......a spark

Yogis,
Transition is defined as – ‘the process or period of changing from one state or condition to another.’ Movement. Conversion. Passage. Change.

Taking something and transforming it into something new. What better way to describe the season of spring. The metamorphosis that unfolds for us each year from a cold, barren, colorless landscape to a moist, vibrant tapestry of colors, smells and sounds in mere weeks. All arising from what appears to be nothing.

A season most of us eagerly anticipate in those final frigid weeks of winter, yet suddenly find on her arrival that she can also challenge us…..as most transitions do.

During the dry cold season of winter (referred to as Vata in Ayurveda) we crave warm, heavy and sweet foods. Soups, stews, bread and of course those holiday cookies and cakes. They help to warm and nourish us, providing more weight and steadiness, less the winter winds blow us away. A season which draws us inside. Quieter. Dark. Listening.

Now suddenly the sun feels blinding as we, not unlike the bear, rub our eyes and begin to rouse from our slumber. Sluggish. Feeling the pull to do more, only to find ourselves dropping back down on the couch. Spring (referred to as the Kapha season) is only a little warmer, damp, dense and heavy. Think mud. Easy to feel stuck.

A change in season requires a conscious change in us! But like spring, it should be gradual. A step forward, rest, two steps, a step back, rest. Without some adjustments however, the sticky, denseness of Kapha in our own bodies will accumulate and what results is mucus which loves to lodge in the respiratory system. Notice how everyone around you is coughing? Tissues abound and spring allergies and asthma wait in the wings.

Now is the time to begin lightening things up, as the sun knows so well! Develop a routine – a rhythm to your day. Look closely and use this time to leave behind old patterns. Step into a new journey with a focused intention of what you will bloom this spring.

Begin each day with warm lemon water to clear the system. In the cycle of the day, Kapha is the morning, so shift to a lighter breakfast, and save the heavier meal for lunchtime.  Spring is sweet already, so switch your diet to include less sweet food and bring in pungent, bitter and astringent tastes to lighten and break through the muck. Ginger, cardamom, cloves, black pepper. Cooked dark leafy greens. Dandelion and cilantro to flush the liver.

Neti pot or Nasya oil for the sinuses, tongue scraper for the mouth and raw local honey for the system. Lightening the load.

No need to run the marathon yet. Introduce moderate daily activity to produce a light sweat and get things moving. Put on your music and dance. Consistent gentle movement forward will begin to strike the spark.

Follow nature’s cues. Watch the sun and rise with her each morning. Gradually less sleep as the days lengthen. Take time to notice spring with the eyes of a child. Stop at the bush and tree outside your home and examine for buds. Pick an area of ground in your yard or the park and watch it daily to witness the changes. Be in the transition.

Soon enough that spark with be strong enough to start the fire of summer.

 It is when we are in transition that we are most completely alive.     William Bridges

Be kind to yourself….you are perfect,
SARAH