Rites of Spring

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine,

Spring is a Yang (upward moving, joyful, exciting, bright, productive) season, associated with the wood element, the gall-bladder and the liver, making it an ideal time to cleanse, and also to keep grounding practices that yoke us to the earth and keep our feet on the ground.

In Ayurveda, India’s ancient holistic system of medicine, this season this connected to the dosha Kapha (slow, watery, flowing, stagnant, cool) and practices to invigorate, detoxify and warm the body are encouraged.

The following rituals and journal prompts will ground you through pleasure and embodiment, nourish and cleanse you and encourage a deeper connection with Nature- both your own True Nature and Mother Nature:

Medicine/

Parsley, arugula, sorrel, citrus, coffee, cacao, fermented foods, Puerh tea

Cleanse/

Consider a liquid fast (water, healing broth, fresh pressed juice and tea) for 3 days to cleanse the liver. April 8-10 is a great time for this.

Sauna/

Sweat weekly in a wood-fired or infrared sauna to eliminate stored physical and emotional toxins.

Sleep/

Commit to at least 7 hours of sleep each night beginning on April 8th.

Massage/

Book yourself monthly massages to support detoxification and the release of accumulated winter stagnation.

Purge/

Clear 4 hours on your calendar one day (April 23rd is a great day!) to

give away or sell or otherwise release old clothes, furniture, kids items, kitchen,

garage and attic items!

Movement/

Wood Qi Gong (walking and swinging arms to move the lateral body,

any exercise that stretches the side body, (where the liver meridian and organ is

located.)

Ruminations/ journal prompts:

My greatest pleasure is... .

I feel the best in my body when... .

If I were a flower in this season of my life, I would be a ... . .

One habit, limiting belief, person or thing I am truly and finally ready to let go of

is....

Of all of the wellness practices I either keep or aspire to keep, the one that truly makes me feel good is…