What’s Your Spring Resolution?

Why This is the Time to Act Towards Your Goals

If you have left your New Year’s Resolution long abandoned in the dust, you’re not alone!

In fact, according to Baylor College of Medicine, “88% of people who set New Year

resolutions fail them within the first two weeks”. The second Friday of January has earned the nickname “Quitter’s Day” for this very reason.

We often consider our inability to follow through on our New Year’s Resolutions to be a result of a failure of willpower.  But, what if something deeper and more cosmic is at play?

WHY JANUARY IS A BAD TIME TO MAKE RESOLUTIONS

Think about the world you wake up to on January 1 (at least in the Northern Hemisphere).  The leafless trees stand, bare and dormant.  The grass lies brown under a frosty blanket of snow.  The animals have disappeared, cozy in their dens.  Most birds flew the coup months ago to escape the winter chill.

You wake in darkness, inviting you to stay warm under the blankets and get some extra sleep.  It’s cold and overcast, making us want to cancel those plans and stay warm inside. The sun sets by dinnertime, drawing us back into our living rooms for a quiet evening at home.  We crave cooked, hearty, carb-filled meals to keep us warm, cooked with the root vegetables in the cellar that keep over the winter.  The world is cold, dark, and quiet.  Don’t you want to curl up under a blanket with a good book just thinking about it?

Nothing about this season inspires us to wake early, get out and move our bodies, eat cold fresh produce, or take new action in our lives.

WINTER TO SPRING – YIN REST ACTIVATING YANG ACTION

The cosmic energy of Winter is a Yin energy, according to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).

Yin energy is cool, still, and dark.  It flows through Winter, the night, and shadow.  It is introspective, receptive, and still.  Yin energy supports us too, then, in stillness, introspection, rest, and self-care.

To try to take bold action amidst all this heavy Yin energy is really going against the flow!  Like a fish trying to swim upstream, we are fighting the current of Nature all around us.

But then comes the Spring Equinox.  The word Equinox comes from the Medieval Latin words aequus, meaning equal, and nox, meaning night.  It is the time when day and night are equal – 12 hours each.  The world stands in perfect balance; Yin and Yang balanced in their dance.  And then…

The Earth keeps spinning.  The wheel keeps turning.  The cosmic scale tips towards Yang once again, moving toward the peak of full Yang in the Summer.

The restful, nourishing Yin of Winter, like an arrow being pulled back at the archer’s bow, builds the energy of Yang activation for a Spring full of forward movement.

THE COSMIC YANG ENERGY OF SPRING

As Spring dawns, the earth begins to wake. Snowdrops and crocuses shoot through the melting frost. Robins, the symbol of Spring, return from warmer climes, constructing their intricate nests for their bright blue eggs.  Trees bud.  New life emerges in fields and forests. The somber, drab, still Winter transitions into the celebratory, colorful, lively Spring.

We wake to the morning sun peeking in our bedroom windows, inviting us to hop out of bed and greet the day.  We enjoy more sunlight and longer days that encourage us to become more productive and get up and out in the world.  The temperatures warm, inviting us to step outside and find more movement.  Our gardens begin to bloom, providing us with nourishing, fresh fruits and vegetables aplenty.  We are surrounded by the energy of movement beginning and new life being born.  And so, new life begins to sprout in us. 

HAPPY NEW ~*~ ASTROLOGICAL ~*~ YEAR

So, we know that Spring ushers in more Yang energy, according to TCM.  We also see the energy of birth and growth in Nature around us.  But did you know that the Spring Equinox also marks the beginning of the Astrological Year?

We close the old year with the last sign of the Zodiac – the cool, reflective waters of Pisces.  The last signs of the Zodiac bring higher evolution and ascension – the closing out of completed cycles.

And then we open a new year with fiery, determined Aries – the pioneer.  Full of bold new beginnings, perhaps a bit clumsy or unpracticed.  Aries energy is trailblazing.  Aries is represented by the ram, running forward, headstrong, with boldness and courage, full of energy and self-assuredness.

The affirmation of Aries is “I Am”, the affirmation of birth and new awarenesses.

What an Energy to support our own new beginnings; our own rebirths and new cycles!

TAP INTO SPRING ENERGY TO SUPPORT YOU

Just like the bulbs planted in the Autumn, your intentions have rested quietly within you over the Winter.  They have begun to germinate.  And now they are about to sprout!  Are you ready to tend your garden?  Are you ready to take intentional action towards achieving your goals and turning your dreams into reality?

Spring Energy is here to support you.  Here are some ideas of how to connect with the energy of Spring:

• Greet the morning sun – Step outside and soak in the first rays of sunlight.  Signal to your brain that it’s time to be up and moving.  As the sun begins to tilt towards us for the Spring and Summer, tilt toward the sun, connecting with its life-giving energy.

  
  

• Get your hands in the earth – Gardening, planting, or simply walking barefoot on the earth connects you to the vibrant life force waking up beneath our feet.  Feel the heartbeat of Mama Earth.

  
  

• Eat fresh, seasonal foods – Nourish your body with spring greens, sprouts, and foods bursting with vitality.  Fresh food holds the fresh energy and vibration of this moment.

  
  

• Move your body – Take a bike ride through your neighborhood.  Weave some sun salutations into your morning yoga practice.  Visit your favorite Nature spot to take a gentle walk and bathe in the energy of the forest.

  
  

• Clean your Space – It’s called “Spring Cleaning” for a reason!  After being closed up and all winter, your home is ready for some fresh energy.  Clear out what no longer serves you to make room for fresh energy and new opportunities. 

  
  

• Finalize your intentions and take action – This is the season when the formless begins to take form!  Bulbs germinating under the earth shoot up.  Animals hidden in the womb emerge, fully formed.  Your intentions are no different.  What was a vague idea a few months ago, may be starting to take clearer shape.  Clarify those intentions.  Identify some small steps you can take today to bring your goals to life.

  
  

THE BENEFITS OF ALIGNING TO NATURE’S RHYTHMS

Who among us is not seeking greater balance, ease, and harmony?

When we align with Nature’s energy, we find harmony and ease.  As we align ourselves with the cosmic energies flowing around us, we flow with the current, instead of fighting it.  This calls in greater ease.  The current pushes us forward towards our goals.

When we honor the rhythms of the Earth, and acknowledge that we are a part of Nature, we find balance.  Nothing in Nature grows all the time.  Nothing in Nature rests all the time.  Nature builds the rhythm of completion and rebirth, rest and growth into its very being.  We can plug right into that rhythm and find greater balance ourselves.

The cycles of the earth remind us that there is a time for everything.

Now is the time to rise, to act, and to bloom.

The season of renewal is here!  Align yourself to the rhythms of the earth.  Live your life intentionally.  Watch your dreams take root and flourish.