Spring has arrived, and thankfully today's weather feels like the temperature will soon catch up to the season. I'll admit that last Monday's "springflakes" made me want to climb back into bed and hide. Here's hoping that you, too, are being warmed out of hibernation.

Embedded into our cultural language is the expression "Spring Cleaning." This is the time to go through the closets, packing away winter clothing and possibly giving away the things that no longer suit you. It's an excellent time to do some internal cleansing (under the guidance of your health care provider!), perhaps giving up coffee, and/or sugar, alcohol, and possibly even solid food for a few days. This can help your body eliminate stored toxins, give your digestive system a chance to rest, and can even help reset your mood back to something closer to normal. You can even "fast" from things like the news, giving up compulsively listening to NPR, and/or reading gossip magazines. And you can go through your "belief closets," releasing ideas and opinions that no longer suit you. Getting rid of these isn't necessarily as easy as it may sound.

 Another way to 'cleanse' this spring is through the practice of meditation, which has been likened to "fasting the consciousness." When you deliberately refrain from giving every day thoughts to consciousness, it is forced to 'consume' thoughts/experiences that have been supressed, clearing those out of your psyche and soma. This may help with erradicating the beliefs that prevent you from moving forward.

 By getting rid of what is no longer necessary or beneficial, you create space for new growth and possibility. This is the exciting and creative aspect of springtime. Here you get to dream and visualize what you would like to manifest in your life. Tending to the garden of your life, ask yourself what you would like to grow in the space you have created, and then plant those seeds! This is the time to throw off the layers of excuses you may have buried yourself under during the winter and create a plan of action. Connect with the pulse of vitality that animates this time of year. Spring into Action!