Spring is beautiful due to the plants in bloom, the sun showing more, and the warming temperature. However, with such a gorgeous season, you probably wonder, “Why do I feel so much anger and frustration, and why am I quick to tears?”
The season change is always an interesting time for me and my work because, with massage, craniosacral, and shamanic healing, I always see a pattern in us all. During spring, I witness its beauty, energy, and the mental, emotional, and mental changes it encourages in us. While I experience frustration and pain in the hip, ribs, and jaws, I notice many clients also have this experience. If you feel what I just mentioned regularly, then you are probably seeing you feel them even more so now.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, it’s believed when you live your life based on the ways of nature, you will live a healthier life. So, what exactly happens in spring? The tree’s leaves begin to press past its buds, the flowers do the same, the sun warms the earth, and the grass rises through the dirt. All these things use their ascending energy to rise to the surface. During winter, everything receded to protect its energy and inner core from being depleted by the cold. When the sun warms everything in winter, it is also generous with its energy – that energy needs to be let out or rise.
Now, let’s look at ourselves during winter while having nature in mind (because we are also nature). We have this energy rising inside us that has hibernated throughout the winter. As the season changes and the energy shifts, our bodies are screaming to release this energy we’ve protected during the cold. The issue we run into? We do not allow this energy to come forward. When this release does not happen, we may experience judging others harshly, angry outbursts, muscle tension, headaches, digestive disturbances, menstrual irregularities, sciatica, and rib pain or stuffiness.
So, how can we help this yang energy to gently release?
- Move – exercise or go on hikes and enjoy the coming of spring.
- Look at your nutrition – In traditional Chinese medicine, spring is linked to the liver; spring is the perfect time to detox and rid the body of toxins you’ve collected from stress and the foods you’ve consumed. The best way to begin is by eliminating fried foods, sugar, and dairy.
- Spring Cleaning – eliminate the things in your home that create or add to any chaos.
- Drink water to help flush the body of toxins and add lemon to help the liver.
I also mentioned how the season change causes spiritual, mental, and emotional changes. Spring is a perfect time to ask yourself what new patterns and energy you want to create and let go of the old that keeps you stagnant. During spring, we can feel more anger, be more judgemental, and be on the edge of tears. These emotions form from an established base – it is an excellent time for contemplation to understand the root of these emotions. Anger is a healthy emotion to experience; it is when we dwell in it or suppress it that it becomes destructive.
How can we help ourselves Spiritually, Mentally, and Emotionally during this Spring equinox?
- Close your eyes – Breathe and do a body scan. How are you feeling? What are you feeling? Why are you feeling this? Where are you feeling this?
- Journal – Write your answers into a journal or piece of paper. Journaling increases self-awareness and helps us create new patterns.
- Cry – Are there emotions you are burying? Do you tell yourself you never have time to explore them? It is time to make time. Releasing buried emotions helps release stagnant energy in the liver.
- Take a hike – Go for a hike and look at nature blooming – grab some inspiration on releasing this energy.
- Have a fire – Write down things you wish to leave in the past and burn them.
Becoming more in tune with ourselves will help us understand our feelings and how to release or live with them. Use these tips to take care of yourself and your liver.
Slow down and enjoy the Spring Equinox (Monday, March 20, 2023)
Erica Ware LMT CST Owner of Holistic Bodywork
Holistic Bodywork 