Hey Thrivers! My name is Gabi. I’m the Wellness Package Coordinator for Thrive and was super excited when Amber asked me to write a guest blog post for you all about my Ayurvedic cleansing experience!
With an Equinox and a New Moon in Aries just around the corner, the earthly and planetary energies of this time are so supportive of cleansing out the old and creating space for the new. In the Northern Hemisphere it’s the Spring Equinox, or first day of Spring, and in the Southern Hemisphere it’s the Autumnal Equinox, or first day of Autumn. On the Equinox, the length of day and night are nearly equal. Neither hemisphere is tilted more toward or away from the Sun than the other. It’s a day of balance as one season turns into another, and we get to experience the magic of change both inside and outside of ourselves.
Over the past couple years I have been increasingly more aware of the seasons changing and how I change with them. Winter has typically always been a difficult season for me in the north woods of Michigan, where snow covers everything with a cold blanket of stillness. Everything slows down. My body feels heavier as I gravitate towards meat, eggs, and sturdy root vegetables. It all has a time and place. I really learned to appreciate the medicine of winter this year (albeit tough medicine), and still the transition into Spring is welcomed wholeheartedly. I am seeing the sun and blue sky more often, feeling the desire to move my body more, and am ready to do some deep spring cleaning.
I’m currently on day 4 of 5 of a spring cleanse with an Ayurvedic practitioner (and one of my very first teachers on my path!), Syama Masla of Sister Science. I haven’t done many cleanses, but what I really enjoy about this one is that we are still nourishing our bodies with simple and easily digestible foods. I don’t feel like I am depriving myself in any way, but I’m still able to simplify and refine my diet and habits. The goal is to make it all as easily digestible as possible so that our bodies may focus more energy on the detoxifying process. We learned that in times of transition (whether it is the transitioning seasons, a new job, moving, a relationship, etc.), we are more vulnerable and our bodies need extra TLC. We also learned that starting a new season with a cleanse helps set us up for success in that coming season!
We have a Zoom call every day and each call begins with pranayama, a Sanskrit term for breathing techniques. We learn to change the mind by changing the breath. This has been such a great practice to implement because I’m noticing so much more clarity. Day 2 of the cleanse was difficult because my mind was super wired and all over the place, yet my body just wanted to rest. The continued practice of pranayama has been helping a lot. Without the distraction of indulging in snacks whenever I want to avoid feeling something, I am able to witness my thoughts much clearer. I’m able to identify what wants to be felt, acknowledged, expressed or witnessed. I didn’t anticipate so much emotional release during this cleanse, but I know that it’s all a part of the winter accumulation. There is no room for judgment or shame in this cleanse either, we are just watching what arises and then coming back to our breath. Today, for the first time in…well I couldn’t tell you how long, I was able to wake up before the sunrise and be a part of that grand arrival of the day. It was amazing! I have been wanting to do that for so long. Like Syama said, “when we have discipline with the food we eat, we are better able to have discipline with everything else we do”.
We have been eating stewed apples for breakfast, kitchari for lunch and dinner, and have two simple smoothie recipes to satisfy our hunger in between meals. It’s been such a joy to get to understand kitchari more! I used to be intimidated by it, but it really is quite simple to make and so incredibly satisfying. In Ayurveda there are 6 tastes: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent, and astringent. The kitchari that we have been making satisfies all 6 of these tastes, so I don’t have that feeling of needing to reach for something else afterwards! I won’t lie though, I definitely did have a couple bites of chocolate during this. Only a couple! And it was organic dark chocolate!
In the spirit of spring and cleansing, I wanted to share with you the recipe that we have been using to prepare our kitchari. It specifically calls for split yellow mung dal and white basmati rice because they are the most digestible and again, that is the goal.
The following description and recipe is from one of Syama’s Ayurvedic teachers, who she is currently studying under and learning from, Divya Alter. Divya is based out of New York City and sells single-serve kitchari packs online! If you’re inspired to try a kitchari cleanse but cooking it yourself just isn’t in the cards for whatever reason, you can still get the goodness by ordering yourself some here. There are different varieties based on what your body is feeling and needing so you can even customize it a bit for yourself. They also make great gifts!
Simple Kitchari
SERVES 4
SOAK: 30 to 60 minutes
PREP: 10 minutes
COOK: about 40 minutes
If you are looking for healthy comfort food, kitchari is your answer. This creamy, light, and soothing one-pot meal is the Ayurveda superstar- easy to make, inexpensive, delicious, and teeming with health benefits. It is not only nourishing but also cleansing and assists in resetting your digestive system and recovering from illness or fatigue. You can do a kitchari “cleanse” as a way to detox your body and mind, in which you eat nothing but kitchari for three to five days.
Whether you’re trying to lighten up your body or need to prepare a complete meal in forty minutes, kitchari is there for you, any day of the year.
½ cup yellow split mung dal, rinsed, soaked in water for 30 to 60 minutes, rinsed again, and drained
½ cup white basmati or baby basmati rice, washed and drained
2 tablespoons ghee or olive oil, divided ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
6 fresh curry leaves or 2 dried cassia leaves
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 small green Indian or Thai chile, seeded and minced
2 cups medium diced vegetables: carrots, zucchini, green beans, broccoli, daikon radish, asparagus, to name a few 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon ground fennel
2 handfuls chopped spinach, kale, chard, or arugula
GARNISHES
Olive oil or cultured ghee
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, thyme, or basil leaves 1 slice of lime per serving
1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the ghee in a heavy 4-quart saucepan over low heat. Add the turmeric and toast for 10 seconds, then add the curry leaves, ginger, and chile and continue to toast until they crisp up, about 30 seconds. Add the lentils and rice and stir frequently until the moisture of the lentils and grains dries up, about 5 minutes. Add the vegetables, salt, ground fennel, and 4 cups water. (Add quick-cooking vegetables such as zucchini and asparagus 20 minutes into the cooking.) Bring to a full boil over medium-high heat, then lower the heat to low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes, until the lentils begin to dis-solve, the rice is soft, and the vegetables are cooked. If the kitchari dries out too much and begins to stick to the bottom of the pot, add more hot water; you’re looking for a creamy, moist consistency.
2. Turn off the heat and fold in the leafy greens and the remaining 1 tablespoon ghee.
Garnish each bowl with a drizzle of olive oil, a couple of turns of the peppermill, and the cilantro. Serve hot with a slice of lime on the side (to be squeezed and the juice mixed into the kitchari before eating).
We have also been preparing this insane cilantro chutney from Divya to top off the kitchari. It’s mouthwatering! It totally rounds off the dish with a little bit of spice and some sour from the lime.
I hope you have found some nuggets of inspiration in this message! I highly recommend a kitchari cleanse to welcome in the new season. It has been such a lovely experience and I will definitely be doing one at the change of every season going forward. You don’t even have to do it for 5 days, even 3 days of cleansing will have profound impacts, I’m sure of it. Or one day! Anything is impactful when there is intention involved. I wish you all the best for Spring (or Autumn if you’re in the Southern Hemisphere!). May your heart, mind, and spirit be fertile ground for the seeds of desire, hope, and all of your dreams to sprout.
All my love,
Gabi