SPRING ONTO THE MAT

Spring is in the air! Have you ever heard a yoga teacher mention the season while teaching yoga? Did you know that seasons can be reflected in your yoga practice?  So here we are in Spring - for our homes that usually looks like mops, brooms, rakes and lots of glass cleaner as we clear out our spaces physically to welcome a cleaner brighter space around us - but what about inside us? How can our yoga practice aid us in clearing out our cluttered minds; getting rid of ideas and beliefs that no longer serve us. 

Spring is a wonderful time of year to start clearing out the old and welcoming the new! As you begin to spring clean your home from the hibernation of winter, it’s also a good time to tune into your body and mind. This is the time to clear out any stuck energy, getting rid of things or thoughts that are no longer are serving you. Spring is a season of transition - moving away from winter to a time of reawakening and renewal. The excitement of new life as the earth begins to bloom and be reborn.  

Do you live differently in each season? How does Spring look in your daily life compared to Winter? D you feel more invigorated, ready to take on the day? Does life seem much brighter? Is there a natural spring in your step? 

As you move out of your cocoon of winter become aware of the mental clutter that continually comes back up in your life, those repeat, rinse, repeat, rinse patterns that keep showing up day after day, week after week. What is holding you back and weighing you down? 

Take a moment and remind yourself that the past is no longer valid - only this moment is true. Ask yourself questions when things arise - “Is this still true?” You may be holding onto a belief that is no longer relevant or a feeling or even a relationship. When we hold onto these ideas and beliefs we stop growing and evolving. 

Coming to the mat each day, breathing becoming mindful, setting an intention, letting the past go and reveling in each moment each breath. Finding gratitude in all encounters and looking at them with fresh eyes. Just like spring cleaning your home helps you look at it with fresh eyes and feelings, spring cleaning your body, mind and soul can reawaken an excitement and freshness in how you step throughout your day. 

A few suggestions to help you through this process:

Your Yoga practice should contain some flowing movements to stimulate and invigorate  - Sun Salutations, backbends, twists to detoxify, dynamic forward folds to help tone the kidneys and bladder and to help move water and emotions through the body. Also knees to chest to stimulate the large intestine. 

Changing your diet from those comfort heavier foods of winter to foods that are bitter, spice and astringent to clear mucus and moisture and help with elimination. Favor warm and lightly cooked meals.  

Try to wake up at the same time each morning. Yes, even weekends! Clear those nasal passages with saline nasal sprays or a neti pot. Peppermint or eucalyptus are wonderful essential oils to open the nasal passages. Just be sure to either use a carrier oil and a few drops to dilute or use very carefully if using it straight from the bottle. 

Find some type of movement first thing in the morning to get the circulation and boost the immunity. Spring is the best time of year to do a cleanse. That doesn't have to mean drinking juice everyday but think about foods or drinks you can eliminate for ten days and see how you feel after that. 

Lastly, get outside, breathe in the fresh air, maybe even hug a tree. Let your bare feet touch the grass. Look at the sky. Smile. Yes, spring is finally in the air. What a blessing!  

I wish you all, love light laughter, health and happiness - Namaste,

Terry