Transformations

By Jennifer Kelleher

Welcome, March! Have you ever heard the saying, “As above, so below; as within, so without”? As we come closer to the first days of Spring, we begin to experience in our own bodies the same transformations that are transpiring inside the Earth. I invite you to pause, breathe, and gather. Let your breath be free and effortless in your body. Can you feel a yearning to let go of something? A new inspiration rising? Rejuvenation at the horizon? A birthing, budding, and blooming energy up ahead?

Leading up to the brighter and more expansive space that we call Spring, March can come with a heaviness that wants to shed. There is lightness waiting to be experienced! To get there, we may have to work through some deep-seated emotions. Here are some tips to help you move through this month with ease and grace:

(1) Certain types of yoga breath-work, like “Breath of Fire” and “Bellow’s Breath,” can be extremely aiding during this time of year, stoking your internal flame and transforming excess density. I invite you to follow @ocean_blissyoga on Instagram, as I will be posting a how-to video for this breath in the near future! Also, Christine Walker is hosting a powerful Transformational Breath Workshop at Ocean Bliss Yoga Studio on Sunday, March 5, if you would like some in-person guidance.

(2) Decrease your consumption of rich, oily, sweet foods and replace them with lighter, raw foods, bitters (ie. arugula, chicory, radishes), diuretics (ie. celery, cucumber, lemon, onion), and pungent spices (ie. cardamom, cayenne, ginger) to align your body to the season.

(3) Shifting your waking time so that you are rising just before the sun not only helps your body adjust, it also gives you extra quiet space to center and organize before your day kicks into gear. I like to use this time for stretching, meditation, and list making or goal setting for my day.

(4) Exercise is essential during this time of year to help shed winter’s extra layers and keep your body in balance. Optimize your efforts by including a balance of cardiovascular activity, strength exercises, and stretching.

(5) If you find yourself getting jumpy during this time of year, take time to ground. Limit stimulants (i.e., caffeine, blue light exposure), indulge in salt baths, start a daily yoga practice, walk barefoot outside, practice breath awareness, and/or drop into your senses.

EXERCISE: Spring Bath. Write down a list of words that remind you of the Spring to help you connect with the flavor of the season. Then, close your eyes, take some long, deep breaths, and find a meditative state. Once calm and focused, ask yourself, “What does Spring feel like in my body?” Fasten your attention on feeling springtime in your body. “What does it feel like to embody the Spring?” “What if I were Spring, how would I feel?” Let yourself have the feeling of Spring and let the mind observe.

Ocean Bliss Yoga Studio is happy to announce some new classes and workshops for the month of March! From Baby & Me Yoga and Children’s Yoga classes, to Mindful Yoga Flows and Mat Pilates, we are excited to continue growing our schedule and bringing fun and beneficial offerings to the Rockaway Community. Check out our full schedule at oceanblissyoga.net.