Tending the Inner Garden: Spring Awakening Through Food, Skincare, and Rituals
Freshly harvested lilac ready to be infused into honey.
With the arrival of Spring, sap begins to run, and the river’s ice gives way to a bubbling flow beneath. The ground swells from rain, forming a sticky mud. Brave buds unfurl slowly before bursting open. And while the sunshine beams down longer, there’s still a bite in the breeze.
Spring is characterized by elevated moisture, heaviness, and cold. The ancient wisdom of Ayurveda advises us to introduce the opposing qualities if we want to avoid illness and maintain our health. Especially if our innate constitution (prakriti) already contains a good deal of these qualities.*
“You are not a drop in the ocean. You are the entire ocean in a
drop.” -Rumi
How to Find Balance
Since we are part of nature, a change in our environment means a change within our bodies and minds.
In your diet and skincare, incorporate more warm, dry, and light qualities. This ensures that all the bodily fluids (blood, plasma, lymph, digestive juices, urine, sweat, tears…) keep flowing optimally.
How do we know if we’re out of balance? We may experience stagnation, poor appetite, congestion, weight gain, allergies, a foggy mind, or lethargy.
First, Food
Digestion truly governs our entire wellbeing. Adopting a spring diet will build a strong foundation of health, keeping us clear and vibrant! Start by exploring the following practices:
Asparagus, a garden favorite!
Spice it up. Incorporate more pungent, warming spices like ginger, lemon, and pepper. Having small amounts of condiments like mustard, sliced chillis, and ferments are great ways to up the warmth without overheating.
Get bitter. Favor bitter vegetables like steamed asparagus, seared radicchio, wilted arugula, and braised cabbage. Artichoke and radish are great too.
Minimize the dairy. Cow’s milk products are cold, heavy, and dense. Especially when consumed chilled or at night. Try goat milk products instead as they are light and warming.
Stay warm. Sip warm water (with lemon if you prefer) first thing in the morning. This softens and clears the channels, helping to move along any gunk that’s gotten stuck. Sticky gunk leads to poor digestion which ultimately leads to imbalance and illness. (Keep the body warm too. Pack layers, a scarf, and ear warmers. Even a nice day can turn chilly pretty quickly. Best to be prepared!)
Then, Skincare
Just like our digestive system, our skin is craving some warm, dry, and light qualities too. Here are some effective ways to brighten up dullness and ensure radiance even on those gray, rainy days:
A mist of hydrosol catching the sunlight.
Dry brush. This warm, blood flow-boosting practice is best done on the body in the morning (and for some, not every day) as it can be quite stimulating. Before showering, begin at the feet and brush the skin in an upward motion. Be gentle but brisk and give extra attention to areas that are prone to stagnation (breasts, bum, thighs, etc.).
Cleanse with clay. Alternate cleansing the face with oil and a gentle clay-based cleanser. (See this guide for tips on how to get started creating a skincare routine.) I use this cleanser more frequently as it helps to dry up the natural increase of moisture/oiliness on my skin without completely drying me out. I might opt for oil cleansing half the time and clay the other half. (Whereas in the winter, I’m mostly cleansing with oil and using the clay as a weekly masque if needed.)
Swap your facial mist. I frequently reach for hydrosols such as Juniper, Sweet Fern, or Tulsi as they have slightly more astringent and invigorating properties than other hydrosols. Juniper is especially beneficial next to the bedside. If you need a motivating boost to get going, spritz the skin first thing in the morning and take a deep breath in.
Choose a lighter moisturizer. One that contains mostly drier oils such as grapeseed, almond, plum, argan, moringa, or sunflower should do the trick. Those with oily skin will want to lighten up quite a bit while those with lots of dryness may only want to lighten slightly. Or maybe not at all!
