The first signs of a new season are emerging from Mother Earth. Snowdrops, daffodils and primroses, buds on the trees and you can hear brighter birdsong. It's easier to get up when it's lighter as the hours of daylight increase. Even though it can still get very cold - there is a shift in energy.
The first 2 days in February are the ancient Celtic Festival Imbolc. Imbolc symbolises the halfway point between the winter solstice (Yule) and the spring equinox (Ostara). The word "imbolc" means "in the belly of the Mother," because the seeds of spring are beginning to stir in the belly of Mother Earth.
If you're feeling the need to have a clear out, detox, or spring clean it's no surprise as these are all activities linked to Imbolc. As is the lighting of candles or fire, linked with Candlemass and St.Brigid's day. Here's a nice little piece in Metro, by Kerry King if you want to read a bit more.
On a personal note, I absolutely love a good clear out and tidy up - it is one of my favourite things to do. A clean, clutter free environment brings peace, calm and contentment. (To me anyway).
In the Winter months it's so easy to turn inwards, in fact it's natural, as we hibernate. But often our body literally curls in too. When we're cold we tend to hunch forwards. So part of this shift in energy and leaving the cold dark months of winter behind, requires a re birth or opening up.
In yoga an important concept is about creating space and length. This is especially so in extending the spine backwards, as it can give us the momentum to move forwards. This has linked really nicely to me looking at distributing the curve in back bends over the last couple of weeks in my classes, especially upward dog and now upward facing bow.
Urdvha Dhanurasana or upward facing bow (aka 'the crab'), is an extremely challenging pose for many, as there's a lot going on anatomically. But the principles of lengthening, especially in the thoracic part of spine, can be adopted for many yoga poses. Also used as healing, energising, counter balance, for all the hunching and forward folding we have done through the winter.
If you're working on Urdvha Dhanurasana here's an inspirational tutorial by Laruga Glaser, at Purple Valley
As Laruga describes, lengthening through the lower back, which is quite hard to identify, creates extra space in the upper body and through the chest. The other thing she demonstrates, which I've focused on in my teaching this week is , 'plugging in the shoulders'. Basically, drawing them in and down - before you lift up. In fact plugging in the shoulders generally, will greatly improve alignment and posture.
So, whether you're decluttering, lighting candles, or buying yourself a bunch of daffodils, maybe think about plugging in the shoulders, extending back a bit, ready to emerge from the dark winter months.
Namaste.
Comments