Rumours of Spring Yoga

At significant times throughout the year we begin to prepare for the transformations of the seasons by engaging in practice and meditation to attune with the energetic shifts of the natural world. Each new season offers us each an opportunity for change, growth and unfolding awareness. Nature works within a set of laws and is orderly so even though each day is unique and no two days seem the same we start to recognize certain patterns and cycles. For example, after every day there is a night, after winter comes spring and then summer and then fall and then winter again.  So we then have a choice to resist these patterns, fight against them or rather we can line up with them. From the most basic physical level most of you decided to line up with nature today by not coming wearing your bathing suit and flip flops but rather you chose to line up by wearing boots and a winter jacket. Why do we choose to line up? Simply, because it feels better… Perhaps you have felt the need to sleep in more over the past month? How did you react to these sensations? Where you hard on yourself or judgmental? If so, you probably didn’t feel so good. But if you tuned into the time of year and the fact that a lot of other animals are sleeping, that we have less sunlight, less vitamin d, and that it is time to protect and nourish our immune systems to avoid the cold and flu then we are able to be friendly with our sleepiness and truly honour the needs of our physical body in this particular cycle. As we align with nature we start to better know ourselves (in Sanskrit the word of self knowledge or consciousness is chit. So they say chit happens …) We start to recognize that everything is interconnected and we are part of this grand connection. The second thing that happens is joy or bliss (staying in bed with five duvets).

So this evening we find ourselves 21 days before the spring equinox. The spring equinox is time of rebirth which is easy to see as the trees bud new leaves, the days fill up with more light, the birds return and the blossom radiate such beauty. The natural world that surrounds us is encouraging us the open from the inside out! Since the winter solstice and the ever increasing days of light we have been setting intentions and making resolutions. At about this time we get stuck because there are things holding us back from realizing these intentions.  So these next 21 days are about detoxing, letting go and looking inwards. So we ask the questions: What is holding me back? What is toxic in my life? And How can I better know myself? A definition for apparigraha or letting go is that nothing outside of yourself will truly fulfill you.

The experience of fullness awaits those who let go to discover the radiance within. Let go of your regrets concerning the past and your fears about the future and be here. If we can take care of the moments the days take care of themselves.