Spring is in the air and it’s time to celebrate the beautiful weather by connecting with the season through the four elements.
Have you noticed the shift in the air? Not only does the sun appear longer and warmer, but the world itself is coming alive! Birdsong carries through the air, and if you take the time to pause from busy life, you may notice proud birds carrying precious twigs to build nests for the spring. Before long, pollinators will join them as the smell of the first flowers start to waft on the breeze.
Perhaps one of the best things about this season is the ability to enjoy time by the fire outside before drought season begins. This provides time to clean up winter debris, to cleanse ourselves from the long days of hibernation, and to wake up to the new season!
Another way to connect with the fire element is to spend daily time in the sun, such as enjoying a morning meditation outside, taking a walk on your lunch, or drinking your first cup of coffee by the window.
As we start to spend more time being active come spring, we can also start to prioritize staying hydrated in the warmer months. Most people aren’t properly hydrated, yet our bodies are composed of water and need it to function. Besides carrying a water bottle with you, consider adding ice or fruit to flavour it, encouraging you to drink more. If you’re a hiker, mountain biker, or other outdoor recreationalist, consider investing in a camelback to help make carrying enough water easier.
Additionally, this time of year is the best time to seek out waterfalls. The rushing waters soothe our nervous systems, and the negative ions released in this process can help regulate sleep, mood, and stress, according to a review of hundreds of studies.
Lastly, spring provides an abundance of ways to connect with the earth element. Whether you’re a gardener, an explorer, or both, this season awakens a world of opportunities. Not only do the forests and animals start to come alive, but the community itself does too. You can check out Seedy Saturdays, local markets, and hiking groups to expand your current hobbies and resources for the upcoming months. Another way to start to ground in nature year-round is to choose a place to visit in each season. If you observe throughout the spring, you can see so many details grow from winter into summer. Watching the little shifts in the earth itself, like bright buds shifting into full leaves, and pollinators buzzing about, are some of the simple pleasures we should enjoy while they last.
Enjoy your shift into spring, and the chance to come home to the natural world around you.
Brittany Leonard is a local author, yoga instructor at ElementYoga.Ca, and teacher at Chemainus Secondary.
