सर्वमङ्गलमाङ्गल्ये शिवे सर्वार्थसाधिके ।
शरण्ये त्र्यम्बके गौरि नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥
om sarva mangala mangalye / Śive sarvārta sādhike
Śaranye tryambake gauri / Narāyani namostute
I salute the three-eyed Divine Mother, Narāyanai, who brings total auspiciousness and who fulfils the desire for liberation. Realization arises with her blessing. She is the world itself. Only through the experiences of life can the soul be perfected. Honour this gift, your life, bow to Mother Nature.
Outside of yoga and its histories and philosophies the season of spring is commonly thought of as a time for change. The winter hibernation is over, more flowers are in bloom and there is a growing warmth of not only temperature but a shift in mood amongst the population. We even use the phrase ‘spring cleaning’ when describing how we are trying to get rid of things we don’t need anymore or to pack winter away for the year.
Yoga doesn’t traditionally follow the four seasons and while there is a depth and complexity to the Vedic and Hindu calendars of India it’s interesting the way in which all yoga practices are really focused on creating and/or embracing change. The literal practice of Hatha Yoga is to transform dormant energy (through force) and the workings of Raja Yoga are to change both your outward perceptions of the world and the inner workings of your own mind.
Most likely from these two approaches to yoga we have the concepts in modern yoga of ‘embracing change’ and being comfortable with discomfort. It can be a reason to practice challenging yoga postures or commit to showing up on your mat in a regular way, even when you don’t feel like it or would rather procrastinate and be somewhere else or do something that wasn’t so confronting.
Growing out of stagnation, darkness and the cold of winter is the journey of spring and trying not to be stagnant can be a challenge on its own. Looking to nature can be inspiring and help with a sense of optimism especially if you are the type of person that enjoys the warmer, brighter days of spring.
Starting new things or revisiting things that were left undone from last time can bring motivation in the spring time. The shift and change to get outdoors more or commit to your yoga practice for an extra day a week can have great benefits for body and mind.
The traditional yoga practitioners were very interested in and connected to nature and the world around them. To focus outwardly and be in harmony with the world then allows for a greater journey inward. It can be the appreciation of nature or even the upliftment of others that provides a foundation for our own feelings of being a positive change for those around us.
The investigation through spring can be exploring how can we cultivate good habits or revisit the people, practices and ideas in our life that are hopefully bringing or keeping a sense divinity into our lives. Seeing the bloom of flowers, the change in offering of fruits and vegetables at the markets and the warmth and energy in our bodies carry a certain specialness that although might not use the word divine, it still has a sacredness to it.
Our bodies are sacred and special, we need to treat it right and appreciate it for all its possibilities and even its limitations. Nature is sacred and although there isn’t a season and weather pattern that everyone will agree on as being the most enjoyable there is still a specialness to how the change is out of our control and perhaps the lesson is to embrace rather than to avoid or to encourage rather than discredit.
Both in our body, mind and in the world around us a yoga practice can be of great benefit. It might not be the only thing we practice that keeps our lives sacred and in order but it most definitely does help.
—Doug Whittaker