One - Season of Rebirth, Growth & Inspiration that’s Spring!
Ah dear Spring, finally, we meet again! It’s so good to see you, my old friend!
I feel as if winter’s grey and heavy duvet was lifted off the city. We all collectively ran outside to bask in the sweet warmth of early sunny days. Mornings are still very chilly, keeping a reminder of winter still lurking through the nights and Morena is not quite gone yet. (*In ancient Slavic rites, the death of the Goddess Morena at the end of winter becomes the rebirth of Spring).
We’re hopeful, yet a little sceptical for how long we owe the pleasure to this sense of lightness. Regardless, the seeds of inspiration have been planted, movement and creativity are undeniable. I love taking a pause on my many daily dog walks to watch people enjoy and transform under these golden rays. People are rushing out in their running shoes giddy with excitement for their Sunday long runs. They no longer feel like a chore. And yes, I fall in this bracket, too. Even housework gets exciting with the idea of spring cleaning and a house purge.. Sign me up! A spark of creativity around the kitchen stove with cravings for fresh and zesty homemade food. But most definitely a desire to get soil under our fingernails planting the very first seeds of this year. Great, great, GREAT!!!
But is something missing? Am I forgetting something important and crucial for all these dynamic, Yang activities? Yes! It’s me!
I got swept away with excitement and ran late to my yoga class. So I skipped it… oops. Same thing happened a few days earlier when I was cycling to my lunchtime meditation at the buddhist centre. I was so relaxed on the bike, busy watching dogs run around and playing out the day ahead in my mind I didn’t take the right turn and carried on the wrong route. Few minutes in I realised my mistake but it was too late. And I would rather not show up than show up late at the centre. Whilst I’m quite liberal with late comers in my own classes one thing ‘I’ don’t want to do is disturb a room of people meditating. I think it was the right call but that’s besides my point. My point is; it’s easy to lean on our practices when we don’t feel so great. When the weather is miserable. When everyone is looking a little stressed out and tired around us. Your practice is calling loudly and you run with open arms towards it. But what happens on sunny days, on days that your friends invite you out, on days that your depression feels lifted, the days you are distracted by the beauty around you? Do you still make time for yourself?
Spring is the symbol of rebirth, growth, fertility and inspiration. It’s the element of Wood. Wood grows out of earth taking all nutrients. But it’s important to tend to the soil, to input nutrients. Do you see where I am going with it? The balancing act between Yang and Yin. Now naturally there is a calling for change. And maybe not just our home and cooking habits but also our wellbeing practices could do with a little spruce up. And that’s what I’m here to help you with.
I will share prompts, practices and other inspirations in a variety of formats to suit your different needs. My aim will be to utilise platforms outside of Instagram more. Simply, I am addicted to that scrolling machine and want to break my own ”bad” habits. More on this in another blog. I want You and Me to be able to lean into the season and enjoy the spark of energy that’s in the air yet also feel grounded and continue heading towards Our dreams.
Speaking of dreams, the astrological new year starts with Spring Equinox..
..(in the Northern hemisphere, Autumn in the Southern). If setting goals and intentions for the year ahead somehow feels a bit off putting and unnatural that might be why. January is the depth of winter. Time for inward looking and nurturing. Spring on the other hand feels naturally inspiring to make changes. I say we trust our gut intuition to put the January ‘new resolutions’ pressure in the bin. Instead we do our visualisation meditations, manifesting collage boards, mind mapping and journaling now. I know what’s on your mind (or at least I hope I do)... We can do this together! ‘Conscious Creation’ will be the theme for March. For now make sure you’re signed up to my mailing list. Follow me on YouTube, Patreon & my website - they’re ALL FREE. And hopefully soon we will put our previously created WhatsApp chat in use, too. I hope to organise some in person activities when the weather seems to be favorable. These might be shorter on notice or announced with ‘if the weather allows it’.
Just a note: There is going to be a rebrand.
‘Yoga Pals’ just doesn’t feel right! It feels limiting and pushes into the stereotypical western understanding of yoga. I took on this name being influenced by what I saw around but not really feeling it was part of me. I want this to be a space of community, shared wisdom, observations, a little bit of practices but mostly real life stuff and a pinch of neurodiverse magic. I need to think about what I want to call this circle of friends. But that’s for a later discussion.
As we know I like to prioritise my mental health first so the only commitment I can offer is that I will create for you as often as I feel inspired and energised to do so but never at the stake of my own work-life balance. As a neurodivergent free-lancer it’s particularly challenging to keep up with promises when the demands of the work that actually pay-my-bills are so inconsistent. I am actually really looking forward to open up this conversation more because I know you will either relate or find it interesting what the back-end of this work truly looks like. Just know I always think of you and I didn’t just forget about our promise to unite in a ‘Club’ of some sort.
Hope you carry on enjoying this weather and here’s a little ‘homework’ for you.
Journaling/ contemplating/ visualising prompts:
TODAY, I AM CREATING LONG LASTING MEMORIES!
How do I fill my days in? (name activities, habits, tasks with honesty - what you are currently doing in your days)
What can I change to make my everyday life feel meaningful? (losing some habits, setting boundaries, revamping my diary, adding in time for fun/myself/friends ..etc)
How can I make sure to be truly present with each task, activity, conversation in my day? (what rules will I impose on myself to stay accountable, what rewards can I use for motivation, what words/ ‘affirmations’’ do I want to repeat when it feels hard to stick to it)
What are some of my favourite all time memories, describe what makes them so special and memorable?
What can I take away from these as notes on how to make more core memories? What is the secret ingredient?
Today, instead of waiting for good things to happen to me I will create the moments I want to have. Therefore, today I will……..
