Spring - The Unfolding

Here is an insight we pondered in the most recent seasonal workshop where we pondered our expectations in this season that holds so much promise. A spring reflection on effort, growth and the art (or act) of beginning again.

Bhagavad Gita Insight:

On this path, effort never goes to waste, and there is no failure. (2.40)

Spring isn’t an explosion of energy, like we see in those Timelapse videos of plants reaching out of their seed husks we see online: rather it’s an unfolding. A quiet negotiation between inertia and motion. After months of conserving our energy, there’s often a hesitation as the daylight hours expand: Are we ready to move forward?

The first crocus doesn’t burst into bloom; it presses gently against the frost-bitten earth, sensing the shift before making its move. After months in the dark under ground, receiving nutrients all winter. The trees don’t leaf out overnight but begin with the subtlest of buds, cautious yet inevitable in their response to the light. Knowing that the chance of brief frosts remain.

We, too, emerge from winter in a slow, measured way. There is no urgency in nature’s rhythm, just an invitation.

The Hesitation Before Growth

It’s tempting to think of spring as a season of instant transformation. One day, bare branches; the next, blossoms. Transitions are rarely this abrupt; they are layered. It starts with a quiet stirring, a willingness to shift, even when we’re not entirely sure where that movement will lead. Even when we are still worried about the frost.

That’s where yoga and effort comes in. The Bhagavad Gita reminds us that no step, no gesture toward growth, is wasted. Even the smallest action holds value. In yoga, we needn’t always leap into the deepest pose or the longest meditation. Sometimes, our practice is simply returning to the knowledge that we have a choice.

This season asks us to trust that effort, no matter how small, guides us forward.

From Dormancy to Action: A Yogic Perspective

In winter, we turn inward. Our energy is slow, reflective, protective. Spring calls us outward, but not in a way that forces action. Instead, it asks: What movement feels natural? What wants to unfurl?

In Sensory Relaxation, we notice this shift not as a command but as an invitation; a dialogue. The body wakes up to warmth, sound, sensation and finally some daylight. When we learn to tune into our sense, just like nature, we don't rush - we respond.

Feeling stuck? Start with small movements. Gentle stretches, soft sways, a few mindful steps outside. Set a timer for 5 mins and write something down.

Mind racing? Put on an ambient track or sit out doors for a few minutes and listen. Every time you catch yourself thinking of something else, gently guide yourself back to listening.

Resisting change? Acknowledge that. Just like the earth doesn’t rush the thaw, you don’t need to rush your process either.

Welcoming the Season with Intention

Spring is the time to trust in gradual emergence. To know that waking up physically, mentally, emotionally isn’t instant, nor does it need to be.

Maybe this season, instead of setting ambitious goals, you embrace small, sustainable shifts, participate in some processes. Maybe instead of doing more, you focus on being with what you’re already doing.

The unfolding doesn’t demand force, it asks for presence.

What is stirring in you this season? What small effort will you make, knowing that nothing is wasted?

A Spring Practice to Explore:

Playful is the name of the game. Remember when you were a child and you enjoyed seeing your breath in the cold (like a dragons breath). The next time it’s cool enough, notices your frozen breath, the swirls, the temperature, the colour. Reflect on how it felt to be playful.

Spring is here. You don’t need to leap. Just think think about beginning.