Spring shows us how to soften resistance and break through.
It is Spring and nature is coming back in a big way!
Photo by Julian Paolo
Every year around this time, I get totally captivated by the way that nature regenerates itself after weeks and weeks of winter dormancy. While it may appear lifeless on the surface, lots of things are going on behind the scenes, out of sight and underground. Seeds have germinated and sprouted. They are working their way toward the surface to break through. If it wasn't for the hard, frozen, snow-covered ground, they'd be somewhere else, blossoming for all to see!
One aspect that is particularly fascinating to me about nature's springtime rebirth is when the sprout actually breaks through the soil to inhabit an entirely different world -- one filled with wind, rain and sunlight. It is a much different environment than the one underground; it provides more direct access to life-sustaining elements. For the growing seedling, breaking through the soil further fuels and accelerates growth.
How does this leap to the next growth phase even happen?
All winter long, the soil has been frozen, hardened and compacted by heavy snow -- conditions that can impede the sprout's emergence. But fortunately, nature conspires to continue the cycle of life. The warmth of the sun and saturation of the spring rains soften the resistance of winter earth.
It is the softening of resistance that eases the way to breakthrough.
Vernal Equinox (March 20) is one of the two days in the year when the earth has perfect balance of daylight and darkness. As Spring progresses, this balance gives way to exciting changes in nature as daylight increases and fuels growth and rebirth.
Equinox, that momentary balance between extremes within the cycle, signals a turning point -- a before and after -- crossing a threshold. It marks entry into the next phase.
Spring is rich with many examples of dramatic entries into next phases, like the emerging of the baby bird from its shell or the birth of a litter of rabbits. It's symbolic of breaking through to a new reality, a new realization, and that next growth phase. Like nature, we can breakthrough at this time too and focus our energy toward growth of dreams and desires.
Photo by Xiaocong Yan
While the desire to prevail is a vital component of breaking through, it is resistance that keeps us down. Certain ideas, beliefs, and attitudes can hold us back from breaking through to the next phase toward the realization of what is desired.
By releasing the resistance, we allow the momentum of growing to become dominant and thus can more easily break through to satisfaction.
Shift focus to soften.
In yoga, the Sun Salutations are an activating, repetitive flow practice. They get the blood moving, the life-force revving, and give spark to seeds of intention. They help to focus and direct the energy that gets things going.
At the start of each season, yogis everywhere recognize this time of change and see it as an opportunity to set Sankalpa -- a mantra of intention to bring about a positive change in one's life -- and immerse in Sun Salutations practice to energize this intention.
Sun Salutations can be a very vigorous practice. The highly active nature of them invites surrender and a "burning off" of what's not essential. It becomes easier for me to shift focus during practice so that I can soften what hinders me and my breaking through.
Whenever I am in the soft soil of life, it's easy to break through. Hard soil is, well, hard. I can find ways to soften the soil or I can just stop hardening it and allow the cooperative components of the universe to loosen and saturate with ease and the goodness of life.
A Sankalpa gives focus to the coming season. The Sun Salutations practice energizes this focus to sustain it into fruition.
It is the thrust of life that helps us to break through!
I have been exploring the relationship between the seasons and yogic practice for over a decade. As a result, I have noticed cycles in my life. I have made connections to larger themes. And I have utilized the intent and focus that I’ve gained from yoga practice to bring about personal growth. All of these aspects go into my Yoga & The Wheel Of The Year workshop series. Eight times a year — at the start of each of the four seasons and at the midpoint within each season — we approach the period with curiosity, reverence and joy. We honor it with a practice that helps us connect with nature’s rhythms — and our own.
