Spring Cleaning

Every [year], it's a battle to drown out the noise that makes us believe we need to buy our way into feeling less dirty or damaged. Instead, I prefer to join the choir that chants the science reminding us that our bodies are amazingly well-designed to thrive when we consistently provide some simple support. ~Dr. Melissa Holmes, Girlology Newsletter

“Let’s Grow Together”… the theme of 2022 for Greenville Yoga. To begin the year, we gathered for a season of Wintering. This was a time of deep rest, hibernation and percolation of what seeds we hope to nurture and grow for the year ahead. Now here we are in the season of Spring. This is a time of emergence, friction and rebirth. This is a time when the spring winds come to push us, cleanse us and prepare us for the fullness of summer.

Since we won’t be gathering for a spring challenge, here are some pieces you may wish to know as we move mindfully through the seasons. According to Five Element Theory, Spring is associated with the flow of energy and your inner disposition. The cycle of life at this time is a birth cycle (think of Easter, Equinox, bunnies and chicks… it’s all about fertility, regeneraration, resurrection). In order for something to be born, there has to be friction, tension. Rebirth is never easy. Think back on those lovely little seeds that must be ingested by other animals and passed in order to germinate. Or the seeds of a pinecone that are only dropped during a forest fire. Even in nature (especially in nature) growth requires a squeeze of some kind. You may already be feeling it. With this squeeze comes the emotion of anger when out of balance and compassion when we attend skillfully. It’s up to us to pay attention to which end of the spectrum we are on.

The organ associated with this time of year is the liver. This is the primary chemical factory in our body. Anything that cannot be broken down and used for energy ends up in the liver for detoxification. This is why you may be getting all those emails for “spring detox.” But guess what? This happens naturally without us doing a thing! I think the wellness industry tries to buy and sell us all kinds of quick fixes when really there is a natural order of things if only we would slow down. There is no tea you need to drink, no 10-day fast you need to do. In the season of spring if you wish to take your spring cleaning from outer life to inner life, here are a few things you can do:

• sleep-

  • establish healthy habits of going to bed when you feel tired

  • take short naps when you can

  • resist the urge to check the news, google or social media just before bed

• movement-

  • create a mindful movement practice that honors your energy level for that day

  • hip openers such as pigeon and all the variations are a good idea to do this time of year

• nutrition-

  • eat seasonally

  • enjoy greens that are growing in abundance right now especially spinach, dandelion, kale, mustard greens and bok chow (autocorrect will not let me put a y there)

  • eat foods closest to their natural state with minimal processing

• emotional coping-

  • journal

  • read beautiful literature and inspiring stories

  • practice loving kindness meditation to lessen anger and fear and increase compassion toward yourself and others

Spring is a time of beauty and regeneration if we are truly paying attention. It is when we become mindless that we ride the waves of anger, frustration, irritation; we only feel the rub. I truly believe if we slow down, take in the beauty of the shifting of the seasons, we begin to ride the rhythms of nature and come home to ourselves.

Be well, breathe well and be kind to yourselves,

Liz

For those of you wanting to explore the season of spring with a little more depth, please join me virtually for a 30-day virtual spring series. Begins Monday, March 28 from 6-7am. We will explore breathwork, lovingkindness meditation, yin and a little bit of gentle flow specifically crafted for the season. Details and registration information can be found here. It says today is the last day to register, but you can register through Sunday late afternoon.