Guiding Light: Harnessing power of spring equinox

Guiding Light: Harnessing power of spring equinox

This paradigm of two halves also prevails in our bodies, with our left brain controlling elements such as reasoning and comprehension, whereas our right deals more with creativity and spatial ability.

Ritesh AswaneyUpdated: Friday, March 24, 2023, 05:50 PM IST
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Guiding Light: Harnessing the Power of the Spring Equinox; Balancing Breath and Spiritual Spring Cleaning |

We are creatures of habit, and our daily patterns are thanks mainly to the interplay of the Sun and the Moon. Daylight and night time don’t just control our external activity, they are also responsible for the circadian rhythm and the consequent release of hormones, such as melatonin which gives us restful sleep. We are approaching the Spring equinox on March 21, when the length of the day and night will be equal. This also marks the first official day of Spring!

This paradigm of two halves also prevails in our bodies, with our left brain controlling elements such as reasoning and comprehension, whereas our right deals more with creativity and spatial ability. We also have two nostrils, the right one being the solar channel (Pingla) and the left being the lunar channel (Ida). If we notice carefully, the dominant nostril usually alternates about every 90 minutes. In fact, Ayurveda even recommends eating when the right nostril dominates, as the digestive fire is most active. Balance is key in almost every aspect of nature as well as our bodies.

As the Earth revolves around the Sun, the northern hemisphere is now titled towards the Sun, which marks the beginning of warmer times for us. Nature comes alive once again, after having shed her leaves and colours in Autumn. In homes, Spring cleaning commences, putting away the thicker winter blankets and jackets. And with physical Spring cleaning, it’s also an opportune time for some mental and spiritual Spring cleaning!

The easiest balancing breath is alternate nostril breathing, or Anulom-Vilom, which consists of breathing through one nostril, exhaling through the other, inhaling and then alternating. Performing this for even a few minutes every morning before starting your day, can bring a noticeable sense of calm and helps you prepare for the day, bringing mindfulness. Mindfulness, or being in the present, is key for cognitively challenging tasks, and can significantly boost your mental efficiency.

If you have tried meditating, but have struggled, then too, alternate nostril breathing is an excellent precursor to meditation, as it helps your mental and physical energies settle, before you dive into deeper realms of consciousness. If you’re generally someone who tends to get quite restless, consider doing some on the spot jogging and shaking your hands and feet to get the restlessness out, before you do the breath.

A new Moon will immediately follow this Spring Equinox, and new Moons are a great time to start new things and in general to manifest intentions, which can grow as the Moon waxes. So let’s prepare for this cosmic event and leverage the energies to deepen our spiritual practices, or cultivate a new one!

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