There’s something in the air as the sun starts to warm the earth a little more each day that makes us want to spring clean our homes, as well as our bodies and minds.
For many of us, winter months can be a time to slow down and indulge. While that may be exactly what we need in the dark depths of July, come spring it often leaves us feeling sluggish, with a heavy load of junk food and Netflix to purge.
Luckily, Mother Nature is on our side. As flowers and trees bud and renew, spring is the perfect time for a seasonal cleanse, a chance to lighten our loads and let go of old habits.
Introducing yoga as your spring detox
Thankfully, we don’t have to reach for an expensive juice cleanse or strict diet to support our body’s natural transition through the seasons. Yoga has a whole toolbox of twists, pranayama (breathwork), meditation and other simple self-care rituals to help our physical, mental and energetic systems shake off winter cobwebs.
Seasonal cleansing is about lightness and refreshing energy – rather than strict denial, and harsh cleanses. So what does a seasonal cleanse with maybe some private yoga lessons look like?
The perfect seasonal cleanse
Holistic and restorative, themed yoga lessons approach cleansing from the inside out, in a gentle way. Twists compress and release, wringing out the digestive organs to stimulate circulation and encourage elimination. Breathwork clears the lungs, oxygenates the blood and has a powerful effect on the nervous system. Meditation refreshes the mind and resets perspective.
Combine all these practices and what we get is the holistic “spring clean” we crave, to clear away the stagnation and clear the way for growth.
Twists: wring out the old
Twisting poses are often called “detoxifying”, and for good reason. Visualise wringing out a sponge. As we compress into a twist, blood and lymph are temporarily squeezed from the digestive organs, and on release fresh circulation rushes back in. This stimulation aids digestion and elimination, helping to naturally cleanse the body.
Twists to try:
* Seated spinal twist (Ardha Matsyendrasana)
* Revolved chair (Parivrtta Utkatasana)
* Supine twist (Supta Matsyendrasana)
To get the most benefit, practice twists following a warm up (a few rounds of sun salutations are perfect), and breathe deeply, holding each twist for 5–8 breaths to allow the tissues to release and benefits to sink in.
Pranayama: cleansing through the breath
Breathwork is one of the most powerful tools in the yogi’s toolkit, and for good reason. Not only does it clear out stale air and re-oxygenate the blood, it has a profound effect on our energy levels.
Nadi Shodhana (Alternate Nostril Breathing)
This is a powerful practice for any time of day (try it in the evening to calm the mind before bed). By alternating inhalations and exhalations through each nostril, this practice is said to balance the left and right hemispheres of the brain. This is particularly useful anytime you need to cut through mental clutter.
Meditation: clearing mental cobwebs
Spring cleaning our bodies and minds is a great metaphor for meditation. Just as we remove dust and empty the cupboards, sitting in meditation gives us space to pause, reflect and consciously let go of thoughts or habits that no longer help us.
One particularly fun practice is visualisation. Sit quietly and bring to mind the image of a clear spring stream. Imagine anything you would like to release (stress, habits, mental clutter) on leaves floating down the stream. Watch it float away and be replaced by clear, sparkling water.
Try 5–10 minutes and notice how fresh your mind and body feel afterwards.
Simple self-care rituals to enhance your cleanse
A seasonal cleanse doesn’t have to end at the yoga mat. Supporting our physical, mental and energetic bodies with a few little daily rituals can help create a holistic sense of refreshment.
Simple rituals to try:
* Lemon water in the morning
* Journaling
* Dry brushing
* Eating more fresh and light foods like leafy greens, sprouts and herbs
* Setting intentions for the season
An unusual tip: sound and vibration
Sound and vibration are an often overlooked but powerful tool in the yogi’s seasonal cleanse toolbox. Chanting or humming create vibrations that have a subtle yet profound effect on the body. In addition to stimulating energy flow, clearing tension in the throat and chest and calming the nervous system, there is also a clearing of the system that is surprisingly physical.
Try adding a chant to the end of your yoga practice. Simply chant OM three times on an exhale, creating a long, humming sound. It’s simple but may surprise you with how much it feels like rinsing your system with sound vibrations.
Spring conclusions
Yoga offers us a seasonal cleanse toolset we can access from the inside out to ease and support this natural transition. From twists that wring out the digestive organs to breathwork and meditation that clears the body and mind, we can create space and cultivate lightness.
By aligning with spring energy of cleansing and renewal, we can invite in the freshness this season offers, and move forward feeling brighter and ready for the months ahead.
