Root and Bloom
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Root & Bloom
As we move into spring, tender green shoots of life begin to rise up through the earth, awakening to a season of outward growth and exposure to the elements. But even as the flora around us is just becoming visible, we know its been growing all winter long, establishing its roots and preparing for another season above ground. The dormant trees have been fortifying themselves to erupt into hundreds of new leaves. Flowers have been expanding their base and often display even more blooms than before. We, like the plant life, are also creatures of nature, needing well-established roots so that we can grow, extend outward and thriving regardless of what life brings. Spring is a great time to nestle into your roots and begin to sluff off the old, while at the same time blossoming outward into new directions.
Reinforce your roots: Identify what roots and grounds you, what helps you feel safe and supported. The list likely includes bonds and time with family, alone time, time in nature, etc. Actively ensure that you foster these roots, keeping them vital and active. If you are a calendar person, put time for these things ON YOUR CALENDAR.
Sluff off the old: Identify 1 to 2 areas in your life that you could shed and leave by the wayside. It could be habits, relationships, activities, etc. I suggest only picking one or two as that will keep you focused and increase the likelihood of your success. Create a plan for gently exiting these parts of your life so that you are free to explore other things that energize and revitalize you.
Bloom! Identify what makes you truly happy. Some call it your dharma, some calling it finding your bliss. Whatever it is, name it and let it be your guiding light. You can use your main sankalpa you created in January for this exercise. Expand your dharma out into actual activities, things that when you do them revitalize and energize you. Pursue these things with all your heart, even when the world is not reflecting back the reality you desire. I always live by that saying “its better do do your own dharma poorly then to do another’s well.”
Doing your January intention videos with your primary intention will help you bloom. Strive to maintain your intention, avoid self-limiting goals and keep you eyes open for gifts and opportunities from the universe.
This month, set an intention to do the following:
Take 3-5 minutes each morning to sit and breathe before you start the day. Breathe mindfully. Take a minute to breathe down through your sit bones and feel your connection to the earth. Cultivate the feeling of being grounded, safe and nurtured. Next, take a minute to breathe upward through your crown. Cultivate the feeling of being connected to spirit, perfect and brave. Finally, feel your breath moving in two concurrent streams: one from your crown to your sit bones and one from your sit bones to your crown. Cultivate a feeling of balance and contentment.
Listen to your short yoga nidra recording every other day
Listen to your long yoga nidra recording once a week
You will likely be doing other wonderful yoga related work – going to studio classes, doing the asana practice provided at home, reading the blog posts – but let the list above be your minimum baseline.
Relax and enjoy your daily 23 minute April yoga nidra recording. This meditation focuses on balance. Ensure you are comfortable and ready before starting the recording. Enjoy!
Relax and enjoy this healing yoga nidra recording. This 27 meditation is focused on restoring and healing the physical and energetic body. If you have a medical condition for which holding your breath is contraindicated, when cued to hold the breath, simply breath normally.
Relax and enjoy your weekly Root & Bloom yoga nidra recording. This meditation is 37 minutes in length and embeds the intention “I am firmly rooted. l let go of the past and move forward in faith and trust”. If you have a medical condition for which holding your breath is contraindicated, when cued to hold the breath, simply breath normally.
Reminder: Any poses or breath practices I cue in an asana practice are merely suggestions. Your body and your doctor know more than I do, so only do what makes sense, and is recommended for you.
Your first asana practice is a balance between grounding and extension, intended to ready you for meditation. This practice is 20 minutes long. Remember to enjoy a 5 – 10 minute savasana when its done, or listen to your guided yoga nidra meditation.
Props: Mat & an optional block. Have a blanket, bolster and eye pillow ready if meditating after your practice.
Your second asana practice is a slow flow, focused on finding your roots and extending outward as you bloom. This practice is 53 minutes long. Remember to enjoy a 5 – 15 minute savasana when its done, or listen to your guided yoga nidra meditation.
Props: Mat, block, blanket. Have a blanket, bolster and eye pillow ready if meditating after your practice.
Spring, in Yin and Daoism, is associated with the element of wood. It’s a time when the dormant wood of winter begins to foster new growth and new beginnings. Old habits and emotions are sluffed off as we move forward in new directions and take on new adventures. The two organs systems associated with the wood element are the liver and gallbladder. When we nurture the meridians within these systems, we help the flow of Qi (pronounced Chee and meaning the life energy within us) move freely throughout our body, helping us regulate our emotions, clear our vision, and keep us moving forward.
Meridians have acupressure points along them. By putting some pressure on these points, we can free trapped Qi and help resolve issues within the body. For the liver meridian, one key point is called LV3 (liver meridian point 3). This is a key point for ridding yourself of stagnant Qi and getting the flow of Qi smooth and even again. This point is also good for relieving headaches. See the associated picture to locate this point on your foot (it exists on both feet, so do both).
Place a finger between the big and second toes and then slide back towards the ankle until you feel a dip. Once there, start gently, as it might be tender, and then move your finger into the point with the intention of literally unblocking and moving the Qi within. Do this as you relax and breathe easily for up to two minutes.
If you want to learn more about the meridians and acupressure points, Cindy Black’s website information is great: https://bigtreehealing.com. Note – the picture on the left is hers.
If you want to learn more about the wood element Meridian, this site has some nice information: https://www.5element.com.au/Spring_and_Wood.html
