The tender new shoots of early spring; how we can support ourselves in this time.
- emmasyogahut
- 6 days ago
- 5 min read
Welcome to the first blog post in a while! My website is constantly telling me off for not sending weekly blogs and emails out, but I do not want to bombard people with stuff, I would rather wait until I had some inspiration and share that with you, no one needs meaningless noise cluttering up their inbox!
Spring is nearly upon us and I don’t know about you but it has felt like a loooong WET winter! So many things have remained on my winter love to do list simply because doing them would have been a soggy horror show of waist high mud! So now that it is not so chilly, we have had the odd moment of sunshine, and the snowdrops, crocuses and daffodils are making an appearance I feel a bit excited about spring, to the point that yesterday I started thinking about packing my winter jumpers and fluffy socks away before I remembered it is February and still actual literal winter…
This is the problem with spring, it is easy to get excited a bit to early and get lured into fools spring.
This is also the case with our energy levels – a spot of sunshine and it not being absolutely freezing and it is tempting to skip around as though it is midsummer. In reality this time of year can be a tender, new time, we are emerging from the dark and cold and it is a slower process than we might think it to be. It is a time of newness and regrowth, but it is a slow, hesitant newness and regrowth, nature would not be thinking about putting away her jumpers right now!! When you are out and about you may notice catkins hanging from trees, and the first tiny wrapped buds of leaves on branches. Yes, the bulbs are boldly popping up, but many other plants and animals are taking it slower, a more gradual reintroduction to the world. Spring does not arrive all at once, it unfurls a little more day by day, week by week, and we might find we need to do the same.
Here are some little ideas to help ground and level out your energy levels as you through the transition into earliest spring:
Lemon and orange and grapefruit: have them in a herbal tea (try Pukkas Joy tea) sliced into warm water, diffused as essential oils, just eaten! The smell of these fruits encourage a sense of joy in body and mind, energising you and uplifting the spirits whilst easting them offering a powerhouse of immunity boosting vitamins. I love to put a few drops of sweet orange essential oil into a diffuser at this time of year and just breathe in the smell of sunshine!
Movement: on days where your energy levels are high then maybe work with a few rounds of sun salutations – welcome that sun back in! Suraya Namaskar gets the blood and lymph flowing and works all the major muscles in the body. It is a wonderful way to warm up and get the energy flowing. You may even find that you can roll your mat out in the garden occasionally! On the days where you need to take things a little slower maybe grab a bolster or a couple of bed pillows and settle in for a couple of deeply restful yin poses – supported childs pose and a wide legged forward fold for example, sit in them for 5 – 10 minutes and let your body take the quiet and rest it needs when it needs it – it will help gently nourish the joints, the connective tissue and the central nervous system!
Candles and fairylights: I mean, is there every a time when I do not love candles and fairylights? On the days when it is still grey and dark leaning into the midwinter beauty of candles and fairylights can help ease the transition into summer light and warmth. Some days we just need to be cosy! These quieter stiller moments are of huge value at this time of year, we are a long way off from the outward energy of summer and taking time to focus inwards can help balance and ground us throughout the changeable season of early Spring.
In the yoga hut right now there is a small bunch of tiny daffodils which I have picked from the garden, for as much of the year as possible I try and bring a little bit of nature into the room to help connect us back to the seasons.
What is coming up!?
On March 20th We are leaning fully into spring on the Vernal Equinox with a spring sound bath at the Earley Crescent Resource Centre – there are about 4 spaces left so if you are interested hop on! Marking one of the two days in the year where we see exactly equal day and night, we will rest with a gorgeous guided meditation to ease us into our sound bath. Here the beautiful waves of sound from singing bowls, chimes and other instruments can gently lull you into deeply meditative state of tranquillity. You will be gently bought back from your restorative sound bath with oracle cards, home made bliss balls (hot cross bun flavour!) and fruit before you head out into the spring evening. https://www.emmasyogahut.co.uk/service-page/spring-seasonal-soundbath-at-ecrc?referral=service_list_widget
April 17th sees our April Alternative Night Out!
Just like our Alternative Christmas night out – but without the mince pies!! Join us for a soothing, nurturing yoga practice designed to be accessible for all. We will be moving on our breath to help cultivate quiet in the mind and ease in the body. We will then settle in for a yoga nidra – a beautiful extended guided meditation that focusses on bringing deep calm to the body, the breath, the mind and the soul. This deep rest will flow into a sound bath using Tibetan singing bowls to clear and cleanse the last bits of winter away leaving you free to embody the beauty and growth of Spring! All rounded off with a sweet treat and oracle cards.
Take care of yourself in this tender time, be gentle with the body and mind, rest when it is needed so you can lean into the gorgeous bright outward energy of spring when the times are right! I look forward to seeing you soon,
With love,
Emma xx
(Emma runs Emma’s Yoga Hut in Earley. A teeny garden studio for nurturing holistic small group yoga. She is a yoga student and yoga teacher and has practiced yoga for 30 years. She trained with the Traditional Yoga Association right here in Reading between 2016 and 2018 to achieve her 500 hour yoga teaching accreditation. She has additional teaching qualifications in Yin Yoga and Yoga Nidra. She is an Internationally Accredited Sound Bath Facilitator and specialises in singing bowls. She teaches Chair Yoga classes at local community centres where there is almost always a coffee and a chat after class. Emma is passionate about getting the beautiful benefits of yoga, meditation and sound out to as many people as possible, and she tries her best to practice yoga every day.)
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