Springing into Fitness
We are a part of nature and not separate from it, so as the energy in nature changes, we change alongside it. What occurs in our outside environment also occurs in our inner environment. In the springtime, the energy of nature wakes up and grows from its winter slumber.. In winter months we slow down and go inward, just like nature, and in the spring we feel more energetic. In Chinese medicine, it is recommended that we observe our changing nature and harmonize with it to live our healthiest lives. In the case of spring, plants and animals are cultivating more energy and projecting forward; a perfect opportunity for us to have energy as well!
With all this said, I’m feeling this spring energy. The garden is growing, the days getting longer, and the air is warming. This is as good a time as ever to turn up the physical activity dial. For me, I have officially started training for the Portland Marathon October 2nd. For the past 20 years, I have been saying that I’d run a marathon when I turned 40. And I did. So I am. To support the impact from running, I maintain a home yoga practice supported mainly by YouTube (my go-to’s are 10 minute yoga with Kassandra and 11 minute yoga with Adriene). Yoga has been a constant in my life for a long time now and is a foundation to my well-being. I’m so grateful to have found this discipline of movement and its teachings permeate all aspects of my life. When the going gets tough, I turn to my mat and breathe through movement that ultimately grounds me. It is also a practice that I can take with me everywhere.
What better time of the year to plant that seed of physical activity and get moving! Just as the multitude of spring blooms spread across our landscape, exercise helps our bodies flourish in a whole lot of ways. As we mature, our risk for disease increases and our quality of life and physical capabilities naturally decreases. Exercise should be seen as a polypill because it improves our quality of life, decreases risk for disease, allows us to be physically independent for longer, and positively impacts our body on a cellular level (1).
It’s easy to disconnect from nature these days. Take a walk in the morning some time soon and notice what is around you; the ground is pregnant with potential and moving outward from its winter slumber. Allow this observation and divine connection to nature to be the catapult into physical activity that is right for your body. And remember to wear sunscreen!
Resources
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5980968/