Spring 🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿

It certainly feels like the rising energy of Spring is all around us. The buds on the trees have opened up displaying beautiful, bright chlorophyll rich leaves, the grass is growing again, crops are emerging and there is even some heat in the sun!

We are now in the peak of the Season and this should be matched by our energy. It’s the time to really get your heart pumping a bit faster, adding in some cycling, fast walking, jogging or even skipping! It’s also a great time to detox, our homes, gardens and our body.

The two organs associated with Spring are the Gallbladder and the Liver. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) the gallbladder is known as the “decision maker”and is responsible for our ability to make decisions. If it’s out of balance this can be a challenge! The liver is known as the “strategic planner” responsible for our ability to plan, organise and see our plans through to completion. These organs work together and they are at their peak between 11pm -3am, so try not to eat too late and get to bed before 11pm to let both organs get on with their repairs!

The gallbladder collects, stores and releases bile, working with the liver which processes nutrients, stores blood, breaks down toxins, hormones, alcohol, medication, as well as storing vitamins and minerals. The liver has an amazing capacity for repairing itself, but only does this when you are lying down, so try to be asleep by 1am!

The element of Spring is the Wood Element. It’s a time to focus on your roots in your yoga practice, feeling grounded from the feet up. Spread your toes, lift your toes, feel the foundation points on each side of the ball of you foot and at each side of your heel.

From this strong foundation in your roots you find strength in your trunk and the ability to move and bend in your upper body, like bamboo blowing in the breeze. The meridian lines for the gallbladder run down the sides of your body and the meridian lines of the liver run up from between the big toe and the second toe, up the inside of the thighs to the point under your nipple on your rib cage.

To stimulate these meridian lines introduce lots of squats, horse stance, side bends and twists into your practice

The emotions associated with the liver are anger, frustration, irritability, so if you are feeling any of these emotions your liver might be needing a bit of support. Sing at the top of your voice, punch a pillow, let it go! Remember you are not your emotions, your emotions come and they go, that is if you don’t hang onto them!

Here are some tips for thriving in Spring…..

Eat lighter, start introducing more green foods, stir fry, steam or lightly boil vegetables, juicing fruit and vegetables, sprouting beans and seeds, try eating earlier at night and fasting between 7pm and 7am, cut back on sugar, fizzy drinks, alcohol, caffeine and processed foods.

Try exercising first thing before breakfast, even a 10 minute walk is a great way to start your day.

Have some healthy snacks available, carrot sticks, rice cakes with hummus, fruit, nuts, avocado

The sense associated with Spring is sight, looking forward, finding focus, seeing how to achieve your goals. Spring is a great time for planting new seeds, making plans, changing or getting rid of bad habits, exploring your creativity, trying something new, reading books you normally wouldn’t read, listening to didfferent styles of music.

Finally! Here’s the reading from “Zen, The Art of Simple Living” Shunmyo Maruno which I read during this week’s Savasana………

Spring has sprung! Enjoy the energy of the season.