spring cleaning for the mind, body, and soul12/03/2009

The presence of spring can be felt simply by looking out of the window. The lively birds are jumping from branch to branch, and the buds of tree blossoms are ready to burst. In order to be harmonious with nature, we also wish to feel renewed.

The dark days of winter have made us sluggish and decreased out motivation to do things. Winter's immoderateness has made our skin pale and our waistline much larger than we'd wish it to be. It's possible that certain spring allergies are starting to appear, which is a sign that all the holiday meals have taken their toll on our livers. Unfinished projects and housework inhibit the free flow of energy in our lives. But the soul is ready to awake from hibernation.

Refresh your body

Spring is the most popular season to start cleaning. Purification can aid in freeing oneself from extra kilograms and can improve energy and liveliness. In accordance with Chinese medicine, spring is associated with the liver - an organ that has a vital role in digestion and ridding the body of toxins. Especially harmful to the liver is alcohol, chemical substances, medicine and antibiotics, fried foods and meat. Symptoms of an overworked liver are exhaustion, stress, changes in mood, and various infections.

Methods of cleansing are various, but a universal and simple one is a three-day diet, consisting of fresh fruit and vegetable juices, while also drinking a lot of water. By increasing physical activity and sweating, the body can more easily rid itself of toxins. By adding to the diet greens, for example, sprouted wheat, radish, and other seeds, the body is fortified with the rich nutrients and energy of the sprouts. Cleansing of the liver will be well aided by drinking water with lemon, or freshly cold-pressed linseed or olive oil.

Put on a mask!

Beauty comes from inside - a pure and healthy body. Still, we can help bring it out! After the greyness and cold winds of winter, the skin has earned a little treat. Natural masks can be used to cleanse and nourish the skin. Masks can be made of various natural substances - clay, mud, etc., as well as foodstuffs found at home - milk, yoghurt, oatmeal, fruit, yeast.
Clay and mud are excellent purifiers of the skin. They can be mixed with still mineral water or green tea in order to make a soft, easily coating mass. If the skin is dry, a teaspoon of vegetable oil can be added, or milk or yoghurt used in the place of water. The mass can be coated not only on the face, but also on the décolletage, chest, shoulders, and upper back. The mask should be allowed to harden and to remain on the skin in such a state for at least five minutes in order to activate the skin's circulation. It should be removed by means of gentle massage, so that the small granules can exfoliate the skin.
When preparing nourishing masks, creativity is key. One could grind oatmeal, mix it with warm tea, add mashed avocado, a few drops of linseed oil. Or mix yoghurt with banana, or finely grated carrot with a little oil. Yeast with warm milk. Fresh potatoes can be put in a blender and then the mass in cheesecloth and on the eyes to get rid of dark circles. Everything that is rich with vitamins and biologically active substances will stimulate and refresh the skin. It's important to massage the face with lotion after washing off any mask so that it's moisturised well. Of course, it's best if the lotion, just like the mask, is natural and fresh!
Don't forget about the skin of the body! A refreshing, cold shower in the morning will awaken your body and mind. One should wash with natural soap that cares for the skin. The best skin-cleansing product known to civilization is real soap, made with traditional methods and from pure vegetable oils and alkali. The fatty acids of the vegetable oils bond with alkali, creating soap. In this process, the vegetable oils secrete glycerine, a substance that moisturises the skin. Soaps of good quality retain glycerine, and this moisturises the skin during washing. Cheaper, mass-produced products have less glycerine, because it's lucrative for manufacturers to sell it separately as an ingredient of cosmetics. Moreover, cheap soap is made mostly of animal fat, synthetic foaming agents, and perfumes, which isn't very green, and can actually dry out the skin.
In order for beauty care to render the biggest effect, it's advisable to take note of moon phases: the body and skin cleanse best during the waning moon, and best take in nutrients during the waxing moon. That's why one should use masks and peeling agents during a waning moon, but renewing and nourishing courses during a waxing moon.
This year, April 1st is the first day of a waxing moon, which will be followed by a full moon on April 2nd, and the waning moon from the 3rd to the 16th. The moon will wax full again from April 17th to May 1st. The skin reacts very well to beauty care procedures when the moon is in Capricorn, which is from April 9th to the 11th, and cleansing procedures during these days will be most effective.

Clean your mind and home

We spend most of our time indoors during winter, which often is the cause of havoc in the home. An overflowing worktable, closet, or bedroom is usually the sign of havoc within the mind as well. We often cling to material things that we no longer need, and these create energy blocks both in our lives and homes. Feng Shui teaches that an orderly house is connected to an orderly mind. One could make every object in the room go through a "test of orderliness", by asking oneself questions like, "Does this object enliven me when I think about it or see it? Do I really like it? Is it useful or necessary to me?" If the answer to any of these questions is "no" or "a little", free yourself of this object. Throw it out, or, better yet, give it to someone who needs it. Create space in your mind and environment for new things. This principle could also be applied to memories, creating space for various ideas. If certain memories do not aide you in life for a goal, free yourself of them.
When changing from one's winter wardrobe to warm-weather clothes, put everything you haven't worn in a long time into bags and donate them to charity. A general rule of thumb is to weed out everything you haven't worn in a year's time, since you probably won't even notice that it's no longer taking up space in the closet.

Feed your soul

The soul or spirit is what connects us with something higher - Nature and our innate creative spirit. Feeding one's soul is different for everyone. Someone might see this as spiritual holidays or friendship with people who share their views. Others find relaxation in yoga, Tai Chi, or meditation. Others still can enrich their souls with a walk in the park, a day at the beach, an afternoon of weeding the garden, or shared laughter with children. Whatever may be your soul-feeding activity, find time to connect with your inner Self. Breathe deeply, keep a diary, and ponder the meaning of your life.
When the soil of your life is rich, what kinds of seeds will you sow? Allow yourself to dream, yield to this activity that is so often forgotten in childhood. In truth, it's of great importance to each of us. A flight of fantasy is the best way to get to know one's real self, creative goals, and desires. Visualise the life you would like to lead. Create a plan of action and take the first small steps. The spring rain will help your dreams grow and bloom, the summer sun will give them strength and endurance, and the harvest time of autumn will bring you success and accomplishment. But only if you start today.