thelerner Posted March 22, 2019 What's a good spring practice? Spiritually- meditative.. Lifewise? How should honor the new season in our life? Particularly this one of growth and renewal? Probably spring cleaning is a good start. Clean and simplify aspects of our physical dwelling. Might be a good time to do a fast too. 4 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Everything Posted March 22, 2019 (edited) 25 minutes ago, thelerner said: What's a good spring practice? Spiritually- meditative.. Lifewise? How should honor the new season in our life? Particularly this one of growth and renewal? Probably spring cleaning is a good start. Clean and simplify aspects of our physical dwelling. Might be a good time to do a fast too. Remember how last summer went. And how it ended. Are you ready for more? The winter has already been cleaning, my friend. If there is something you want to throw away, right now is the time to do it. Quickly reflect on all that you've become, so that you can more fully be present with that which truely matters. Because the new life is already coming. And it is wanting to be present with who it is you truely are. So that their benefit reaches you directly. And may no intermediary stand in the way of all that you've become. Be completely open to receive the new life of this year, they will bring you further than you've ever been before. So that you may say goodbye to the changes again next autumn. And clean next winter, in order to reflect on the deepest of truth and value of all that you've truely become. Because it will expand into more again next spring and summer. Edited March 22, 2019 by Everything 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aetherous Posted March 23, 2019 (edited) The Huangdi neijing chapter 2 says: Quote "Go to rest late at night and rise early. Move through the courtyard with long strides. Dishevel the hair and relax the physical appearance, thereby cause the mind [to orient itself on] life. Give life and do not kill. Give and do not take. Reward and do not punish. This is correspondence with the qi of spring and it is the Way to nourish life." - Unschuld's translation So getting up early, going for short walks, being relaxed and loose, thinking on life and living things, abstaining from killing or doing severe things, being generous rather than greedy, and being rewarding or even merciful rather than wrathful. Basically, getting in line with the principle of life itself. We should follow heaven and earth, which at this time (if we live in nature) cause all things around us to gradually come to life. So we should also behave that way, in order to live in line with the seasons. Furthermore, the Jin gui yao lue says: Quote "In Spring, don't allow dead qi to enter the Liver (don't eat animal products) because it might damage the hun." - Sabine Wilms' translation (or it might be my rewording of her translation for my notes) So, along with "do not kill" comes the idea not to ingest dead foods. Good time to eat lots of veggies, which are living foods, and perhaps avoid or cut down on meat. Maybe more raw foods if tolerable. Good time to make and eat some sprouts, which are similar to the phase of spring where things are just sprouting out of the ground or budding on the trees (as opposed to summer, when there's blossoming and fruiting, or autumn when things are past the point of maturity and will begin to wither). Sprouts are something that can help clean our digestive system of food that's been stagnant in there. Veggies in general are cleansing, too. ... In the Chinese solar calendar, we're just now past the midway point of spring (which was the equinox)...as opposed to the Western way of looking at things, which states that spring just started on the equinox. These old admonitions apply to that solar calendar. See this site and look at the "Chinese 24 Seasons Calendar", and note that it says that Chinese summer begins, or spring ends, on May 6th. Also, we should look at the entire year like this: at summer solstice is the greatest amount of yang or life. At winter solstice is the least, and yin is the strongest. Spring and autumn equinoxes are like life increasing while yin and yang are balanced, and life decreasing while yin and yang are balanced, respectively. So from a day or two ago when there was the spring equinox, up until the summer solstice, we're in the best time for the increasing of the life principle. We're also at a time right now when things are relatively balanced, so it's a great time to cultivate. Especially at April 6th, when the moon begins to grow again, which is something else that signifies the increasing of life (as opposed to when the moon is waning). Aside from years and months, on the daily solar cycle, the time of first light until high noon is like spring going into the height of summer. It's another great time to cultivate the principle of life, as opposed to doing our practices in the afternoon or evening. Life is movement, so to cultivate life we should do moving practices at those times. The sun is symbolic of yang, of life, so it's good to be in the sun and moving at these times. ... Oh, also, I think we have to consider the generation cycle of the five elements. The wood of spring depends on the nourishment of the water element. Spring is a great time to not be dehydrated...drink lots of pure spring water. Edited March 23, 2019 by Aetherous 4 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fa Xin Posted March 23, 2019 Getting outside and enjoying nature. Theres a few parks near near me I make a point to go to every weekend and walk for a couple hours. Im looking forward to this Sunday as it is finally warm enough and the snow has melted to go for the first time this season. And it’s not just nature parks... go explore the world. Lots of cool locations near us that we aren’t aware of unless we make it a point to find. Imagine what mysteries are waiting to be discovered! 4 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stosh Posted March 31, 2019 (edited) For any season, cleaning up , eating well and getting out of walls is good advice. I get out and about often. Cleaning up and eating right,, not so much. I want to emphasize , in lieu of a novel suggestion,,that there is a change in mind that is promoted by open space. I don't know what old school daoists say on this, but, to me it's palpable. It's like the walls hem something in, which is good to radiate. Edited March 31, 2019 by Stosh 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
