Rtucharchya for summer(Grishma) season(Rtu)
Summer is made up of the months of Jyeshtha(Sun in Gemini) and Ashadha(Sun in Cancer). This year, we will have an additional(adhik) month(Maas) of Jyeshtha (beginning 16th May 2018) inserted in to balance the luni-solar calendar.*
*The sun cycle has 365 days:6 hours and the moon has a cycle of 29.5 daysx12=354 days around the earth. The difference adds up after 32 months, 16 days, 192 minutes. To balance this gap between solar and lunar calendar, an extra month comes up every third year.
The two weeks time between the change of seasons is considered a Rtu(season)-sandhi(stitch). It consists of the last week of the previous season and the first week of the coming season. The Rtu sandhi for Vasant (spring) to Grishma(summer) this year falls between 9 May to 22 May and includes the Summer Solstice on June 20/21, which is the longest day of the year, other than also being international yoga day as designated in recent years.
Now is the time to wean off the practices and foods of late spring and prepare the body for the intense heat of peak summer. The kapha(watery, cool) element of winters has surfaced out through spring; so kapha is at its lowest in the body during summer and the Vata(dry, airy) element surfaces. It is recommended to take cool refreshing drinks: and avoid honey: if unavoidable, have it very diluted in water. Drinking water stored in earthen pots is advised as it is cooler and also provides the macro minerals of the earth during sweaty depletion of summer. Avoid sour, spicy and fried foods. Intake sweet fruits,sticky(okra), light foods and grains like oats. Add cooling spices like Cumin and corriander to meals. Recommended foods to refresh and cool the body: Rose petals, Fennel, mangoes, raisins(with seed) and Herbs such as liquorice, shatavari etc. Cucumbers take centerstage for summer: for today's Ekadasi(11th day of moon phase, the food offering to Vishnu(the creator) will be cucumbers. Spirituality in the vedic way is a beautiful science of living in the rhythm of nature and according to the offerings of the earth at the given time with respect to all elements.
Summer is the only season that daytime naps are acceptable (preferably under the cool shade of trees like peepal). Night time sleep should be in moonlight(rural Indians still sleep on rooftops/terraces during summer) to cool the body with moon bathing. Cold water baths and frequent washing of feet, hands, eyes is recommended. Physical exercise, dynamic asanas and the sexual act also is to be avoided. The body gets tired easily and digestion power is easily affected in summer. The focus is on conservation of the physical energy and growth of spiritual energy. Charaka, the great ayurved-acharya(teacher) says that the hot Sun sucks dry the essence of the Earth during summertime.
More later... Time for afternoon siesta now
#*Tip for spiritual culturists: During the extra month,Adhik Maas, the sun will not be considered in any of the zodiac signs and hence it is a special month for spiritual growth and tattva(element) shuddhi(cleansing) meditation.