dryness, and our skin reacts to this. Daily practice of abhyanga, Ayurvedic self-massage, is especially important this time of year and can be done as part of your morning or evening daily routine. The Astanga Hrdayam, one of the great texts of Ayurveda, states that “Abhyanga wards off old age, exertion, and aggravation of Vata” (S: II 8-9). Abhyanga takes a little extra time each day, but the advantages are great! An article from Banyan Botanicals explains how to enjoy this daily practice: Ayurveda self-massage


With practice, yoga has a calming effect on Vata, as it brings warmth, stability, grounding, and focus. Warm up slowly, grounding your hands and feet on the mat whenever possible. Standing poses and balancing poses—warrior 1, warrior 2, tree pose, and mountain pose—will build strength and stability. To help you connect with the earth, include child’s pose and cobra pose (or variations of cobra). Legs-up-the-wall pose or forward bends will help quiet Vata and soothe the nervous system. Yoga Nidra practice or guided meditation also help turn energy and attention inward. When relaxing, take care to stay warm; once again, a cozy blanket helps to create warmth and provide a grounding quality.


A fall Ayurvedic diet favors warming, grounding foods. Think delicious veggie soups, rice and dal, vegetable chili, steamed vegetables cooked with ghee and/or healthy oils and warm and gently stimulating spices (turmeric, black pepper, ginger, cumin, coriander). The grounding and internally moisturizing qualities will balance the cool, rough, and dry qualities of Vata in the environment. Consult with an Ayurvedic professional to learn more specifics about the foods to favor based on your Prakruti or Vikruti during Vata season. Fasting is not encouraged during autumn, but it is a good time of year to do a simple cleanse by eating a mono-diet, such as Kitchari.


Enjoy the beauty of the season, and stay balanced!

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