Spring - Clearing what Winter left behind #2

One of the most meaningful spring reset experiences I’ve had was during a virtual retreat with Dr. Mona Warner. What stayed with me wasn’t anything extreme or rigid—it was how gentle and doable it all felt.

Before the retreat, we were asked to choose just one thing to add, and one thing to subtract. Nothing dramatic. Nothing overwhelming. She called it “low hanging fruit”… and reminded us, low hanging fruit is still fruit.

That landed.

I chose to add a short shoulderstand at the end of my day working in the salon. A simple inversion to let everything drain, reorganize, settle. And I chose to subtract snacks before dinner—just to give my digestion a clearer window to do its work.

There was no pressure to do this forever. Just through spring. Just as an experiment. And then—notice.

 This piece is important for me.

Because when we talk about resetting digestion, or building Ojas—the deep reserve, the container that holds our vitality—it’s easy to slip into harshness. To think we need to push, restrict, or override ourselves to get results.

But that kind of approach often backfires.

It’s like bracing a muscle that’s already tense. If we’re tight, and then we try to force relaxation… that’s just bracing on top of bracing. It doesn’t lead to ease. It leads to more holding, more fatigue, more noise in the system.

This reset felt different. It felt kind.

Another part of the experience was eating very simple, repetitive meals. For many, that meant kitchari—mung beans and rice, gently spiced. The suggestion was to eat this two out of three meals a day, or maybe for all three. But again, always optional. Always adjustable.

I followed it in a way that worked for me. Kitchari for lunch and dinner, but in the morning I needed something else—so I had oatmeal with nuts and raisins (I cooked the oatmeal in one pot and cooked the raisins and almonds in ghee with cinnamon) .

And after a few days, something shifted.

My joints felt clear. Not stiff, not sticky—just… easy. There was a lightness in my body, and a brightness in my mind that felt clean and steady, not buzzy or forced.

That’s the kind of reset that stays with you.

 Not because I pushed hard enough—but because I listened closely enough and allowed the shifting to come in the form of ease, softness, and nurturing. 

So if you’re exploring a spring reset, consider this:

What is one small thing you could add?

What is one small thing you could subtract?

And can it be kind enough that your system actually receives it?

You don’t have to overhaul your life.

Sometimes the most powerful shifts come from the simplest choices—repeated with care, and noticed with honesty.

Spring Reset: Add & Subtract

 These are just ideas. Remember, you are different every season and even every year… your needs change. I think the biggest thing I wish to impart is that all Yoga and Ayurveda is about knowing yourself. This introspection, interoception, deep dive to seeing what is- is the yoga of self study. Try not to go at any of it with a doing mind, but simple observation. (Which is really the hard part. To slow and notice)