4 minute read
Spring blossoms within
By Nancy Ruby
Welcoming Spring Equinox, the anticipation of Daffodils unfurling in newly exposed earth begins to take hold in Montana. Though winter is still present all around, we can feel the Light of Spring dancing between seasons with nature tentatively awakening after a long winter’s nap. Buds forming and leaves greening, I recall my first recognition of Spring while visiting our family cabin in the San Bernadino mountains. Big Bear Village was our home away from home where we spent our summers with family and friends in California.
As a teenager I was given the privilege of taking my own friends to the cabin during the winter months sans parents as they abhorred the cold. It was a day in early spring when we left the beach and headed up for a weekend getaway. Living on the coast of Southern California, we were surround by greenery all year round, and so the chill in the air with the fragrance of pine was welcoming to my senses. And for the first time I truly witnessed the shift of seasons with the bare bones of winter springing forth new life. My memory still holds that first moment I truly appreciated the budding foliage on the branches. And to this day, those first buds of spring thrill me with the miracle of transition. To me, it’s God’s reminder for hope and renewal as new life springs forth after each year’s death of winter. The fertility of the Earth continues to cultivate itself and blossom year after year after thousands of years. Why not we? And so, it is with the practice of Yoga. Perhaps that’s what hooked me. Each day is an opportunity to draw inward; to rest, replenish, and nurture our own seed of potential. Drawing inward we build our reserves, strengthening the connection to our own true essence at the
NANCY RUBY lifestyle engineer and selfproclaimed joyologist, has been sharing the gifts of Yoga and Wellness Education since 1983. Currently a nomadic Gramma, she continues to teach virtually in addition to hosting transformational destination retreats near and abroad. www.rubywellnessacademy.com/about
core of our being. What does that seed hold? Through deliberate, fluid movement of the body and breath, we water our seed encouraging our roots to sink down and connect to the source of our strength. Spreading deep and wide, our roots remind us of our place in the world with a sense of belonging. This rootedness then gives support to the awakening of our own seed of our potential. As tenacious as the seasons around us, our own essence springs forth with arms and legs pushing and stretching, spine twisting and lengthening, all enlivened by the currents of life force known as ‘prana’, flowing through and all around us. Just as nature awakens each Spring, our own aliveness is given this opportunity to awaken each time we step into our Yoga practice. It is a practice of awakening. By listening to inner guidance, we tap into our innate desire to cultivate that seed essence of our being. Gently, patiently tending to its growth, our seed roots and begins to sprout forth new life, pushing its way through the fertile soil. Ahhh - the dirt we must push through to get to the light. This pushing and working through is the right effort for growth, building strength and confidence in our own ability to move past the dirt into the sunshine. In yoga practice, our body experiences this growth as the swirling of energy that brings feelings of lightness and expansion. And just as nature bursts forth from the earth once we push through the dirt there’s no stopping our growth. As the leaves unfurl there will be a blossoming, a natural beauty that wants only to express itself as itself. Just as each flower unfolds its petals over time, this practice of Yoga unfolds the layers of our own being, ultimately exposing the fullness of our own unique expression. And just as each flower in the garden is unique unto itself, each one of us is gifted with our own beauty, color, form, and fragrance. From seed to root to sprout to leaf, our journey to full blossom varies with time and care. Yet in alignment with nature, our full awakening ultimately bears fruit. And just as the world of nature continues its everlasting cycle of birth, life, death, and rebirth, so too can we nurture these cycles within ourselves. Propagating the seed of our own potential by planting our roots, cultivating growth, pushing through the dirt, unfurling into the light, we blossom into beauty and offer our gifts - the fruit of our Soul - to the world. Tell me, how are you cultivating the growth of your potential? Are you willing to do what it takes to push through the dirt and into the light? Will you allow your own unique beauty to blossom forth?
What are the gifts that you offer to the world today?
