A Deep Spring Cleanse
Spring is bursting with transformational energy. The sun is shining bright, seeds are splitting, leaves are unfurling, and buds forming—“The green fuse drives the flower,” is how poet Dylan Thomas once put it. It’s a wonderful time to indulge in some detoxification and deep cleansing, a purifying spring practice described for centuries in so many ancient traditions.
Of course, the season’s powerful energy is also manifested within each of us, on the cellular level and on the level of the spirit. Is there a specific area of your life where you’d like to clear out the old and bring the new? For anyone with a targeted skin concern, this is a great time to start a new daily routine—preferably after a preliminary deep cleanse. (My exfoliant-peel Epi-Peel is very supportive with this process.) At the same time, you might commit yourself to a few weeks of more general detoxification and cleansing, drinking more water every day, eating more anti-oxidant rich vegetables in their natural, raw state (or even making a commitment to cook your vegetables a little more lightly). During the springtime, many holistic practitioners prescribe tonic herbs, those leafy green plants that emerge early in the season and strengthen and invigorate the body. These include Mint, and Nettle leaf, which can be added to tea (try my morning elixir, found in the newsletter’s Tips section). Bring a renewed vibrancy to your salad bowl with fresh Dandelion greens—a remarkable detoxifier—and young sprouts of every sort. These changes can be subtle, but if they are made with true intention, they will deliver big change.
In Christian traditions, early March formally marks the beginning of Lent, and the ritual renunciation of those 40 days. No matter what your spiritual path, it can be fruitful to experiment with the practice of emptying out a certain area of your life so that a bright freshness can refill it. For example, by eliminating processed sugar from your diet, you will certainly discover some tasty new treats. And if you decide to cut down on screen-time for six weeks, you might be thrilled by what fills that void—more creativity, perhaps, or more connection with family and friends. Sure the first few days will be a challenge, but there is a momentum, a tradition and natural collective energy to buoy you along fully at this time of year.
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