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Last week I hosted the first session of “Revitalize and Renew: Spring Restorative Yoga Session” in-person at Studio 34 Yoga. After class ended, someone came up to me and shared that they had recently pulled a groin muscle and had been told by their chiropractor that they needed to get a massage (presumably adding pressure to “release” the muscle).
Because of this pulled muscle, they were unable to sit cross-legged at the beginning of class. But much to their surprise, they sat up at the end of class and naturally crossed their legs without pain!
This is the miracle of passive release. We didn’t try to stretch or open any of our muscles during class. In fact, we didn’t move much at all as the focus was 4 simple shapes taken on the ground. These shapes created the conditions for a natural hammocking/slackening of the muscles to promote space and length, both for the muscles and for the breath.
It’s hard to not try really hard to “make things happen” in our lives. It’s natural and very human to think that we have to do something to “make things work.”
But sometimes it’s the not trying, the surrender, that creates the conditions for spaciousness and ease and thereby allows us to achieve what we’ve set our sights on.
Spring is the season of renewal and the season of vision, according to Chinese Medicine. This is the time of year associated with the eyes and with sight. My neighborhood looks brand new lately, with the trees decked out with blossoms and the sun creating shadows and texture in places that were recently bare.
Though spring is an active season in many ways, and is also associated in Chinese Medicine with the tendons and ligaments–with action and movement–this is also a season to let go and loosen your grip a bit.
One of the most famous Chinese Medicine Classics, the Huang Di nei jing su wen, gives these instructions for the season of spring:
“Go to rest late at night and rise early.
Move through the courtyard with long strides.
Dishevel the hair and relax the physical appearance,
thereby causing the mind [to orient itself on] life.”*
In other words, let loose a little bit! Sleep a little less and play outside. Don’t worry so much about how you look, or what’s acceptable, but run around a little, shake off the doldrums of wintertime, and drink in the sweet sap of spring.
As we bridge the gap between the cold of winter and the windy cool of spring, if you’re looking for a little more rest and relaxation, consider coming to my next (and last) session of Revitalize and Renew: Spring Restorative Yoga Workshop at Studio 34.
During this event, we’ll dive deeper into the energy of springtime, and we’ll practice a few simple restorative yoga shapes to help you recharge your energy and regulate your nervous system.
There’s still some space left to join me for Revitalize and Renew on Friday 4/12 at 7pm. Note that the early bird pricing ends 4/2.
Craving some one-on-one care instead? Reach out to learn more about how acupuncture can help you recover your health, or to schedule.
I’m looking forward to seeing you stride forward this spring with a little more ease.
*from the Huang Di nei jing su wen (The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Chinese Medicine, translated by Paul Unschuld)