A new season is upon us, spring! According to Ayurveda, spring, or kapha season, is the time of year that a new cycle begins. We begin shifting from the hibernation of winter into an awakening of rebirth during spring. Flowers begin to bloom, insects buzz, and leaves start unfurling. To help your mind and body balanced and aligned with the season, try this yoga for spring renewal practice.
Yoga for Spring Renewal
Springtime is all about cleansing the old and nourishing the new. Yoga for spring renewal will focus on energizing yoga poses, including heart-opening backbends, detoxifying twists, and stimulating movement. Try the following yoga poses individually or as a sequence.
- Sun Salutation A
- Low lunge
- Low lunge twist
- Revolved triangle pose
- Revolved half moon
- Warrior 3
- High lunge
- Warrior 2
- Extended side angle
- High plank
- Low plank
- Cobra
- Seal pose
- Locust pose
- Bow pose
- Seated spinal twist
- Shoulder stand
- Child’s pose
Be sure to practice in a calm environment. For more springtime yoga, discover Yoga for Spring.
Pranayama to Warm Up
Yoga for spring renewal invites us to cleanse away the winter’s density and begin to lighten up. A great way to cleanse and lighten during springtime is through warming pranayama exercises such as Solar Pranayama. This breathing exercise invites you to only breathe in and out through your right nostril because the right nostril connects to the pingala nadi or fire element, building warmth. By practicing this for 5 minutes, you will begin to cleanse and clear your body and mind.
Here’s how to practice:
- Find a comfortable position sitting up tall, spine long.
- Take 5 deep breaths in and out through your nose.
- Using your left thumb, close your left nostril shut.
- Exhale out any stagnation.
- Begin to breathe in and out solely through your right nostril.
- Focus on matching your inhales, and your exhales for 5 seconds each.
- Practice for 5-minutes, and then relax your hand.
- Take 5 more deep breaths in and out through both nostrils to equalize.
Affirmations and Mantras for Confidence
Our voice and words hold great power. The throat chakra connects to the air element, which brings in a lightness compared to spring’s heavy qualities. Thus, affirmations and mantras can play a vital role in bringing connection and confidence into the spring season. Renew your energy with these powerful expressions. Try chanting for 3 minutes or repeating once as you catch yourself in the mirror.
- I value myself
- I am worthy of abundance and light
- There is nothing I can’t do
- I take joy in every positive step I take forward
- Gratitude and acceptance propel me forward
Bija Mantras
- Yam (pronounced Yum) – to open your heart
- Ham (pronounced Hum) – to open your throat
Herbal Remedy Chyawanprash to Nourish
To complete your yoga for spring renewal practice, consume a nourishing herbal remedy to restore your body, mind, and spirit. Chyawanprash is a traditional Ayurvedic nutritive jam that targets all tissues deep within the body.
Consume 1 tsp of PIOR Living Chyawanprash prior to practice for lasting energy, amplified digestion, and optimal organ functioning to take place.
Clare Michalik, Ayurvedic Practitioner
