Ayurvedic Wisdom: Spices are medicine

Ayurveda is a core pillar of Rasa Lila Yoga Retreats. Our amazing teacher, Rose Baudin, will often share during discourse on retreats that any yogic practitioner should first embark on a journey of Ayurveda prior to embarking on a practice of yoga. This is because yoga is a practice and path of Spirit, Ayurveda is a practice and path of Life. According to Rosie, we should first learn how to balance the most basic functions of the body. Spiritual practice can then follow.

The great news is that you probably already have a whole cupboard of Ayurvedic medicine in your house. This is because, according to Ayurveda, spices are medicine. That pinch of cinnamon in your smoothie, the grate of ginger in your tea, or that pinch of salt and pepper in your dish serves as a lot more than pure culinary pleasure.

The spices that we will explore in this post are:

Asafoetida

Cardamom 

Cumin

Cinnamon

Coriander Seeds

Fennel seeds

Ginger

Pepper

Turmeric

Asafoetida also known as Hing is used as a substitute for onion and garlic. It supports proper assimilation and elimination, calms vata in the GI tract, helps maintain regularity. 

Taste: Pungent, salty

Action: heating. Balancing for vata and kapha, may aggravate pitta. 

Black Pepper is revered in Ayurveda for its antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties and helping with flatulence. 

Taste: Pungent.

Action: Pacifying for vata and kapha, aggravating for pitta. 

Cardamom supports comfortable digestions and healthy stomach acid levels, healthy appetite, fresh breath, healthy elimination of mucus, supports lungs. 

Taste: Pungent, sweet

Action: heating. Balancing for all doshas.

Cinnamon kindles digestion, eliminates toxins in the GI tract, reduces excess kapha in the head and chest, supports healthy circulation, promotes warmth in joints, extremities, kidneys, and lungs. Supports healthy menstruation. 

Taste: Pungent, sweet, astringent.

Action: Heating. Balancing for vata and kapha, may increase pitta. 

Coriander Strenghtens the digestive fire without aggravating pitta, soothes the GI tract, supports kidneys and urinary function, removes excess heat in the body. 

Taste: Bitter, pungent, sweet

Action: cooling. Balances all doshas, especially pitta. 

Cumin helps to kindle digestion, digest natural toxins, calms vata in the lower abdomen. 

Taste: Pungent, bitter.

Action: Cooling. Balancing for all doshas.  

Fennel Kindles agni without aggravating Pitta. Promotes healthy urination and lactation. A balm for the nervous system and calming for the mind.

Taste: Sweet, pungent, and bitter.

Action: Slightly cooling. Balancing for all doshas. 

Ginger promotes healthy digestion and digestion of natural toxins, supports the lungs and a comfortable post meal experience. 

Taste: Pungent, sweet.

Action: heating. Balancing for vata and kapha. May increase pitta. 

Turmeric Strenghtens digestion and eliminates toxins from the GI tract. Cleanses the blood, promotes healthy skin, excellent for those with excess kapha.

Taste: Pungent + heating.

Now the task is to pay attention to the subtle action of these herbs when you ingest them. It is a safe and tasty way to experiment and play with subtle energetics. If you are experiencing a lot of heat at the moment due to the season or excess pitta, try introducing more cooling herbs like fennel and cumin and see if you can feel a difference. If it’s cold or you’re suffering from excess vata or kapha try using more heating spices. Notice which spices you feel drawn to or habitually use and notice if you can correlate your current psycho-emotional state to the spices you frequent.