“And the day came when the risk it took to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” —Anaïs Nin
Is there any ease remaining?
It seems the entire world is either in a state of full-speed-ahead or bracing against what is full-speed-ahead.
According to the Chinese Medicine nodal calendar we entered into the Wood Element (or spring) on February 3, 2023. In my neck of the woods (Wisconsin, USA) we were -11 degrees Fahrenheit that night. And yet, the deep internal shift toward spring has begun.
I can see this shift simmering even with a blanket of snow, especially with our black Thoroughbred, Romeo, who has interpreted this shift as a full-speed-ahead moment… jumping out of his skin, wanting to explode into the active yang of spring. I can even feel its upward push in me as well. After just a few days of sunshine, even in the midst of negative temps, I channeled this energy into cleaning out and organizing my office.
And yet, a bit of restraint is called for…
How do we transition from winter (Water element), the most yin and internal time of the year to spring (Wood element), when yang emerges?
With ease…
Nothing in nature jumps from one phase to another. While it may appear as though the beautiful snowdrops burst through the still frosty ground over-night, the hidden process began underground weeks before. When a horse is diagnosed with a disease like PPID or even a bout of laminitis, this process also did not happen overnight. The external symptoms merely reflect an internal process that has been developing over a long time.
Even in my myofascial release work with horses, as I am in contact with the tissue, I move with its ease. Were I to attempt to push into the fascial restriction I would be resisting approximately 2,000 pounds of tensile strength per square inch, stronger than steel. In John F. Barnes' profound book, Healing Ancient Wounds, he lays out the process of release and ease of the myofascial system through the piezoelectric tissue…by gently shifting the rigid crystalline restrictions to a more liquid form this allows for the body’s natural release and ultimately brings with it ease of movement.
So it is with transitioning between seasons…there is a process of easing into and out of the seasons.
I invite you to explore for yourself and with your horse(s) and dog(s), etc. what introducing more ease into your lives would look like and feel like during this early part of spring. There is no cookie-cutter approach so listen carefully.
Allowing for more and flowing with the ease of life as we transition into spring will help keep each of us in balance and harmony…in mind-body and spirit.
With ❤️ and in harmony,
Sam