Monday 2 March 2015

An Arabic Spring

Things have been feeling spring-like here for the last couple of weeks, so although officially the grass doesn't riz till the 21st March I've decided to get started early.  It actually reminds me of springtime at home.  There is a cool breeze blowing and there have even been a couple of showers here and there. In between the dusty sandstorms that signal the change of season the sun is shining, the air is clean and fresh and it's lovely, but I know that the days are warming up and it won't be long now before the brain melting heat returns so it's time to stretch out my limbs and detoxify as much of my life as possible whilst the going is good.  Here's my plan...

My spring yoga practice will be focused on grounding through the feet but keeping things flexible in the upper body with lots of side stretches and twists. In spring seasonal yoga focuses on cleansing out the liver and the gall-bladder.  The meridians for these organs run up and down the side of the body and inner leg.  Great postures to build into the practice to stimulate these channels include horse stance, side plank, triangle, revolved triangle, half lord of the fishes pose and wide angled forward fold to stretch the legs, wring out the internal organs and narrow the waist.  The liver and gall-bladder also connect to the eyes, so pay attention to your dristi points and build more balances into your practice.  Tree pose (vikrasana) is the perfect asana for connecting with the wood energy of Spring - grounding the standing leg for strong roots, stimulating the liver meridian by pushing the foot into the side of the leg, engaging uddiyana bandha to narrow the waist, lifting the chest to keep the upper body light, long and flexible and fixing your gaze to stimulate the eyes (and stop yourself from falling over!)

Time to make like a tree.


I'm also spending as much time as possible outside whilst I can and making an effort to try new things.  A walk along the sea-front, yoga on the balcony, camping, I've even tried my hand, or rather balance, at stand-up paddle boarding which I absolutely loved.  Whatever you do, set yourself a new challenge, feel the wind in your hair and the sun on your face and enjoy the rewards.

The other big theme of spring is detox, so I'll be focusing on a different area of my life each week to try and de-clutter and clean up my act as follows:

Week 1: the physical body. Have a home spa day with a detoxing bath and body scrub. Light some candles, burn some cleansing essential oils - grapefruit is a great one. Book a massage to get rid of your toxins and enjoy yourself. Spend some time in a steam room or sauna, use natural paraben-free beauty products on your skin. Remind yourself that detoxing can actually be quite nice!

Week 2: your surroundings. Don't fight the urge to spring clean, embrace it! Your Granny was right, a tidy house does equal a tidy mind.  I've already cleaned out my wardrobe, and by next week hope to be strong enough to tackle the kitchen cupboards! Do it bit by bit and it's not too awful and you will automatically feel less cluttered and stressed ready to get started on all your plans.  

Week 3: goal setting.  What do you want to achieve this year? Write a list, create a mood board, start a journal to track your progress, whatever works for you. Dream big or think small, whatever you would like to change in your life spend time pondering it and put some steps in place that will help you get a little bit closer to your goals in the year ahead.

Week 4: diet.  Throughout the month I will be trying to cut back on all things toxic and eating more vegetarian meals with plenty of spring greens. Caffeine, refined sugar, alcohol are all on my list of things to have less of and at the end of the month I'll go the extra mile and fully clean up my act for the whole week.  There are plenty of detox plans out there that you can follow but my advice would be build up to it, be sensible, don't expect miracles, and pick a regime that you will have a hope of enjoying.  You may feel rubbish for the first couple of days, but by the end you will feel great.  

Easy peasy.  By the end of the season I hope to be eating better, feeling better, looking better, sleeping better and generally have more energy and focus.  What's not to love about spring-time?

Key Seasonal Points:

Season - spring
Dates - 21st March - 21st May
Organs - Liver & gall-bladder
Colour - green
Element - wood

For more information on Seasonal Yoga check out Energy in Season: 5 Keys to Vitality by the amazing and inspirational Susan Woodd and Julie Hanson.