Sweet, Spring is Upon Us.
Spring. The true awakening and the actual NEW Year! HPNY! — (not an arbitrary January date)
I’m not knocking January, it’s one of my favorites. But in nature - nothing begins in January.
April aligns us with the biological new year. The agricultural new year. And the purest sense of tradition.
While January provides us with a gorgeous new daily planner and a chance to hit our peak dormancy. April – from an Ayurvedic standpoint – is inherently + intrinsically the most advantageous window in our calendar year. This is the lowest-effort, highest-yield cleansing period of the year. SIGN ME UP! The work-out plan you committed to in January will be much easier to achieve now. January sits in a low-energy, inward, conservation phase—yet culturally we push expansion, discipline, and transformation. Those same efforts tend to be far more effective in spring, when conditions actually support activation. Let’s set our resolutions together.
Here’s a way to think about it…
Human physiology:
metabolism increases; stored energy becomes accessible
energy rises
motivation returns
your body is more responsive and excited about change
mobilizing stored waste (ama)
loosening excess fat and fluid
release of mucus, build up, trauma release, (my favorite thing to talk about – why?)
In the Midwest – the land of the seasonal allergy – we must rely on nature to help us adjust.
Embrace and accept the fresh (allergy filled air) as it will create long term respiratory resilience.
Let the mucus and fluid build up from dormant winter release. Short term pain, *long term gain. Let it flow!
Linking your breath & movement will enable release. Practice dynamic breathing, moving & twisting - remember - movement follows breath. Do not rush, move with ease and intention.
Biologically + Emotionally:
Spring (Kapha season) is about clearing problems.
Functional medicine points to us the plethora of advantages that are difficult to access in other seasons.
April/Spring naturally behaves like a true starting point. We begin with observing and noticing the awakening happening around us.
Take a short walk around your neighborhood. Notice. Notice with new eyes. Keep it simple.
In spring, the stability and foundation you develop will become available to you for future forward motion.
“Watch your thoughts, they become your words; watch your words, they become your actions; watch your actions, they become your habits; watch your habits, they become your character; watch your character, it becomes your destiny.”
Habits started now are more likely to stick. Routines will become sustainable.
From an Ayurveda perspective, mid–late spring (March–early June in the great Midwest) is dominated by Kapha dosha—heaviness, moisture, and sluggishness. This is when accumulated winter Kapha starts to melt, often showing up as congestion, fatigue, water retention, or slower digestion. Again, this is not the time for action even though the arrival of spring gives us a bounce to our step. Slow and steady wins the race!
Don’t rush through this gorgeous season which lends itself to daydreaming of summer; the transition to Pitta season (summer) will begin early-mid June. The exact shift depends on consistent heat (not calendar date). Once days are reliably warm/hot, you’re in Pitta!
What to Eat (Kapha Season)
The strategy is precise: light, warm, dry, stimulating foods to counter heaviness and dampness.
Consider swapping out and adding these foods to your lineup.
Light grains: Barley (top recommendation in Ayurveda for spring), Quinoa, Millet, Buckwheat
Vegetables (especially bitter, pungent, astringent). I was a bit overzealous with winter sowing in milk jugs + direct sowing (chaos gardening) lettuce and greens this year. Lil baby leaves are already popping - while I stand with my morning coffee and wonder - what did I plant there? Excited to see the wild bounty. Free Kale for everyone! Leafy greens (kale, dandelion, arugula), Asparagus, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Radishes are easy to access in our area.
Legumes: Lentils (red lentils are easiest to digest), Chickpeas, Mung beans
Fruits (light + astringent): Pomegranate, Berries, Apples (especially cooked/stewed), Pears (my absolute favorite stewed fruit to batch make and eat all season – and next year! Core pears + pear juice + cinnamon stick + ghee in the crock pot until tender and delicious)
Spices!!! (critical in this season). These actively reduce Kapha and improve digestion: Ginger (fresh or dried), Turmeric, Black Pepper, Cumin, Mustard seed, Cinnamon!
Light proteins: Eggs (moderate), White meat (chicken, turkey), Occasional fish
Reduce or Avoid (for now) as they can worsen sluggishness: Red meat, Dairy, fried/ oily foods, heavy wheat products (bread and pasta), cold/ raw foods are difficult to digest – your body is working hard enough purging and waking up. Favor warm, cooked meals over cold/raw.
Soups & Stews are your best friend to feel full & nourished. Here is a simple recipe to get you started.
Don’t forget the spice!
Spiced Red Lentil & Greens Soup
(Kapha-Reducing)
1 cup red lentils, rinsed (light, easy to digest)
4 cups water
2 cups chopped leafy greens (spinach, kale, or dandelion - bitter + astringent: reduce Kapha)
1 small carrot, diced
1 tsp fresh grated ginger
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp mustard seeds - optional but ideal – increases our digestive fire (agni) – countering the heaviness of spring.
½ tsp cinnamon (optional, good for Kapha)
1 tbsp olive oil or ghee, salt to taste, lemon squeeze
Warm spices first
Heat oil, add cumin + mustard seeds until they pop.
Build the base
Add ginger, turmeric, carrot, sauté 2–3 minutes.
Simmer
Add lentils + water, bring to boil & reduce to simmer 20 minutes.
Add greens
Stir in greens during the last 5 minutes.
Add black pepper, salt, and lemon juice.
Notes from the Homestead
A little spring magic is upon the farmhouse — and poof! Three sweet robin eggs outside our window. We’re on baby bird watch!
Much of my time is spent dragging the step ladder across the property to check on all of the nests-in-progress. Ever wonder what your therapist does in their spare time? Some would say - I need to get a life. I would say - I am witnessing life in motion.
Southwest Michigan is sprouting. The energy is palpable. As one would, I stumbled upon the Grand Opening of an Energy & Reiki center in Niles, Michigan. What a sweet surprise! I was introduced to bio-harmonics by the owner & reiki practitioner and decided to get a recording of my biofeedback. This is a legitimate technological concept grounded in measurable physiology and signal processing. It is not mystical, but it can feel highly personal because the source data is internal. For the purposes of my self-report - we will focus on the magic!
I took 10 minutes, sat in a chair, opened my mind to all possibilities that may arise. I have been feeling the heaviness of the world sitting on my chest, so tight - restricted - constricted. I know the fear of the unknown affects my ability to love openly. I took this opportunity to meditate from the heart. I was then flooded with images and feelings of all the people who I love and who love me. I could absolutely hear the variations in the recording (and in real time via speaker) of the shifts of energy as I journeyed through my internal love land (lol). It was an incredibly powerful experience, and I will continue to meditate with that recording.
Love is eternal. And I pray we open our hearts in this heavy world. It may require us to move counterintuitively, but we must find a way.
Moving on to the magic….
With my heavy heart now cracked open and singing, I moved into a reiki and reading.
Cutting to the chase - here is what was pulled from the Talisman Oracle Cards.
Now, am I going to sit here and call it magic that three little eggs showed up on our doorstep? OR can we just call it even and acknowledge spring as highly auspicious as it represents a precise convergence of biological renewal, energetic activation, and psychological reset. The birth and opportunity for growth is all around us. What a beautiful reminder life is full of fresh starts.
At a technical level in yoga philosophy, auspiciousness is not random or symbolic—it is diagnostic. It indicates that an action, moment, or decision is aligned with Dharma, and therefore supported by the underlying order of reality.
Imagine in Your Mind’s Eye
Eggs snuggled up cozily in their nest.
They are safe and sound, protected by the elements and their ever-watching mother.
Growing every day but progress may not visible to the eye.
It is slow and tedious work that needs a lot of patience, but the outcome is rebirth.
I am in a phase of quiet creation.
