This weekend I attended a Wandering Wellness retreat called “Grow Where You are Planted.” A small group of women gathered together to practice kundalini yoga, meditation, group journaling exercises, conscious wandering, and enjoyed a cleansing vegetarian meal. Basically, my ideal day! The focus of this retreat was to celebrate the new moon in Pisces which signals endings and beginnings, to acknowledge the Spring equinox which happens tomorrow, and to learn lessons from Spring. I took away a few thoughts I wanted to share.

Bloom Where You Are.

Simply observing nature can teach us so much. We are part of the Earth (and universe) so it’s worth spending the time to reconnect with our roots. During my conscious wandering, I stopped and looked very closely at buds on the trees that were just starting to bloom. They didn’t choose where they were born, but they bloom anyways. It was beautiful to pay quiet, close attention to the simplicity of nature. We discussed the idea that no matter the circumstances you were born into, we all have the tools to “bloom where we are planted.” As a lover of travel, I often find myself looking ahead to the next thing, the next trip, the future. It’s important for me to remind myself that right NOW is beautiful. The present moment is a gift. So, no matter where you are in your own life, just know that you were born with the tools inside you to blossom into the best and most beautiful version of YOU right now! Trust yourself.

Breathe.

Breathing. It’s so simple, yet so healing. I found myself feeling almost high off of oxygen during this retreat. We did so much focused and conscious breathing. One of the most beautiful ideas I took away is that our breath is like a wind flowing through our body. When we breathe deeply we can fill our body with a healing wind and exhale all the negative energy we might be holding inside. I will incorporate more conscious breathing during my morning routine. Instead of waking up and looking at my phone, I’m going to drink a full glass of water, sit on my balcony and breathe for ten minutes. My fiance is even getting into breathing and meditating  with me. We spent a few minutes Sunday morning listening to Kundalini music and breathing with our eyes closed side by side as our kitty, Bella, slept peacefully in between us. It was magic.

Follow the Energy of the Seasons.

Winter is a time of quiet rest and contemplation, hibernation, and self care. Spring is a natural and perfect time to jump into action and begin opening yourself up to the world.  When we look to nature, we see how it sleeps peacefully during winter, gaining energy and momentum to bloom again. As the sun begins to brighten and the days grow longer, we should soak up the energy the universe is providing us. Spring cleaning is not just for your home, (though you should do that too) but also for your mind and your body. Now is the perfect time to clear out any negative thoughts, energy or frustrations you’ve been holding inside of you and sweep them away.

It’s time to take action and be bold! Is there something you’ve been wanting to do, but haven’t taken the steps to make it happen yet? Have you been talking about planning a trip, but haven’t found the “right time”? Don’t put your life on hold. It’s time to come out of hibernation and show the world your true colors. I decided to make this month one of inspiration and education for myself. I’ve been attending new events and filling my mind with books, music, people, nature, and new ways of thinking.

If you’re interested in taking a few moments to breathe today, check out this beautiful,  healing music I found. I’ve been listening to it as I wrote this post and it’s helped the words flow out of my fingers. Also, check out Joanna from Wandering Wellness. She hosts moon circles every two weeks, as well as Kundalini yoga sessions every Saturday in Georgetown. She is such an inspiration. I thoroughly enjoyed her retreat, and can’t wait to attend more of her events!

I encourage you to blossom wherever you are today. Celebrate the beauty of Spring and awaken your own spirit as the Earth itself comes back to life.