Spring is such a wonderful time of the year. It heralds another cycle, a new beginning. A time of the year to ‘rise early with the sun’ and take ‘brisk walks’, which as the Inner Classic, an ancient Chinese text, reminds us are the outward (yang) activities reflecting the rising and active energy of Spring. The birds sing, plant life starts to push upwards, tender green shoots can be seen everywhere and the days become lighter and longer. In turn we start to feel these energies within ourselves, a need to move out of hibernation and shrug of the inertia from the winter months. Spring is an excellent time for sowing seeds, starting new projects, changing focus in life, nurturing new ideas. 

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine the Spring season is associated with the wood element, which houses both the liver and gallbladder. The flavours sour and bitter assist gentle detoxification of these organs and the colour pertaining to the wood element is green. 

So let us explore some simple thoughts for easing the journey from winter to spring.

Traditionally, this is the time for a spring clean both internally and externally. The ancient art of feng shui, the art of placement, in essence teaches us the importance of the harmony between ourselves within our living environment . 

Our homes are a natural extension of ourselves, so spend some time decluttering. Take what you no longer require to a charity shop, freshen up any rooms with a change of colour, rearrange the furniture and clean the windows to allow the spring energy to flow in. This will help to focus the mind paving way for new things to come in. 

Internally, we start to feel the need for lighter foods, introduce dark green leafy vegetables for the bitter taste, spring greens, kale, collard greens and spinach, grains such as quinoa, and the soya based protein, tofu. Slowly moving away from a heavier winter diet, limiting dairy, red meat, flour based products, fatty foods, which can have a clogging affect on the liver. 

Lightly steam young spinach leaves in a little clarified butter, finish with fresh grated nutmeg. Shred into stir fries, soups and delicious in salads. Use watercress, beetroot and the sea vegetable wakame in cooking, these are all wonderful blood cleansers and not to forget sprouted foods, an excellent source of live enzymes for the liver. 

A great way to start the day is drinking a glass of hot water with a generous slice of lemon squeezed in. This helps to flush the toxins through the body. Drink plenty of water though out the day, either as herbal teas or try a slice of fresh ginger steeped in it, wonderful for warming the digestion. When you drink a glass of wine, a cup of coffee or black tea equal with one glass of water. 

Add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice to finished dishes, which helps to bring out the flavour, use in salad dressing or sprinkle over cooked vegetables. Herbs enhance the taste of dishes as well as bringing in their own therapeutic qualities. The pungent flavours, basil, marjoram, rosemary, bay leaf work well in the spring.

The emphasis of cooking foods from winter to spring change from long slow to shorter cooking methods, such as stir fries, light steaming, more raw but not too much.

Essential fats (omega 3 & 6) are vital in our diets, as the body does not have the ability to manufacture these and in particular for the smooth functioning of the liver. Dietary sources include whole grains, oily fish, seeds such as flax, sunflower, pumpkin, nuts, soya beans. Soak one dessertspoon of golden linseeds in ½ cup of water, steep over night and drink in the morning. This acts like a broom through the digestive tract.

To move lymph and increase circulation before bathing or showering dry body brush with a long handled natural bristle brush. Use stroking movements upwards from the feet, remembering to always brush towards the heart.

In the spring we feel the need to take more exercise, which is a key part of life. Being healthy, feeling good, energised and yet calm is so important. Spring and Yoga practice go so well together. Yoga postures help with flexibility, strength, balance and co-ordination, alleviating general stiffness, aches and pains. Deep breathing and relaxation helps us to still the chatter of the mind and relax the whole body, making us feel more centred and ready for everyday life. 

A time to slowly start opening our bodies up to the Sun, rekindling our connection with the universal consciousness, a renewal of life, perhaps a fresh start. The wonderful vinyasa flow of Salutations to the Sun (Prayers to the Sun) Surya Namaskar does this beautifully. The marriage of movement with breath through 12 postures generates heat, slowly starts to warm us from the core, improves circulation releasing tension, raises the heart beat, flushes out toxicity, tones and strengthens our muscles, tendons, ligaments and internal organs, increasing flexibility to the spine. Practiced mindfully, it focuses the mind, creates a sense of inner strength and spaciousness, uplifts our spirits. Positive qualities to take forward with us throughout the day, which continue to unfold as we develop our practice.  

One of my favourite meditations is cultivating good-will (metta), it naturally teaches patience and tolerance. Sit and settle into stillness. Focus on the breath and beginning with yourself, bring your awareness to your heart centre and visualise the breath as a warm ray of light radiating out into the whole body. As you breathe in direct patient kindness towards yourself with the thought ‘peace’. As you breathe out let the mood of that thought or the awareness of light continue to spread outwards through the whole body and beyond yourself.

To conclude, the emotions of the liver and gallbladder are associated with anger, frustration and indeciseveness. In balance the sour taste engenders growth and creativity, the liver expresses our creativity and we are naturally creative within our own self expression. Nurture your creativity, develop it from the seeds sown in Spring and keep it flowing through your Yoga practice.

Designed & Created by David Holland