Spring is truly my favorite season. The days begin to get a bit longer, the temperatures warmer, we start to see more of the sun, & the birds sing. It all signals hope, awakening, new beginnings, joy and happiness.
Yesterday was a rainy day, but it was a pleasant, warm rain (typical spring shower). When the rain stopped, the sky was clear and it was as if I was seeing stars for the first time. They have been there all winter, but because the temperatures were warmer, I took my time to stop and look around. This morning I awoke to the sound of birds chirping and I knew spring was here. I was drawn to go outside and breathe fresh air. It was dawn (my favorite time of day) and so Rocky & I greeted the moon and then the sun with loving gratitude for this spring day. Throughout the day, children were out riding their scooters or bicycles. People out walking, biking or happily cleaning their cars.
Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end. – Seneca
With Spring comes spring cleaning – open the doors and windows, let the stale air out and the fresh air in. This is the perfect time to clean out the clutter of your home AND your life, and make room for new things. There is little room for fresh, new things in our lives if we haven’t cleared out the old – old clothes, furniture, as well as old ideas, beliefs and expectations.
Out with the old; In with the new.
For most of the winter, the windows of my house were dirty, clouding my vision. But now the windows are clean and clear and everything seems so crystal clear. Cleaning out my closet was also so cathartic. I had to laugh at myself for holding on to old clothes and shoes that I never wear. As I worked through this process I asked myself – Why do I hold on to these things? I realized that these things represent more emotional baggage rather than physical attachment – Each item told a story. Each story represents a part of my life that is no longer, that I was hanging on to. Letting go of the old stories now makes room for new stories.
Yoga can guide us through this process of “spring cleaning”. Sauca , one of the Yoga Sutra Niyamas (observances) is Sanskrit for cleanliness.
When cleanliness is developed, it reveals what needs to be constantly maintained, and what is eternally clean. What decays is the external. What does not is deep within us. ~ Yoga Sutra II.40 ; Translation by T.K.V. Desikachar
As yogis, we commit to non attachment and cleanliness of body, mind and spirit Our Asana practices cleanse our bodies, Our Pranayama practice cleanse our lungs, and Our Meditation practice cleanse our minds. We practice cleanliness from the inside out with attention to nutrition and from the outside in with attention to our words and actions. Purified, we can find that space to let go of the old and welcome in the new and appreciate the beauty of the present moment.
Do everything with a mind that lets go.If you let go a little, you will have a little peace. If you let go a lot, you will have a lot of peace. If you let go completely, you will have complete peace.
🙏🏼 Namaste, Your Yoga Doctor