Welcoming Spring
As Spring Buds And Blossoms, So May We
In many ways, the modern world suggests we should think, feel, and behave the same way day after day. And yet, our inner and outer worlds cannot be ripped from the natural cycles surrounding us. Though we may often feel disconnected from the ebbs and flows, the rises and falls, the eternal spiral of life around us, this greater natural rhythm is always here, ready to remind us what it really means to be human upon this Earth.
Springtime sweetly calls us to remember our deep connection to the living, breathing world around us. Trees bud, flower, and explode into green; the warmth of the sun beckons us out, out, out; birdsong replaces alarm clocks. By connecting to and embracing the energy of this season, we, too, can blossom into greater health and expression.
Spring is the time to slowly shake off the silence and stillness of winter and begin to emerge. In the cold winter months, we tended to ourselves with nourishment, gentleness, and rest. Now, as the ground thaws and the air warms, the care we’ve shown ourselves becomes the fertile soil that supports our growth from seed to sprout to full bloom.
The beauty of this time is also what makes it challenging; it’s a transition. Seeds take time to germinate and burst through that soil surface—and they still need plenty of tenderness and care as they grow toward their fullest expression. The same goes for us. We may still be thawing; we must bud before our petals uncurl into full bloom. Yet we may ache for signs of growth and progress. So, just as nature does not rush, may we give ourselves grace as springtime gently wakes us from our slumber and invites us to expand.
Thankfully, there are so many beautiful ways we can support ourselves and each other throughout the reawakening of Spring. We hope the insights and ideas shared here will provide comfort, inspiration, and connection with this transformative season.
The Spring Transition And Our Yoga Practice
In early Spring, our physical body may be starting to “thaw” but isn’t fully warm yet. But as springtime blossoms, we may find we crave movement more and step onto our mat with greater ease—and that our practice may begin to look and feel different.
The physical body reflects our inner world. Of course, there is more depth to the practice than the physical aspect; however, the physical body can serve as a tangible way to “see” our inner progress.
The emptiness of winter invokes more reflection and less “doing,” which allows past and present emotions to be brought to our awareness. Moving into Spring with an awareness of what emotions are present for us—and where and how they show up in our practice—can help us navigate the direction we’d like to go in.
For example, if you’ve been working on a pose, the mental, emotional, and physical groundwork that you’ve laid over the past few months may start to pay off as Spring ushers in new life.
It’s not just the backbend; it’s the dedication and commitment and kind-self talk it took to get there; it’s permission to feel and experience without any expectation. If the pose happens to come, that feels like a bonus.
If you’ve been working toward something and you haven’t seen change yet, think of it like a seed you’ve planted in the garden. You don’t get mad at that little seed for not growing overnight. You simply tend to it, wait patiently, and celebrate even the smallest signs of growth or progress. Your patience, silent effort, and intention will carry you exactly where you need to be. And when, at some point, that tiny seed has suddenly become a beautiful flower, it feels like pure magic. Trust the natural unfolding this season has to offer on the mat; you deserve the beauty of your own mental, physical, and emotional blooming.
Reflection For Springtime
Take a moment to reflect on how you felt this winter.
What words come to mind when describing it to yourself?
What do those words feel like in your physical body? Where do you feel them?
Think about your yoga practice…what felt natural during the winter months? What did you crave?
What felt like it required more effort? What was more challenging?
Let go of the need for these words, qualities, and sensations to be categorized as good or bad. They just are.
Now take a moment to think about the qualities of Spring.
What immediately comes to mind? Close your eyes and take a moment to visualize what Spring looks, sounds, and smells like.
What does that feel like in your physical body? Where do you feel it?
Chakra Associated With Spring: Heart Chakra
The Spring season is associated with the Heart Chakra, filling us with love, kindness, and compassion—all of the qualities we need to nurture and support the little seeds, goals, and plans we’ve planted over the winter!
The Heart Chakra is associated with the element of Air. Throughout this Spring season, notice the air around you, whether through your breath or a breeze thick with the smell of flowers. We may become naturally inclined to rise and rest with the sun.
The color associated with the Heart Chakra is green. We love seeing the direct reflection of this chakra in all of the new leaves bursting around us! Notice the green popping everywhere as you take deep breaths and feel the energy of your heart expand with love and gratitude for the natural world around you and within you.
The Solar Plexus Chakra (located right beneath the Heart Chakra) may also speak to you this season as digestion shifts from desiring heavier foods to a lighter pallet. Notice the flow of energy between your lungs and your belly as that fire in the center of your being reignites.
Spring Through A Traditional Chinese Medicine Lens
According to the 5 Element Theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), our internal environment mirrors our external environment. Although we cannot truly separate these elements because they all influence one another in different ways, we’re going to focus on the Wood Element, which represents the season of Spring.
The Wood Element represents purpose and growth and is associated with the emotion of anger. Physically, it governs the liver, gall bladder, tendons, and eyes. It’s responsible for the free flow of Qi (think prana or energy) in the body. When imbalanced, it may lead to stress, tension, PMS, headaches, and any health troubles that worsen with stress.
Two main meridians represent the Wood Element: the liver meridian and the gallbladder meridian. The liver encourages us to find the balance that allows us to have a vision and work toward our goals without becoming rigidly attached to them. Meanwhile, the gall bladder is our capacity to make decisions based on the clarity, purpose, and vision of the liver.
Images: https://www.msy.yoga/elements/liver-gallbladder/
If you’re feeling overworked or unclear this season, you can work with these meridians to bring your body back to balance.
During your yoga practice, try to have a clear focus or purpose and allow yourself to visualize your goals. Notice when you lean toward stressing or overworking, and when you can adapt and stay flexible. All of these qualities are physical, mental, and emotional—and can be taken off of your mat and applied to situations outside of the studio. Your mat is just a beautiful way to tune into your natural inclinations and practice how you handle situations!
Poses to support the Wood Element Via The Liver And Gallbladder Meridians
Anything and everything hip-related—as well as side bends and twists—support the liver and gallbladder meridians, and the Wood Element.
A few examples:
Upavistha Konasana (Seated Wide Legged Forward Fold)
Baddha Konasana (Butterfly Pose, Bound Angle Pose)
Pigeon Pose
Double Pigeon
Gomukhasna
Gate Pose
Supine Moon (Bananasana)
Supine Twist
Acupressure For Supporting The Liver Meridian
An acupressure point is a point on the body that can be stimulated through pressure to help maintain the flow of vital life force energy (a.k.a. Qi).
Liver 3 (Tai Chong) is an acupressure point on the liver meridian you might work with this Spring! It is located in the webbing between the first and second toes. Search around a little bit for a spot that feels a little sore—that’s your spot! Working with Liver 3 helps move stagnation, release stress and anxiety, and reduce irritability and frustration.
Image: https://www.rebalancetcm.com/3-acupressure-routines-for-stress-and-anxiety/
Place your thumb pads over this point on each side of your foot and hold a consistent pressure for 60 seconds. You can either hold still or roll your thumbs in gentle circles. Breathe and relax as you visualize the stress and stagnation freeing up to flow as Qi throughout your being.
Myofascial Release (MFR) For Supporting The Wood Element
Self Myofascial Release is a beautiful way of working with your fascia to support a healthy flow of Qi throughout your tissues. In short, fascia is connective tissue that protects & connects everything in your body! Working with this tissue using tools such as our favorite, RAD Recovery Rounds, you can massage along the points listed below. When practicing self MFR, be mindful of your breath. If your breath is fluid, you’re in a good place – if it’s hard to breathe, move the placement of your MFR tools to where you can breathe easily. Avoid rolling on bones, bruises or cuts. For specifics, we welcome you to join one of our monthly MFR Full Body Reset Classes!
Focus on:
Adductors
Piriformis
Obliques
Serratus Anterior
Traps
IT band
Peroneals
**Disclaimer: If you are pregnant or unsure if you should practice any of the healing tools listed above, please refer to your doctor!
Shifting Our Diets With The Energy Of Spring
In the winter, when our inner fire and digestion tend to slow down, we often crave warm, hearty, easy-to-digest foods. Cozy meals offer mental and emotional comfort—and require little of our physical body in its state of rest and energy conservation. Foods that store well (like potatoes, winter squashes, and onions) and grow in colder temperatures (like spinach and turnips) have long made their way into the soups and stews that sustain us that time of year.
As the sun grows stronger and the soil warms, though, so does our digestion—and our food preferences may begin to shift, inviting in lighter energy, crunchier textures, and a wider variety of produce. While raw salads and cold smoothies don’t call to us much during the colder months—and, in fact, may even further stagnate digestion and chill us to the bone—we might notice we crave them more as the days lengthen and heat up.
Many of the greens that start to pop up at farmers markets in the springtime—like arugula, endive, radicchio, and dandelion greens—also share a quality that’s particularly helpful during this reinvigorating season: bitterness. Though bitter flavors have been all but eliminated from the average American diet, they serve important purposes: they stimulate our long-slumbering digestion and support detoxification by stimulating the liver and gallbladder.
In addition to (slowly) incorporating more raw, cold foods, adding more bitter plants to your diet can help stoke your inner fire and help your body clear out stagnation and anything that’s not serving you. Traditionally, these foods were eaten before main meals to kickstart digestion, so you might try snacking on endive and guacamole or hummus before dinner or simply throwing some bitter greens into your usual salad mix.
Reflections For Springtime Dietary Shifts
What meals do I crave throughout the winter?
What am I drawn to in springtime?
What do these cravings tell me about the physical and energetic nourishment I need?
Herbal Support For Springtime
In many ways, Spring encourages us to clean house, compassionately releasing stuck emotions and energy so that we can grow stronger and more vibrant. Many of the “weeds” that spring from the ground uncontrollably this time of year are truly herbal allies that can support us in this renewal. Rich in vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and other nutrients, plants like nettles, red clover, and dandelion, work to build up the body by gently supporting detoxification and digestion, providing the building blocks the body needs for all sorts of processes (like creating healthy blood and repairing tissue), helping us settle into emotional and mental balance, and more. Each of these plants has something slightly different to offer, but their abundance this time of year is no accident.
Nourishing herbs to try:
Dandelion
Nettle
Red clover
Burdock
Cleavers
Oat straw
Whether you purchase these herbs dried from a local herbalist, grab a box of tea bags from the store, or forage them yourself, regularly sipping nourishing herbal infusions (a.k.a. tea) this time of year can fortify you on a cellular level and feed physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual vibrance. Choose whichever herb calls to you (though all incredibly nutritive, each has its own unique benefits) and consider it a friend walking alongside you through the expansion of Spring.
Making Herbal Infusions
An easy way to commune with your chosen springtime “weed” is to make an overnight infusion. Add a handful of dried herbs to a large glass jar, cover with hot water, screw on the lid, and let it steep overnight. In the morning, strain your infusion and drink it throughout the day. Stash any extra in the refrigerator.
Foraging For Nourishing Herbs
Many of the nourishing herbs we might feel drawn to this time of year grow right under our noses in our backyards and the wild spaces around us. Foraging them for ourselves is medicinal in itself, knitting us directly into the ecosystem in which we live and reminding us of our interconnectedness. It’s also just a fun way to spend more time outside, get a little dirty, and explore with playfulness.
We can probably all recognize dandelion when we see it—and after a little research on other nourishing herbs that call to you, you’ll notice them everywhere.
A few basic guidelines to keep in mind when scouring the yard or woods for these herbal allies:
Do your homework! Get to know your herb so you can confidently identify it and know how to properly harvest it. (Nettle, for example, has tiny hair-like needles on its leaves and stems that “sting” you, so you’ll probably want to wear gloves when harvesting it. Don’t worry, though, they’re not a problem once you dry or blanch them.)
Take only what you need.
Don’t forage in protected lands or anywhere treated with chemicals.
Wash your foraged herbs before using them.
Mantras for Spring
“I give myself time to blossom without expectation.”
“I feel love and expansion in my heart center with each new breath I take.”
“I work toward my goals without attachment to the outcome.”