Beat the winter blues.

Winter is my jam. As a pitta I thrive in the wintertime, and with āyurveda, you can too! In fact, āyurveda teaches us how to thrive all year long. As we learn to tune into the ebbs and flows of nature and start living in sync with those rhythms we begin to find joy in all of nature’s seasons.

In Ayurveda late winter through early spring is considered the kapha season. It’s during this time that, without proper attention, we can accumulate the qualities of kapha - hard, dense, heavy, slow/sluggish, dull, and sticky. Kapha is the convergence of the water and earth elements; think of the sticky mud after the snows melt, or the cold, heavy, wet snows of late winter.

One common psycho-emotional manifestation of kapha is miild to moderate depression. It’s not surprising that during the late winter many folks tend to suffer from Seasonal Affect Disorder (S.A.D), or what we commonly call “the winter blues”. We accumulate the qualities of the season when we aren’t mindful of countering them. The dull, heavy, slow/sluggish qualities of kapha translate physically into feelings of lethary, stagnation, and a cloudy or foggy mind. And as the qualities of kapha begin to accumulate they get harder and harder to shake off — kapha is sticky after all, it’s all about attachment. But with mindful awareness we can use our day to day practices to keep these qualities from accumulating and find joy even in the coldest, darkest days of winter.

As we transition deeper into kapha season stay mindful of your mood, your energy levels, and any digestive changes you might be experiencing. Check out my Āyurvedic Tips for Winter to stay balanced all winter long!

**Adapted from original post at carrieklaus.yoga