3 Mindful Practices to Celebrate Spring
Try these simple practices to renew, restore and refresh yourself today
“Nothing ever seems impossible in spring, you know.”
L.M. Montgomery
I love spring. I look forward to hearing the birds on our morning walk (and taking much less time to get ready with coats, hats, boots, etc.!!), opening the windows, and having light long after dinner in the evening. There’s a new energy all around as people emerge from their winter cocoons and generally look happier.
For me, more so than any of the other seasons, spring brings back fond childhood memories that I think about over and over, year after year, even to this day. Easter was always a big deal in my childhood household. My grandparents would come by train to visit for a few days, bringing new toys and treats. I got new clothes, balls, skipping ropes and kites. When I close my eyes and take myself back to childhood springs, I can smell the flowers and the rain, see pretty colors, hear my Gammie’s laughter as we played games, and feel the delight of playing with sidewalk chalk.
To this day, I still feel awe and beauty of rebirth in spring. Every year I’m amazed by the trees suddenly sprouting their leaves again and green shoots coming out of the ground as flowers and plants introduce themselves again. The world seems to suddenly wake up and decide to get going again.
I’ve long associated spring with “new”. As a child that included new things, but as an adult it also includes new beginnings, new ideas, and new things to learn. At the start of the year, we often vow to create new habits. In the spring, it’s often the time to reevaluate those habits and figure out what’s working and what needs a little adjusting.
In celebration of spring, here are 3 mindful practices (meditation, movement, and mindful writing) you can try today to renew, restore, and refresh your mind, body, and spirit today. Channel your inner child and give these a try!
Practice #1 - Meditation: Blowing Bubbles
Blowing bubbles can be a very calming exercise. Kids love to do it so why not try it as an adult? In order to blow bubbles you need to breathe deeply which is great for relaxation and stress relief. It also helps to open your airways which allows more air to flow in and out.
Directions:
Get an inexpensive container of bubbles and a wand from the dollar store.
Start by becoming still and noticing your breath as it goes in and out.
Take a deep breath and hold it for a moment, then as you’re breathing out, blow a bubble through the wand.
Watch the bubbles as they float around in the air. How big are they? What colors can you see? How far do they go before they dissolve? As much as possible, keep your attention on the bubbles.
Watch the bubbles flow up and away and watch as they drop and disappear. Imagine the bubbles as your stress or anxiety floating away with each breath.
Can you imagine yourself as free as a bubble?
Practice #2 - Movement: Grounded as a tree
Let’s practice tree pose!
Start by standing in mountain pose with your feet planted firmly on the ground and your arms comfortably by your sides.
Roll your shoulders down and back and stand up tall.
Rock gently front and back, side to side to really feel all four corners of your feet on the ground.
Take a moment of interoceptive awareness to notice how you’re feeling.
On an inhale, lift your arms up over your head and then exhale your hands to your heart.
Breath gently in and out for a few breaths with your hands in front of your heart.
When you’re ready, place your right heel on your left ankle with your right toes pointing out to the side. Stay here and breathe.
If you want to challenge yourself a little more, take your right foot up to your shin or above your knee on your thigh and hold for a few breaths (never place your foot on your knee).
Try the same thing on the other side.
For bonus points, do this outside beside a tree!
Return to mountain pose and notice how you feel.
Practice #3 - Mindful writing: Describe a childhood spring memory
Get out your journal, a pen or pencil, and any other creative materials you may have on hand (stickers, paints, pencil crayons, washi tape, etc.). Write about a happy spring childhood memory. Use all your senses as you recall the memory - colors, shapes, scents, textures.
Describe the memory in as much detail as possible.
Don’t worry about writing a “good” story, just write.
Then add your own creative touches - draw a picture, add some stickers, etc.
Really let your inner child play!
When you’re finished, spend some time re-reading your story and re-living the details. Put your story somewhere close where you can easily find it again any time you need to lift your spirits.
I hope you enjoy these mindful spring practices. Let them help guide you on your journey towards your dreams!
Happy Spring!
———
I’d love to hear from you so please send any comments or questions to me at sharon@sharonashtonmindfulyoga.com. Feel free to share this email with anyone else who may be interested.
Please check out The Journey Within podcast at:
What is stopping you from living your best life? Get out your journal and a pen and take the new quiz on my website to find out:
Are you interested in learning more about life change & mindset coaching from a mind/body perspective? Please email me at sharon@sharonashtonmindfulyoga.com for more information or to schedule a free introductory consultation to see if coaching is right for you. You can also visit my website coaching page.
"I felt at complete ease with Sharon from our first conversation. She has a wonderful, gentle but firm way that made me focus on my thoughts / feelings so I could remove / change to move forward with a completely different feeling to what felt like obstacles. It was great having regular coaching that gently kept me accountable to actioning and moving towards my goals. Sharon has vast experience in so many areas, I felt that makes her an amazing coach.”
— Michelle Carney, East Galway, Ireland
You can access your free Find Your Inner Coach Guide including a guided visualization and journal prompts here:
If you’re interested in more inspiration and community around positive mindset, slow mindful yoga, meditation and mindful writing practices, come join our private Facebook group here: