Spring & The Spiral
Updated: Apr 15, 2022
Welcome to the season of new beginnings, growth and rebirth.
Spring is here! At least, that's what the calendar says.
When I was younger I thought that life was a journey of hills and valleys we would cross, climbing ever higher toward some distant peak in accomplishment that would justify our suffering and hard work. Slowly, after journeys that felt as if they were guiding me toward this sought after peak and the repeated disappointment of finding myself right back where I started time and time again, I have come to see life as a series of circles in which we cycle through many metaphorical births and deaths that carry us closer to the truths of our heart. Life is not about a destination, it is a peeling back of layers on an ever broadening spiral journey. Each circle slightly offset from the previous as they spiral across time in an attempt to educate our souls. One circle, offset to the slightest degree, can teach us something profoundly different than the previous circle.
The inhale and exhale, day and night, sunrise and sunset, the moon and the tides. The bud, the bloom, the fruit and the falling leaf. Holding the hands of children coming to life and those of grandparents crossing the rainbow. Seasons all of them, no different than January passing through to December only to start a new year fresh. When I look at nature all I see are circles of energy and I wonder how it took me so long to notice that each moment of my life is sitting on a spectrum of spirals. Some cycles make big slow arcs taking their time to pass near their origin and others are tightly coiled, cycles that repeat so quickly they can leave you feeling dizzy. If we put these circles under the microscope of our inner wisdom we would find four seasons within each of them. A period of germination, of birth, of growth and expansion, of sharing gifts, of letting go, withering, and dying.
When our nervous systems are balanced we find ourselves grounded and at ease in each moment; each shift and passing season. When our nervous systems are imbalanced we find ourselves amidst a world of chaos that shows up on our journey as jagged edges and sharp turns instead of smooth arcing circles. Our patterns will still repeat and our trajectory will still be a spiral through time but the journey will be lacking a certain smoothness and peace. We are meant to be one with nature, immersed in the present moment, wandering through the wilderness of life admiring its beauty, but too often our minds get in the way. We sink into the past and dive into the future, we worry and get anxious, we fret over things beyond control.
This is where reflection of natures seasons and our yoga practice can come in and give us the tools we need to regain balance; supporting the natural rhythms of our nervous systems. The changes of the seasons offer us a natural mirror as we navigate the cycles of life and they hold deep wisdom that can help guide us in our movements. Our yoga practice helps us find the space in our bodies and minds to observe the slightest shifts on our circular journey and recognize the growth and opportunities they provide us. We work to settle into the seasons of the breath, interestingly when we breathe correctly the breath has 4 parts; inhale - pause - exhale - pause - inhale, and so on for our duration here on earth. We find strength and smoothness in our movements, and perhaps most importantly we seek awareness of the present moment, here and now with our bodies and breath.
As we enter into spring it can be useful to take little bit of time to reflect on the things that died away and the new seeds that settled into the quiet soil of our minds over the winter season. Release attachment to the things that died away and invite growth to spring forth from the seeds. Let us open our hearts to the inherent growth that spring naturally offers us. We should remind the primal parts of ourselves and our nervous systems about the rhythms of spring and the value they hold for us. Take your practice outside, go for a walk, put your hands in the soil and plant something tangible as a reminder of all that is growing within you.
Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha
~ May all obstacles, internal and external be removed from your path.
If you need support on your journey please reach out. I am here for you, offering private instruction, retreats, breathwork, energy work and sound healing sessions.