Yoga for Spring

“Spring has returned.
The Earth is like a child that knows poems.” ~ Rilke

“Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
Are moving across the landscape,
Over the prairie and the deep trees.
The mountains and the river.
Meanwhile the wild geese high in the clean blue air
Are heading home again.” ~ from Wild Geese by Mary Oliver

“If these poems repeat themselves,
Then so does Spring.” ~ Rumi

So how is everyone doing? Has Zoom fatigue set in?  Hulu fatigue?

The unimaginable has happened. The Covid-19 crisis has changed our lives.

It is a time of great sorrow and deep gratitude. Many of us have felt the loss of a loved one. Yet we are grateful for the health care providers and all of the essential workers who have so bravely supported us during this surreal time.

How do we navigate through this uncertain time with grace?

Studies have documented that a yoga practice can support our physical, mental and emotional growth. I will outline a few practices that can foster some inner peace and balance during this time.

Yoga teaches us to look inside ourselves and self reflect. It allows us to acknowledge our feelings and not turn away from them. Compassion for ourselves and others can be cultivated by accepting our feelings of sadness. Various spiritual practices can help us transform our fears and anxiety so that we can experience inner peace. Loving kindness meditation (Metta) is one way and has been addressed in previous articles. Various pranayama exercises not only strengthen our lung capacity, but also provide a soothing relaxation response.

Studies have shown that a daily gratitude practice is one way to increase our resilience. I am grateful for the many yoga teachers and spiritual advisors who have offered free or by donation on line classes to help us during this time. Accept what feels right for you. Your own inner journey provides your ultimate truth.

Mother Teresa said, “Do small things with great love.” We are not all first responders. Perhaps we can offer a meal to a neighbor, care for a pet, or simply offer socially distant comfort to someone in need.

So Spring is here!

Covid-19 has kept many of us hibernating inside, even more than usual during the winter months. Now is the time to delight in the warmer days.

I have previously mentioned the three doshas or substances that are present in our bodies and environments, composed from the 5 elements, according to Ayurvedic tradition (Pita, Vata, Kapha). When they are balanced, equilibrium is maintained. Kapha and Vata predominate in the winter month and Kapha, the dosha of water and earth, lingers in the Spring. Excess kapha creates feelings of congestion (allergies), sluggishness and lethargy. These characteristics have been more pronounced in this winter of isolation, affecting our equilibrium.

Now is the time to choose yoga practices that will reduce Kapha energy. It is a time for clearing and cleansing. We may be tempted to do spring cleaning; declutter, perhaps -yes- but first step outside.

Witnessing the rebirth and renewal of Nature is most invigorating – nothing enlivens the senses more than the fragrances, sights and sounds of a fresh Spring day and the promise of better times ahead.

Yoga poses for Spring

Choose Yoga poses for Spring that aid in detoxification and ones that reactivate the lymphatic system. Here are just a few examples:

– Sun Salutations- They will for sure get prana (breath) flowing and increase the energy in the body. Not everyone can do full sun salutations. Remember there are many variations that still get energy flowing.

– Back Bends- start slowly – begin with a baby cobra pose. You can progress to the bridge pose and perhaps the camel pose. Back bends are re-vitalizing heart openers. They are a necessary counter pose especially for gardeners.

– Twists-seated twists help to detoxify organs and promote digestive fire

– Forward Folds -avoid if you have glaucoma or uncontrolled BP issues. Keeping knees bent as well as hands on thighs for support when standing up can be helpful. Forward folds help to strengthen the hamstrings, thighs and knees, keep your spine strong and increase flexibility.

– Supine poses such as knees to chest – (wind relieving) will stimulate the large intestines and detoxify.

– Legs up the wall, on a chair or on a block are most important for lymph drainage and detoxification as well. One of my favorites. Glaucoma is a contraindication.

– Yin Yoga practices – These poses incorporate principles of traditional Chinese medicine with postures that are held for longer periods of time. Yin yoga targets the connective tissue and the fascia throughout the body. The poses are excellent for Spring renewal and very useful for gardeners. Yin yoga poses that target the liver and gall bladder are helpful for Spring.

– Yoga Nidra – (yogic sleep.) It is said that this practice can be as restorative as sleep. Yoga Nidra fosters a unique experience of deep relaxation. I can say personally that this guided relaxation practice has been vital for my well being during the Covid crisis (see references)

Other Ayurvedic Practices for Spring:

Waking up early to the sound of birds chirping is amazingly energizing. Sleeping in will only aggravate Kapha. Exercising early will jump start your day. The safe use of a Neti Pot can help relieve congestion.

Diet:
Foods that are bitter, spicy and astringent are suggested to open the channels of elimination and clear mucus from the body. Sweet, sour and salty foods favor water retention so try to avoid them. Food should be warm and lightly cooked.
Try grains such as quinoa, buckwheat and long grain rice.
Try asparagus, cabbage, dark greens, radishes, onions and garlic.
Try berries, apples and pears
Try proteins such as poached eggs, fresh water fish, kefir, pumpkin seeds etc.
Suggested herbs – cardamon, cinnamon, ginger, chicory, dandelion, hibiscus, orange peel and strawberry leaf.
Use less oil and try to avoid most dairy and processed foods.

Please keep in mind that the above are general guidelines for Spring. I believe a little leniency should prevail during Covid Spring. Not all suggested foods may be available and spending a long time in grocery stores should be avoided. I, for one, feel that a little chocolate to boost an endorphin response cannot hurt.

A daily dose of Vitamin D – Spending 10 minutes on a sun lit porch in the morning with a cup of freshly brewed organic coffee is “my cup of tea” but may not be for another. Nurture yours.

Meditation, pranayama, relaxation, and practicing gratitude were all mentioned here because they encompass a Yoga Practice. They are just as vital to our well being as an Asana Practice. Their scope is just too broad to cover. Please see the included references.

“ Yesterday I was clever so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise so I am changing myself.” ~ Rumi

References and resources:
www.gaiam.com – yoga resources, blogs, gear
www.jenniferreisyoga.com – Daily live yoga and yoga nidra classes-donation and free classes.
The Science Behind Gratitude (and how it can Change your Life) by Derrick Carpenter MAPP
www.yogajournal.com/page/the-practice-podcast – Guided meditations and yin yoga
www. rickhanson.net – Being Resilient During Coronavirus – free resources
Sounds True Presents – Various free online podcasts and resources on resilience, meditations and tools to promote balance and calmness
YouTube broadcasts from Won Dharma Center – Practical and Spiritual Guidelines offering support during this time.
www.tergar.org – Transforming Fear and Anxiety – Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche

Blessings of Courage – Poem by Jan Richardson

I cannot say
where it lives,
only that it comes
to the heart
that is open,
to the heart
that asks,
to the heart
that does not turn away.

It can take practice,
days of tugging at
what keeps us bound,
seasons of pushing against
what keeps our dreaming
small.

When it arrives,
it might surprise you
by how quiet it is,
how it moves
with such grace
for possessing
such power.

But you will know it
by the strength
that rises from within you
to meet it,
by the release
of the knot
in the center of
your chest
that suddenly lets go.

You will recognize it
by how still
your fear becomes
as it loosens its grip,
perhaps never quite
leaving you,
but calmly turning
into joy
as you enter the life
that is finally
your own.

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