What is Grishma Ritu?
According to Ayurveda Grishma ritu is a period of two months of peak summer. Grishma ritu comes in May to June month of a year period.
Beginning of Greeshma Ritu
Greeshma ritu is last season of ‘Adana kaal’ of year. Adana Kal is 6 months of period. During the Adana Kaal, Sun moves in northern direction.
‘Energy Sucking’ Period
In this period, during the movement of sun towards northern direction which starts from Makar Shankrati, earth’s atmosphere starts becoming hot and dry.
So from late winter to beginning of summer, there is gradual depletion or reduction in Kapha and the ojas (vigor or vitality) in the body starts depleting. Ojas is linked to healthy Kapha.
As a result and due to Kapha reduction and Vata is increasing, human starts feel very low energy, tiredness and fatigue.
Sun’s and earth’s behavior in Grishma ritu
During the Grishma season, due to sun’s path towards northern, there is strong increase of piercing , intensive, dry and hot behavior of sun and earth
Such behavior of sun and earth, earth’s surface (prithvi tatva) becomes dry, hard and rough.
Hence in this season earth becomes tikta(Bitter), Kashay ( Astringent) and katu (pungent) tastes. Hence earth produce these three tastes maximum in her produce(fruits, vegetables and all)
Prakruti: Human’s and earth’s nature/dosha
- During this season, sun and air becomes very intensive and sucks moisture and increase dryness
- Hence due to such condition wind becomes strong and hence increase Vavu dosha
- Kapha dosha will decrease due to absence of moisture and water and vayu dosha will start accumulating in human body.
- Increase Vayu means that Agni tatva becomes intensive (Tikshana)
- When we cook and we turn flames high and if food do not have enough moisture then it would burned and it is unpalatable. This is what exactly happens in our stomach.
- Due to all these aspects, human body is weakest and having weak digestion power in Greeshma ritu.
Food for Grishma Ritu
Basic thumb rule is, we need to balance Kapha dosha and reduce vayu dosha. Also Pitta should not be increases.
Food to TAKE
Madhur / Sweet food
- Eat ‘Madhur’ Sweet taste food to balance Vata and Pitta doshas.
Laghu Foods/Low-Calorie food
- Food must be light (Laghu) to have better digestion process.
- Light food like Rice, Moong, Beans, Cabbage, Carrot, Pomgretrn (dadam), falsa, lemon, watermelon etc.
Snigdha foods
- Singdha means oily/unctuous. To control the nature of the atmosphere which is rooksha (drying) and to build kapha
- Ghee, Honey and butter are snigdha foods.
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Madhur + Laghu + Snigdha foods
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Rice, Moong, Watermelon, melon, Carrot, Kokam, Dadam, Falsa, Fresh fruit juices, Sugar cane, coconut water, Well ripped mango, Lemon, Cashew nuts, Channa, tuver, Ghee, honey, butter milk etc |
Food to AVOID
No Snigdha food
- Foods like deep-fried, pre-cooked/processed
- Dry foods without any oiliness e.g. wafers.
Guru food (Heavy food) /high Calorie foods
- Avoid very high calorie intake foods.
- Food prepared from Maida (Refined wheat flour)
Tamasic Food
- Food with very low pranic energy is called tamasic food or dead food
- All Junk foods/Fast foods, All Non-veg foods, Extremely sweet food, carbonated soft drinks, Buffalo milk, Burned foods, Very hot and spicy food, extremely sour foods, etc.
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No Snigha + Guru + Tamasic
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All Fast foods, All Maida foods, All Junk food, Buffalo milk, Barbeque food, Ice cream or Ice dishes, Milkshakes, Curd, Very spicy and hot food, alcohol, meat. |
Dincharya (Vihar) for Grishma Ritu
Bathing and cleaning in Grishma ritu:
- In Grishma ritu, take Bath with cool water and take bath 2 times in a day.
- During Grishma ritu, avoid excessive use of Soap.
- Ensure your skin must be clean after sweating otherwise high chance of clogging of skin pores.
- Avoid Deodorant in Grishma ritu, instead, use Gulab jal OR very high quality Attar. Jasmine flavour of smell is best in Grishma ritu.
- User good natural facepack (Lepas) or simply rub a cucumber on face for freshness.
Clothes in Grishma ritu: Which type of cloths should be wear in Greeshma ritu?
- Light coloured clothes like white, navy blue, mild yellow, etc
- Use cotton clothes to wear in this season of Grishma.
- Clothes must be thin and it should allow air to reach your skin.
- Avoid wearing skin-tight Jeans or such garments in Grisma ritu.
Exercise in Grishma Ritu
- Avoid very extreme levels of exercise, hence do not go gym in this season.
- Do not do daytime vyayam/ exercise, the best time is before sunrise and at sunset.
- Do lightweight yogasana and Pranayam.
Sleep in Grishma Ritu
- In this ritu, night is less and day is more, hence day time naps(not sleep) is permitted
- Best way is to Sleep early and wake up before sunrise.
- If you have sleep issue in this Grishma ritu then do Nasya of A2 Cow milk before sleep. Nasya means putting drop of oil/ghee in your nasal passage.
- Avoid AC! Yes it increases dryness and not bringing fresh air in room and removes humidity, both are not good for season like Grishma and cause problems to human body
- Water based cooling system is good for room, in ancient time curtains soaked in water were used.
Work
- Take good amount of water during your working hours.
- Avoid to go outside during the noon time (1 -4)
- Maintain calm and coolness in your behavior otherwise situation gets worsen in quick time.
- Take very light food as described above during the lunch and evening time.
Yogasana and Pranayam for Grisma ritu | Yoga and Pranayam in summer
In Grishma ritu, as vayu dosha increases , dryness is increases and kapha dosha needs to balance. Hence we propose yogasana and pranayama which are balancing the Kapha dosha and reducing Vayu dosha.
Shitali Pranayam
Shitali pramayam is known as cooling breath. It calms mind and emotions. Shitali Pranayam is very beneficial in Grishma ritu, in this season whether is hot and humid. Body feels intense exertion, direct and long exposure to very hot sunlight. Shitali Pranayam calms the pitta dosh which is representing agni (fire).
Steps to do Shitali Pranayam | Procedure to do Shitali Pranayama
- Sit in padmasana OR any comfortable pose.
- Close your eye and roll up the tongue and shape it round tube.
- Start inhale through tongue/mouth.
- Close your mouth and start slow exhale from nose/nostril.
- Do this pranayama for 2 to 5 minutes before any intake of food.
Chandra bhedana Pranayama
Chandrabhedan pranayama is very simple breathing technique. Bhedan means enter through something. Chandra means moon. Hence, Chandra bhedan means entering into Chandra (cool) energy.
Steps to do Chandra Bhedana Pranayam | Procedure to do Chandrabhedan pranayama
- Sit into Sukhasana Or Padmasana. Keep the spine straight.
- Make Pranav mudra Or just bring right hand thumb to right nostril and press/close it gently
- Now take deep inhalation from left nostril and after inhalation do exhalation from the left nostril.
- Repeat this from left (inhalation) to right (exhalation) process for next 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes relax and do deep breathing for 2 to 3 minutes
When you should not do Chandra bhedan pranayama?
- If you are suffering from Ashthama, Low blood pressure, cold and cough then do not do Chandra bhedan pranayama
Balasana
Bala means child, so this is famously known as child pose. Balasana is very easy but very effective yogasana. It brings calmness and relaxation in body and helps to fight hot and humid environment around us.
Steps to do Balasana | Procedure to do Balasana
- Sit into Vajrasana, means sit with hips touching your heels.
- Keep the spinal cord straight and put your hands on knees.
- Take a deep breath and on exhalation bend towards your thigh and your head should touch on ground.
- Your palms should be faced forward and placed with your head and palm should touch the ground.
- Take very slow inhalation and exhalation and maintain this position for 2-5 minutes.
- After the position slowly move upward back to initial position.
Savasana
Sava means body in death state. Hence savasana means body is so relaxed that it looks like body does not have any movement of life. Savasana is relaxation pose and people do after all yogasana practice. Savasana calms central nervous system, reduces stress, reduces headache, fatigue and anxiety, helps in lowering blood pressure.
Steps to do Savasana | Procedure to do Savasana
- Lie on your back on mat and do not take support of cushion. Close your eyes.
- Keep distance between your leg and place your arms alongside with your body. Keep your palm open and facing towards sky.
- Give your ‘load’ of body towards the mother earth. Just relax. Maintain steadiness.
- Start your attention towards your palm of your legs (both legs).
- Take deep breath and visualize it come in from both of your legs.
- Visualize the breath is in form of golden sun rays and it travels into your body.
- Keep doing deep breath and slowly move upwards from palm of legs to ankle to knees and so on.
- On every deep inhalation visualize sun ray coming in body and on every deep exhalation feel the relaxation.
- Keep doing deep inhalation and exhalation till you reach head and then start again from head to toe again.
- Do savasana for 10 to 20 minutes and then slowly get up.
Pavanmuktasana
Pavanamuktasana is extremely good for stomach and intestine function. It removes bad gases from the stomach and improves functioning of apana vayu.
In Grishma ritu, it is very important to have very efficient digestive system. Hence it is recommended to do Pavanmuktasana.
Steps to do Pavanmuktasana | Procedure to do Pavanamuktasana
- Lie on you back and flat.
- Keep your legs adjoining together. Now bend the knees and place leg palms grounded.
- Raise the both legs towards the stomach, bring thighs closer to chest.
- Inhale deeply and during exhalation raise your face and try to connect your chin with knees.
- Hold this position for few seconds and do normal breathing.
- Practice this asana for 5 minutes.
