Spring is transformation time; everything comes to life again after winter’s darkness and we sense life stirring again. We may feel inspired to move our bodies more and maybe begin an exercise regime. We respond to longer hours of daylight, we may wake earlier and feel a natural urge to get healthy after winter.

Nature is constantly changing and these changes create the patterns of seasons in our world as the energy of the natural world rearranges itself. Similar energetic shifts occur inside us at the same time.

Change is a feature of spring and the weather reflects this. In just one day we can have warm sunshine, cold, rain, wind and rapid temperature variations. 5 element theory explains spring’s energy as the Wood Element, which peaks in spring. It’s energy is ascending and rising, we sense excitement as life picks up after winter’s dormancy. This energy can at times feel explosive, impatience or angry outbursts as the imbalanced emotional aspect of the energy asserts itself. Physically we may feel tight, rigid or immobile in our joints, stiffness, experience headaches and lack clarity of direction and the ability to assert ourselves.

Life continually changes and grows, we experience all sorts of challenges to adapt through change which be confronting as we encounter our own resistance  and control issues.

The question is how to be open and adaptable, change and do so smoothly while remaining calm amidst the challenges?

One way to get the spring in your step and address the ability to change harmoniously is to adopt healthy practices that balance the wood element energy inside you with wellness practices. Achieve this through physical movement practices (yoga, walking, jogging, swimming), nutrition (eating springs whole foods) and mindfulness meditation practices.

Spring yoga practice works well to address inner balance and harmony. It aims to open up the body and improve the mobility of joints to create flexibility; in body, mind and thinking. Choose postures that open the sides of the body and encourage more joint mobility. These poses will access the wood element’s liver and gall bladder meridians. Spring yoga will encourage us to open and grow, we loosen our deep inner resistance that can prevent life flowing with us in unison. Twists feature in spring yoga; we unwind ourselves physically and emotionally. These postures can bring us face to face with our control issues so it is important to keep breathe rhythm as your focus and be swept away with the stories of our minds. You may encounter some rigid ways (physically and emotionally) on the mat and discover the source of our inner resistance to change when life suddenly requires us to adapt. We are naturally goal oriented and having a plan for aspects of our lives is positive. But, being so rigid in our plans that we are unable to adapt to sudden changes (narrow view) can be a negative pattern as it prevents our ability to adapt, grow, change and see new possibilities. Spring yoga practice will harmonise the wood element inside you and create ease, patience, trust and clarity of vision for yourself with open adaptable mind and body. See a yoga teacher in your area that teaches seasonal 5 element yoga.

Eating well in spring will create a feeling of lightness. It is a good time to cleanse and detox so seek professional guidance if this appeals to you. Doing a detox correctly should involve changes to diet and yoga to support the healthier lighter goal you desire. The key words for spring nutrition are light fresh and green so look for healthy real whole foods bursting with energy to bring these qualities to you as well. Good plan is to drop foods that feel heavy; ease up on red meat, hard cheeses, deep fried fatty foods and bump up leafy green vegetables, white fish and chicken and lighter cooking styles. Sprouts are great in spring so garnish meals and salads with the impressive variety of sprouts available. Generally eat smaller lighter meals. Tip: give up alcohol and coffee for a week, drink more fresh pure water and green tea, alkalise your diet to really make a difference to your health and mindset.

Mindfulness practice teaches us to be present and witness. We do this by remaining present with our breath. It is witnessing and non reaction, we see our habits, patterns and reactions. When we react we contract, it is an inner resistance or hardening to life inside and around us. No wonder at times we feel frustrated because things aren’t going our way; check in.. where have I contracted and resisted in mind and body? Yielding is the opposite, being open adaptable and non reactive. We learning to remain calm centred and clear seeing with life’s calamities. We learn to rise above situations that perhaps trigger us to react (these are often small and trivial when we see the big picture). Non reaction is not being passive, it is being neutral and knowing that at times we need to stand our ground and assert ourselves, but doing so from a neutral non personal way.

The Buddha said

“you will not be punished for your anger, you will be punished by your anger”

To feel well, calm, patient and healthy this spring, take on some of these ideas to changes to yourself, heal your liver, lighten up and look ahead.

See the wonder of new life and perhaps some opportunities for yourself to change, evolve and grow……