‘Secrets of Spring’ by Stephen Cottee

Spring is upon us and right now there are some opportunities to really move forward in your life!

If you pay attention at this time you can sense a new burst of life potential that is just not found at other times of the year.

When we understand ourselves and the nature of the season we can get fabulous results in our life – but when we are unconscious of these we tend to fall into certain seasonal traps.

Would you like to know how to get the most benefit from this time of year? Then read on…

The season of Spring is all about lightness and flexibility on all levels.

It’s also the easiest time of year to cultivate a positive future direction, to step out and be filled with the hope of new possibilities. Think of it as a ‘seasonal New Year’ – a fresh start and a new beginning.

Getting up a bit earlier in the day, shaking off the sleep of Winter and getting clear on what you aspire to do and how you aspire to be in this new day is a great way to start off on the right foot.

Essential yoga exercises for your body and breath are ones that increase your lightness, flexibility and forward vision. These exercises also include, perhaps surprisingly, promoting the opposite qualities at well. That is, specific poses to build the core strength and stability of the lower body so you can deal with the new openness and the rising-energy headiness of Spring without toppling over or becoming too erratic or unstable.

How can you take advantage of the excitement and possibilities of the new season without spinning out?

This is what you really need to know right now!

There are a number of traps we can easily fall into in the Spring as well as ways to avoid falling into these. In fact, you can turn what would otherwise be a trap to your advantage if you know how.

Interested to know more?

The most common trap of Spring is getting caught by the spirit of new and increased activity without having any focus or stability to channel this coherently in any way. Kind of like being a teenager full of restless energy but without anywhere useful to put it.

Hence in Spring we can easily spin off in all different directions and end up fragmented and frazzled. Just like the chicken with its head chopped off, there is a whole lot of activity going on but not much to show for it once the dust settles. Eventually this burst of energy passes and the opportunity of Spring has passed us by as we settle into the heat of Summer.

The solution to this is to focus on what is most important and to have a clear vision to guide you – both signs of a healthy liver according to traditional Chinese medicine.

Even worse than this fruitless busy-ness, though, is when we become disoriented, anxious and unstable. We can become so overwhelmed by the rising energy that we are at risk of spinning out altogether!

Do you feel like your head is spinning? Too many things going on up there without the corresponding ability to get them out of your head and into the world?

The need here is to build a stable foundation, a grounded stability that makes it safe and balanced to embrace the lightness and expansion of the season. This can be done by yoga, meditation, diet or even through goal setting exercises and sensible planning.

Another issue that can arise at this time of year is if we fail to recognise the change of season and do not adjust to it in time. Because the weather can be erratic – from cold to hot and back again – the body needs to be very adaptable in Spring otherwise issues arise. If we continue to eat, sleep and live as if we were still in the cold, contracted energy of Winter we risk becoming stuck with excessive heat and heaviness in our bodies. Then when a hot day does hit we suffer tremendously. Spring fevers, headaches, colds and flus, even breathing and heart problems can strike as the body struggles to throw off the congestion caused by a combination of heavy animal products in the diet and sedentary lifestyles.

Instead, what works well is if we lighten up our food and get our bodies moving. Eat lots of fresh vegetables, lightly steamed, and get up and out into the day earlier. Yoga and breathing exercises to improve flexibility, lightness and expansive qualities whilst still staying grounded can make a tremendous difference as the weather fluctuates.

With a clear vision and direction we are able to channel the new lightness and expansiveness of Spring in a positive and eventually fruitful direction. Let you dreams and ideas flow freely at this time. Try and catch the best of them by writing them down and taking the first baby steps. Don’t worry about trying to make it all happen in a day, a start in the right direction is all you need at this time of year.

 

Stephen Cottee is one of Sydney’s leading meditation teachers. His goal is to help you develop a daily meditation practice that really works for you.

Enrol in his next ‘Learn to Meditate’ course now!