The days are growing longer as the Spring equinox approaches. You may find yourself growing restless, desiring change, or feeling emotionally sensitive. Maybe you have the "Spring fever" urge to purge! This is all quite normal for this time of year.

In Ayurveda, we say this is the result of the seasonal shift from kapha to pitta.

As the seasons shift from winter to summer, we can observe changes the natural world. Animals dormant in winter awaken. New shoots push up out of the ground. Rivers swell with melted snowfall. The winter qualities of stillness, inertia, and heaviness are replaced with the Spring qualities of expansion, light, and growth. Heat and light build and transform what was waiting to be into what is becoming.

Since we are not apart from nature, but are a part of nature, we experience this same change within us. Our inner animal awakens, hungry for movement and change. Emotions rise to the surface. Inspiration and ideas come. We are called to create, move, cleanse and renew.

Alas, Spring is a transition, and all transitions are a push and pull between what was and what will be. Just as a bulb won't flower in one day, so we don't shed our heaviness, purge our stale emotions, or create our masterpiece overnight.

You are being called forth by the light that is expanding. Try not to rush your emergence. Stay rooted in the things that give your life meaning. Orient towards the light of new beginnings and open yourself to change. Let the rest unfold.

Here are 9 ways to ease into Spring:

• Spend time in the morning sun.

• Move your body every day. Start slow, then build.

• Open your windows and turn on your fans.

• Declutter one small area at a time.

• Journal.

• Consume warm, cooked, seasonal foods. Include leafy greens, broccoli, and asparagus for their natural cleansing properties.

• Use spices such as ginger, black pepper, and mustard seed to stimulate digestion.

• Sip warm water or fennel tea throughout the day to support detoxification.

• Dry brush (garshana) to gently exfoliate, move lymph and release stagnation.

You may notice as you read over the list that early Spring is asking for gentle cleansing, gentle movement, and a slow awakening of energy. Embody the spirit of the season! Choose one or two things from the list, or add your own personal practice, after all, you are inspired and full of ideas because it's Spring!