They say that Spring is the season for cleaning, and you may notice that the animals and plants all around you are in a state of renewal and change, too. From my perspective as a Jin Shin Do® acupressurist*, this is one of those beautiful moments when ancient wisdom and cliché wisdom seem to line up!
In Winter, many animals and plants experience hibernation, dormancy, or reduced activity and engagement with the outside world. Then, Spring heralds a new beginning. Animals come out of hibernation, perennials sprout new growth, and brand new life emerges, as seeds germinate and animals reproduce. This Spring energy is both powerful and stubborn, as one can see in the persistence of weeds that push through sidewalks and birds who put forth great effort to build their nests, protect their eggs, and feed their growing babies.
According to the ancient Taoist framework from which acupressure theory stems, every season is associated with an element in nature, and that elemental energy has a corresponding flow in our bodies. Spring is the season of Wood energy, which symbolizes growth, forward motion, and becoming what we are meant to be, as well as the motivation, perspective, and will to back that up.
In our bodies, the Wood energy of Spring is associated with our Gall Bladder and Liver meridians. This energy helps us whenever we need to focus on growth, navigate changes, make decisions, or assert ourselves, in order to become who we were meant to be. When we face obstacles to our growth or planning, this energy can manifest as frustration or anger, or as a lack of motivation, clarity, or decisiveness. While humans navigate these issues year-round, of course, we are likely to feel this energy more intensely in the Spring.
What to do** with all this energy - or lack thereof?
I recommend that you 1) offer yourself the opportunity to acknowledge the energy as you feel it now; 2) extend some compassion to your being and your body in this season, and 3) engage in activities or practices to move, the energy to release it, or refuel / regain clarity.
First, identify and acknowledge your energy as it is, without judging it as good or bad.
Excessive energy may feel like ‘pent-up’ frustration, intense irritability, being quick to anger, or a sense of restlessness. Too little may mean that you are finding it more difficult to find clarity, get motivated, engage in planning, seek new perspectives, or hold onto assertiveness. You may also find that you alternate between the two. I invite you to take a moment, now, to consider how you’ve been feeling so far this Spring.
As you recognize your own experience, you might offer compassion to your being and your body, however it is feeling, as you move not only into Spring season, but moving into yet another transition in two years of difficult transitions! While I advise compassion for our seasonal changes year-round, I want to acknowledge the heightened intensity of this moment in time.
After you acknowledge where you are and offer yourself compassion, you can notice if or how you might want to shift anything that you notice, and intentionally engage in activities to help you feel more ease and flow as you invite change in whatever way you need.
For excessive energy, look for ways to MOBILIZE it. One way is through moving your body. This can be as complex or as simple as you’d like it to be, whether you engage in your favorite exercise, or simply jump up and down! Dancing, walking, any movement, really, will do - feel free to experiment to see what feels good to you and your body. You can also move energy through sound - by yelling or singing, humming, or anything, again, that feels good to you. In addition to, or instead of, doing these activities on your own, I invite you to reach out to me for guidance and support as you engage with movement, sound, and other means of harnessing and releasing what feels excessive. While it may feel counter-intuitive, extra rest and self-care will also help you make the most of your energy during this time, and encourage balance in your system.
If you feel a lack of energy or motivation, your body may want to RECHARGE and fill up your system where you are depleted. There are movements, sounds, and other activities that support this process, too. Yoga, tai chi, and chi gong can help you invite energy in as you move. Certain sounds can invite energy in, such as humming or making the “Om” sound. You might reach out to your support networks and communities, for opportunities to play, brainstorm, vent, or even just do nothing, together, for a time.
In my work, I am inviting my clients – and I invite you now – to allow the ebb and flow of energy, to notice the periods of intensity and depletion, and to encourage balance with extra rest and care. Doing so will facilitate renewal and also honor the tremendous work that navigating growth and change requires in our day-to-day lives, and in this particularly challenging – and exciting – Spring of 2022.
If you'd like to support your energy and your body this Spring, I’d love to work with you!
* “Jin Shin Do” means “The Way of the Compassionate Spirit.” Jin Shin Do® Bodymind Acupressure® uses gentle yet deep finger pressure on specific acu-points and verbal Body Focusing techniques, to help release “armoring” or chronic tension, balance the “Qi” or energy, and improve vitality. This clothed method of bodywork helps relieve stress- and trauma-related problems. A unique synthesis of a traditional Japanese acupressure technique, classic Chinese acu- theory, Taoist philosophy, Qigong (breathing and exercise techniques), Reichian segmental theory and principles of Ericksonian psychotherapy, Jin Shin Do® acupressure was originated by Iona Marsaa Teeguarden. Please see http://www.jinshindo.org for more information.
**As always, any recommendations we offer online cannot be tailored to your individual needs, and may land or resonate differently in your body and your being. Please reach out to us if you’d like a plan that is designed just for you!