Ayurveda teaches us that health relies on the smooth flow of nutrition in and wastes out. So much can interfere with that flow — stress, poor sleep, irregular schedules, too much processed food, distracted eating, neglecting movement, and simply the accumulation of life over time.

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Seasonal cleansing gives us regular intervals where we can ground, rebalance, and reset, while also responding consciously to the changing influences of Nature. Ayurveda recognizes that as Nature changes, so do we. Each season creates different strengths and vulnerabilities within the body and mind. By becoming aware of these influences and responding appropriately, we can work with the seasons rather than allowing temporary imbalances to become more established over time.

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Why Cleanse Seasonally?

Autumn cleanse and rejuvenation places extra emphasis on rejuvenation. After the heat and activity of summer, we are usually more depleted and may have pitta aggravation, which can show up as skin, acidity or hormonal issues, while the dry, cooler and increasingly mobile qualities of fall can easily increase vata.

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Autumn cleansing therefore creates an opportunity to clear what has accumulated while placing greater emphasis on restoring strength, nourishment and stability. This improves our youthful longevity.

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Spring cleanse and rejuvenation places greater emphasis on cleansing. Through the cold and heavy qualities of winter, kapha can accumulate and become more pronounced as spring arrives. A spring cleanse aligns with the natural energetics of the winter melting into spring, helping to clear this excess and prepare us for a lighter, freer and more enlivened spring.

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Ayurveda cleansing is not simply as a way to “detox,” but is a way of regularly responding to the changing needs of the body and mind and maintaining greater balance with Nature. This reflects as better energy, less health symptoms, deeper sleep, and more inspired, health-filled living.

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Cleansing and Rejuvenation Belong Together

Cleansing naturally places a temporary demand on the system, so once what has accumulated has been cleared, the body needs support to restore digestive strength, nourishment, stability and vitality. The rejuvenation phase is therefore an essential part of the process. 

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Rasayana, or rejuvenation, can include herbs, but it is much broader than that. Nourishing food, appropriate daily routines, sleep, yoga, meditation, supportive thoughts and healthy ways of living all contribute to rebuilding strength and resilience. The goal is not simply to remove what we no longer need. It is to restore flow, strengthen the system, and create the conditions for health to be sustained.

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What Can Seasonal Cleansing Support?

A well-supported cleanse can create noticeable changes in how you feel and function. Depending on your individual constitution and current state of health, you may notice:

• More consistent energy and clearer mental focus

• Improved digestion and more regular elimination

• Less bloating, heaviness or digestive discomfort

• Clearer skin, less joint pain, and more balanced mood and hormones

• Better sleep and more stable daily rhythms

• Reduced accumulation of symptoms that tend to return seasonally

• Greater awareness of how food, habits, stress and lifestyle affect your health

• A renewed sense of vitality, clarity and connection with yourself

 

Who is this for?

Seasonal cleansing can be appropriate for anyone who wants to  restore balance, maintain health or create a regular opportunity to reassess how they are living. It can be particularly supportive when you are feeling depleted, sluggish, out of rhythm, or noticing that imbalances are beginning to accumulate.

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It is not necessary to wait until you are unwell to cleanse. One of the strengths of the Ayurvedic approach is using these seasonal intervals preventatively — addressing imbalances while they are still manageable rather than waiting for them to become more established.

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What is an Ayurvedic home cleanse?

An Ayurvedic home cleanse is a guided process that allows you to undertake a simplified - yet powerful -  form of Ayurvedic cleansing in your own home, with structure, preparation and support.

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The process moves through a series of stages, beginning with preparation and strengthening digestion, followed by deeper cleansing, restoration of digestive strength, gradual reintroduction of foods, and rejuvenation.

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The group cleanse follows these stages: 

• Preparation — adjusting food, daily routines and lifestyle to create a supportive foundation, and ensuring all directions are clear and questions are answered

• Deepana & Pachana — strengthening agni and supporting the reduction of ama (accumulated metabolic toxins)

• Internal Oleation — using ghee as directed to help soften deeper seated ama to be expelled

• External Oleation & Swedana — abhyanga and warmth/steam to further mobilize ama for release

• Virechana — therapeutic purgation, done gently in the group cleanse setting

• Gentle Expansion — gradually reintroducing foods

• Rejuvenation — Rasayana — nourishing and rebuilding the body and mind following the cleanse 

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The process is not only physical. As we simplify food, activity and daily life and turn our attention inward, there is also an opportunity to observe the mind, emotions, habits and patterns that are normally easy to move past when life is busy. This is one of the reasons I include Yoga alongside Ayurveda in this work. Cleansing creates an environment for greater internalization, awareness and connection with ourselves.

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What Does the 21-Day Process Involve?

The cleanse is a gradual process that unfolds over three weeks. Each week builds on the previous one, moving from preparation and settling the body and mind into deeper cleansing, followed by rejuvenation and nourishment.

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Week 1 — Prepare & Settle
Begin with a simple vegetarian diet, regular meal and sleep times, herbal teas, journaling, neti, and short morning and evening practices. Caffeine, sugar, processed foods, dairy, and heavy, spicy, or oily foods are reduced or eliminated. From Day 5, deepana/pachana herbs are introduced and the diet shifts toward simple kitchari. Daily oiling of the fontanelle and buttermilk are also introduced.

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Week 2 — Cleanse
The practices from Week 1 continue while the focus shifts more intentionally toward cleansing. Oiling is expanded to four vital points — fontanelle, hands, feet, and face — followed by full-body abhyanga during the final three days of the week.

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Week 3 — Rejuvenate
The cleansing phase transitions into rasayana and nourishment. Amalaki is introduced, with optional brahmi, while herbal teas continue. Full-body abhyanga is practiced at least three times, with scalp oiling included at least twice, along with daily Yoga Nidra. Meals become more varied while remaining simple, and additional practices for nourishing the eyes, hair, skin, scalp, ears, and nose are introduced.

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How Much Time Will It Take?

You do not need to take time off work, but the cleanse does require daily attention and a willingness to simplify your usual routines. Expect time for meal preparation, herbal teas, morning and evening practices which can be kept brief or more expansive depending on your schedule, journaling, self-oiling (small time commitment in first half, at least 6 full body sessions in second half), and several additional self-care practices throughout the three weeks depending on cleanse phase. The group process also includes live calls from 9–11 a.m. Vancouver time on each Saturday.

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The cleanse is designed to be effective while remaining practical within daily life. I recommend downshifting where possible, clearing your schedule, and avoiding unnecessary commitments during these three weeks so you have the time and space to receive the full benefit. An Instant Pot can also be a helpful time-saver for preparing simple meals.

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What Will I Need?

You will need a few basic supplies to support the process, including:

• Ghee and sesame oil, with coconut oil as appropriate

• CCF tea or cumin, coriander, and fennel seeds

• Triphala and 2 - 3 additional Ayurvedic herbs typically locally accessible, provided in your cleanse instructions

• Neti pot and mineral salt

• Passionflower tea or an appropriate substitute

• A small dropper bottle for sesame oil

• A towel and thicker socks that can get oily

• A small vessel and way to warm your oils

• Yogurt and a blender for preparing buttermilk

 

Additional Ayurvedic items such as Anu Taila/nasya oil, Brahmi oil, Ayurvedic hair oil, and dental oil may be recommended depending on your individual needs and preference to use classical Ayurveda formulations. Specific herbs and supplies will be outlined when you register. 

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