“The path isn't a straight line; it’s a spiral. You continually come back to things you thought you understood and see deeper truths.” ― Barry H. Gillespie
The spiral is one of the most ancient symbols found in human cultures all around the world, symbolising the idea of change and growth. As we move through life we are constantly changing and growing. The spiral also symbolises the interconnectedness of all life. Everywhere we look in nature we will find spirals; from our DNA and our fingerprints to ferns, snails, hurricanes and even the formation of galaxies. It is found in the continuity of our lives, the rotation of the earth, the path of the sun and the cycle of the seasons.
Yet every cycle things will have changed or shifted a little. Growth or decay has occurred, our landscapes, inner and outer, are changed, providing opportunities for growth and deeper understanding.
The Greeks considered the spiral the symbol of ‘vital force’, the creation of all life and vitality.
Spirals have a sense of movement, expanding out from their centre. We can feel that expansive energy as we start to awaken from Winter’s slumber into Spring. A sense of upward expansion as plants push up from the earth, buds expanding, leaves and petals unfurling . An awakening of the senses as honeysuckle flowers start to offer their scent, spring flowers delight our eyes with vivid colours, and birds fill the air with joyous song. A real sense of life stirring, awakening, moving and growing.
Some days recently could have fooled us into thinking Spring is here early. However we’re in the liminal stage, spiralling in and out as blue sky days are interspersed with cold, damp days. We are nature, so it’s understandable that we too, may have days where we feel a renewed sense of vitality only to feel the residual heaviness of winter the next day.
I have come to feel ‘solar powered’ and am feeling desperately in need of recharging! I am very much cherishing the sunny days and keen for the sun to return on the days when it’s cold and damp. However there is movement, gathering momentum, sound, gathering volume and vitality, coiled like the serpent, ready to rise and expand, I can feel it!
This brings a sense of hope, interspersed with pure joy. Noticing the flowers poking through, catching a waft of some sweet delicate scent or hearing the blackbirds this week has felt like nature is leaving me little love notes. Little moments that land softly in my heart, reminding me of the eternal presence of life, the pulse of the earth, that vital life force that flows through all. Much like receiving a note from a loved one, it provides a spark of connection, of being loved and cared for, part of something very special. Growth can feel challenging but these moments of connection remind us to see the bigger picture, to emerge and awaken from winter with courage, kindness and trust.
From an Ayurveda perspective, Winter through to Spring is dominated by kapha.
Kapha season qualities include dampness and moisture from melting ice, snow or rain. Heaviness and stagnancy in the air, cold and cool temperatures and dullness. These environmental factors influence the human system by increasing the same qualities in our minds and bodies.
“The damp, cold and heavy qualities manifest as accumulated toxins, clogging the energetic channels and lowering our immunity. This is why the onset of spring can trigger many seasonal imbalances, such as allergies, colds, fatigue and digestive sensitivities." - Kerala Ayurveda
'Like increases like' - so to keep kapha in balance it is useful to invite the opposite qualities, those of pitta and/or vata: Dryness, lightness, clarity, warmth, invigoration, movement.
Our intention for this term will be to invite these qualities onto our mats as we practice, but I also invite you to cultivate more of these qualities into your daily life. One of the most effective ways to rebalance kapha at this time of year is to rise a little earlier and get natural sunlight as early as possible. Combine it with movement for extra effectiveness. Having a morning cuppa out in the garden or going for an early walk adds light, movement, warmth and a little invigoration to the start your day.
Our asana practice will be a little more invigorating this term. Gently adding more movement and warmth into our physical practice with expansive, upward, spiralling qualities.
We’ll also be exploring the Pancha Vayus. Pranamaya kosha is our vital energy body (prana). This vital energy body is made up of five major pranas, collectively known as the Pancha Vranas/vayus. Vayu means wind and describes the movement, like the wind, of these five pranas.
Prana is the force which exists in all things, whether animate or inanimate. Although closely related to the air we breathe it is more subtle than air or oxygen. Pranayama is generally understood as breath control, however this does not convey the full meaning of the techniques. Pranayama consists of two roots ‘prana’ and ‘ayama’ Prana is vital energy/life force and ‘Ayama’ is defined as ‘extension’ or ‘expansion’ So when we are practicing pranayama we are intending to, not control the breath, but to activate and expand our vital life force, to increase our vitality.
When working with energy and the Vayus I like to remind myself that we can't 'see' the wind but we can 'feel' it, whether its a gentle breeze or a strong gale. Whilst we can't see it's movements we can see how it moves the trees and the oceans. We can witness the powerful effects it can have, whether its filling the sails of yacht to propel it forward, turning the blades of a turbine to produce energy or flattening houses in it's path. We can't always see or prove something for it to be real. We can't 'see' love but we know how powerful it is when we 'feel' love or conversely experience a lack of it.
When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world. John Muir
I hope with these practices you’ll connect to the vital life force present in everything, that you start to receive these little love notes as a reminder of your part in the greater whole. When we connect to this divine flow of life, it's spirals and cycles, we can feel movement, gathering momentum, sound, gathering volume and vitality increasing to rise and expand so we radiate like the sun upon its return.
I hope you'll join me for a practice this month, but if we don't share a space on the mat, I hope you connect to this shift in the cycles and feel a shared connection through my words.
Om shanti
🤲🙏🤲
Sophia
"When we quiet our mind and open our heart we uncover our natural, radiant being flowing with all of Creation.”
Michael Brant DeMaria
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