Spring Cleaning for the Body and the Soul {plus: EFT video for releasing anger}
Spring is my favorite time of year. I love the anticipation of those first refreshing green buds on the trees. The birds singing again. There is something magical in the air for me.
As the days get longer, although still cold outside, we all start to feel the pull to spring clean. Usually, we think of de-cluttering our closets, cleaning up the yard, etc. But, it’s important to also take time to clean and refresh our emotional and physical bodies. So, this spring, how about giving yourself a little freshening up too?
Physical Cleanse
In ancient auyrvedic texts and chinese medicine, the spring season correlates with the liver. Our liver is a powerhouse that helps support us in processing fats and toxins. If you have added on some winter weight, or are feeling sluggish, your liver is the organ that needs some love. Here are some tips to get your liver in top shape this spring. Your body will thank you by shedding excess weight, increased energy, better digestion, and clear skin.
- Warm Lemon Water
Start each morning with a mug of warm lemon water. Squeeze half a lemon in a mug, add in a scant amount of raw honey (if desired), and pour in some boiling water. Drinking this each morning before you have breakfast will activate the liver and the entire digestive system. This is great remedy for constipation, heartburn, and excess weight.
- Dandelion Greens
Yep, those “annoying” yellow weeds that grace our yards each spring. Turns out, those weeds are nutritional powerhouses. They are just what we need for a spring liver clean out. Nature always provides us with what we need to achieve optimal health. Pay attention to what is naturally growing in your yard – those weeds are natures perfect medicine. Grab a few fresh dandelion greens (from an unsprayed yard) and throw them in a salad or a smoothie. Warning, they are bitter, so don’t try to eat too many at once.
- Sunshine
Oh, the return of the sun. In my book, there is nothing better than that. The sunshine makes our gardens sprout and grow in the spring. It also brings life back to our bodies and minds. Sunshine helps us create Vitamin D, regulates our pineal gland (which is linked to melatonin levels and our ability to get good sleep), and regulates our hormones. There is a reason why we feel happy when the sun is shining. Get outside and soak it up!
Emotional Cleanse
Honestly, there is never a bad time to work on healing our emotions, but spring is a great time. As we slough off the winter and step into the freshness of spring, we don’t want to feel weighed down by emotional baggage.
We know that the spring season is when our liver is ready for gentle cleansing. Emotionally, our liver stores anger. Chinese medicine correlates certain emotions with each of our organs and glands. When I’m working with clients, I can usually tell what type of stored emotions they have based on their symptoms. For example, anxious people will manifest that in their physical body through stomach aches and digestive issues. That is because the emotion of anxiety is stored in the stomach. The main emotion that our liver stores and processes is anger. So, the spring is the best time to release old anger that you may be holding on to. Here are a few ways to do that…
- EFT for Releasing Anger
EFT is a powerful tool for releasing emotions and other stuck energy from the body. Here is a quick exercise you can do to clear anger from the liver.
- Self Love as Medicine
Sit with your legs crossed, spine straight. Gently close your eyes and slow down your breathing. Put one hand over your liver (it sits tucked under the bottom of the right rib cage) and another hand over your heart. Breathe. Connect to your liver. Say (out loud is best, silent is ok though too) “release, release, release, I love you, I love you, I love you.” over and over again until you feel a shift. See what comes up for you. Listen to your intuition during this exercise. You may find that an idea comes into your head about how to take better care of your body. Trust it. This is a simple exercise, but can be powerful for brining deep healing to the body.
- Kickboxing
Search YouTube and find a cardio kickboxing routine that you like (this linked one here is my favorite!). Do a routine with the intention of releasing anger. Again, watch what comes up for you. A person from your past may pop into your mind while you are punching out some of the frustration. Go with it. Move that anger out of your body. We usually think of exercise as just something to do for our physical bodies. But, it does so much more. The sweating and intense movement may be just what your body and spirit need to clean out.
Let me know which tips you decide to incorporate into your spring cleaning routine. If you know someone that could benefit from this information, please pass it along. I love to hear feedback, so please comment on facebook and let me know what other topics you would like me to cover.
Happy Spring xo
