“Because we are formed from nature and have a sympathetic resonance with her, only nature can heal us when we become ill. When we eat when we are hungry, rest when we are tired, and create when inspiration comes, we live in sync with nature’s tempos. Disease will not last in a body-mind that is flowing in harmony with the rhythms of the cosmos, which sustain the material world with energy.”
— Maya Tiwari, “The Path of Practice: A Woman’s Book of Ayurvedic Healing”
I’m obsessed with cherry blossom trees. I’ve been walking around with my head turned upward snapping away with my iPhone camera. They are so beautiful they take my breath away.
There used to be a Kwanzan cherry tree on our property when I lived in Michigan. I loved that tree during every season.
Green and carefree in the summer months, it grew taller.
Slowing down in the fall, it changed to a vibrant orange before shutting down and shedding its leaves.
Bleak and dormant in the winter, it rested, reserving its energy.
And then spring would come and the tree came alive once again with new growth – first the buds, then the blossoms and the leaves – creating a work of art for all to see.
This innocent rendezvous with cherry trees might just be the ticket to help me complete the transition from winter to spring. I was deep into hibernation mode this year and have been reluctant to come out of it.
They say change is hard. I say transition can be just as difficult.
Every seasonal change I write about this. And every seasonal change I learn more and more about myself.
Seasonal shifts are precarious for our body, mind and spirit. Depression and illness are common during the transition from winter into spring. Suicide rates rise during these months.
Why? One would think that these would be happy months for everyone. The weather is getting nicer, the days are longer, and Mother Nature starts putting on her show.
But spring is Kapha Season, according to Ayurveda. There’s a heaviness, a sometimes lethargic type of energy that prevails as we make the shift from our winter slumber. Not just in our body, but in our mind and spirit, as well.
The body begins to try to detoxify itself from a season of eating heavier, fattier foods. Things start to move through the channels, like mucus – resulting in spring type ailments that are often centered around the lungs and sinuses (Kapha sites).
If you don’t work to eliminate excess mucus (by cleansing), the body will attempt to do it for you.
What happens to the excess mucus if we transition into the summer without cleansing it from the body? The heat will dry and harden it, further compromising our health. Think hardening of the arteries from plaque buildup or a sinus infection that just won’t clear up.
This past winter I let myself hibernate, without reproach. I set aside my guilt from not working enough, not writing enough, not creating enough. I just felt like going within. Being quiet.
I didn’t lay on the sofa eating chocolates all winter (Well, maybe watching Outlander a few too many times), but I definitely slowed things down.
In truth, I was in sync with the cherry tree – resting, reserving my energy.
In the back of my mind, I knew that spring was coming and that all of those ideas that had been swirling around in my head would soon take flight.
Creativity is a natural part of spring. Take advantage of it. Begin new projects, look for that new job, start writing that book, singing that song, learning to cook, exploring new frontiers.
I will be traveling to Scotland for the first time and can’t ever remember being so excited for an adventure to unfold. 
Clean out that closet. Everyone knows the clarity and lightness of being you feel from doing that simple act. Ayurveda probably invented spring cleaning!
Spring has sprung. Be the cherry tree.
Happy May Day/Beltane!
So much love,
Barbara
P.S. It’s not too late to do a simple Ayurvedic cleanse. I’m on day four of mine (hump day – yay!) and am already feeling the positive effects.
Here are three easy cleanse options:
Banyan Botanicals (Love this one because they tailor it to your constitution)
Zrii Purify (Doing this right now. Easy and effective.)
Life Spa Colorado Cleanse (Excellent – short and long version)
Even if you don’t have the motivation or time to do a real cleanse, just giving your digestion a break by doing a kitchari mono-fast for a day or two really gives the body a break. Give it a try!
