Massage Since Kapha season is generally cold, wet, and heavy, your massage therapies at this time should be light, warm, and stimulating. Make a massage oil blend using a light base of sunflower or safflower oil and add a few drops of lavender, rosemary or mint. Take your blend and massage the bottom surface of the hands and feet as well as the scalp. This will help stimulate all the pressure points and nerve endings in the area and invigorate your entire system. The morning time is a great opportunity to do this. You can also use our light and invigorating Kapha Balancing Body Oil for this therapy.

Additional Tip To warm the body and facilitate digestion...
Using your massage oil blend or our Kapha Balancing Body Oil, gently massage your third chakra or Manipura chakra, located in the area of the solar plexus, navel and digestive system. Pour oil directly onto your belly button. With your fingers, gently massage the navel in a clockwise circle. Then with your palm, slowly make the circles bigger until you have massaged the entire abdominal region. Reverse the direction and slowly make the circles smaller until you are back at the navel. Afterwards, place a warm towel over your belly, take a moment to breathe and allow the newly invigorated energy to move throughout the entire body.

*Note, use discretion if you are pregnant or have intestinal ulcers or heart problems.

Lifestyle Ayurveda prescribes pancha karma, or purification therapy three times a year at the change of each season. Even if you cannot find or afford professional treatment, you can still do a cleansing and oleation therapy at home to help reestablish proper balance and functioning of the entire system. Kapha season is the time of year to clean your house and prepare for new beginnings; and the same applies to your body. During your cleanse, we recommend eating lightly and taking in as much rest as possible. Look for foods that are light, dry and stimulating – they will work to balance kapha accumulations. You can also follow our nine-day at-home pancha karma routine depicted in Absolute Beauty (available at Pratima spa or any online retailer).

Additional Tip Breathe steam with eucalyptus oil – this will help clear the sinuses as well as reduce nasal congestion and allergies.

NutritionFor Kapha season, try to avoid heavy foods such as dairy, cheese, sweets and fried dishes. We also recommend adding spices to your meals. Spices such as turmeric, cumin, fennel, ajwan, and fenugreek will all work to keep kapha accumulations at bay. To aid digestion, chew on ½ teaspoon of fennel seeds after your meals or soak in hot water and drink as a tea. Basil and ginger tea also make excellent choices for this season. If you do eat sweets, choose fruit for dessert. And for meals, go with grains such as barley, buckwheat, amaranth and couscous and add your favorite lentils, beans and dark, leafy greens.

Additional TipFor a revitalizing and invigorating start to your day, drink a glass of warm water with a teaspoon of raw honey and lemon each morning. It will both cleanse and stimulate the body, mind and senses.

Meditation Try to awaken at least a half hour before sunrise. This early morning time period has a powerful enlivening effect and is an excellent time to meditate and begin your day. We recommend doing a moving meditation such as flow style yoga or even aerobic exercise. Kapalbhati, or breath of fire, is an excellent pranayama practice for the season and will help get you started. The idea is to get moving!

Additional Tip Make lists. With whatever time-line you prefer to work with, write down all the things you want to do that day or that week or even this year. Include in your list ways in which you can see yourself going about achieving your goals and make sure you check off what has been accomplished!