Spring Cleaning 2008
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"Trees put forth flowers; waters abound in lotuses; women's thoughts turn to love; the air is sweetly scented; mornings are pleasant and days delightful; all things are more alluring in springtime, my love."
- Kalidasa's Ritusamhara,
the Indian poem "Garland of Seasons"
Early April: well, it's still winter out here in Montana. Just went skiing in a snowstorm yesterday. But, the sun is frequently shining, the days are longer and thoughts are warming up to spring's arrival. There is defnitely that feeling in the air, the new and vital energy around us as life outside prepares to renew itself and blossom. This is nature's new year. As this energy starts to shift from the slowness and quieter rhythms of winter into the renewed vitality of spring, we often feel motivated to clean house - the spring cleaning ritual. In this effort to feel lighter and freer, keep in mind the idea of getting rid of things you don't need; not just in your closet, but in your body, heart and mind as well.
I recently observed my daughter Morgane have a big, fat tantrum. Nothing out of the ordinary for an almost 3 year old, but for the first time I didn't rush to react and instead let myself observe this process of getting rid of toxic feelings. She cried, yelled, flailed about - I was witnessing quite a whirlwind of energy releasing. Instead of interfering, I allowed her to complete this process and noted that it isn't always easy to watch negative emotion unleash itself. It's not something we're typically comfortable with, which is why it often gets bottled up inside. Afterwards, she came and sat with me, being very quiet and still for a few minutes (which is no small feat for a toddler). It reminded me of meditation, and the stillness and calmness we seek and crave. Having a tantrum may not be the most practical release for non-toddlers, but when we're feeling pent up we can channel that energy into a "cleansing" activity that will release our stale and frustrated emotions.
So, in the name of spring cleaning, step up the intensity of your yoga practice with a challenging ashtanga, flow, or power class (if you are local, I am starting a new power yoga class at the Ridge) and be sure to follow your practice with some quiet reflective time (savasana, meditation, or even a cup of tea or browsing your favorite section at the bookstore) that will help transition you back into the daily grind. Try a new cardio class or go for a run; sweat out your body's toxins while simultaneously letting go of emotions that aren't serving you. Let your exhale be your release - as you breathe out, visualize moving stale air out of your body to make room for the fresh, invigorating breath taken in on your inhale. Let your exhales be the vehicle for negative thoughts and emotions to leave your body. Inhale. EXHALE.
Detox Diet Tips - you don't have to fast or do anything radical to benefit from some simple diet detox this spring. Try implementing these tips for at least 1 week:
- Eliminate meat and refined, processed foods that contain trans-fats, sugar and additives, like artificial color or MSG.
- Eat more raw fruits, veggies, whole grains, and vegetable proteins like beans, lentils and tofu.
- Eliminate alcohol, coffee, and soda; drink your fill of filtered water (add a detoxifying squeeze of lemon), green tea, unsweetened fruit juice.
- Take milk thistle supplements to promote liver health; the liver is the body's largest detox organ.
- Eat organic and buy local when you can.
Eat slowly. Take time to enjoy the whole process of preparing and eating food in ways that have developed over centuries. Become part of the international Slow Food movement, which aims to "promote gastronomic culture, develop a taste education, conserve agricultural biodiversity, and protect traditional foods at risk of extinction".
Detoxing Yoga Poses - incorporate these moves into your practice:
Twists to help digestion and clear stagnation in the internal organs.
Backbends to encourage the heart opening that releases negative emotions, and increases blood flow to the spine to energize.
Restoratives to allow the body and mind to let go, and to change up the blood flow (for example in viparita karani, legs up the wall).
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Hope to see you out here soon! Happy spring.
Namaste,
Margaret
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