The Vulnerable Sprout
When we have new inspirations we want to pursue, the shaky nerves of growth must be recognized and tended to.
A sprout is delicate and vulnerable. It can easily be trampled and squashed.
This relates to the new ideas we want to pursue.
When I had the idea to write my book, The Empowered Yogi, I kept it private, sharing it with my closest people. I only allowed my editor to read it when I started writing it because it felt so vulnerable.
I knew if I shared the idea with specific family members, I’d get some raised eyebrows and was terrified of their questioning, “YOU are writing a book?? Since when are you a writer?”
I remember feeling the same way when I opened Vitality Yoga Studio, and those same family members questioned me about being a business owner. What did I know about business? I was a yogi, not an entrepreneur!
I was struggling with these insecurities, and the last thing I needed was someone to question me and emotionally stomp on my new young sprout.
Even a side glance or furrowed brow can say so much and greatly impact my confidence to keep going.
So, I kept my book project private and didn’t reveal it until it was published.
When I opened the studio, I got a business mentor, as ideas and projects have many facets, and it's important to identify where we need support.
This relates to spring's sprouting energy. When sprouts rise up from a seed deep in the earth, they are often blocked by rocky soil - the insecurities and doubters.
The emotions of the spring are anger and frustration when there is a maladaptation of energy flow.
The sprout then has to forge a new path around the rock to keep growing. Otherwise, it gets stuck, frustrated, and angry and bangs its little sprout head against the rock.
This same energy flows through us.
Anger has intelligence. It shows us that we have been violated and where a boundary is needed. Feel that, and act on it to do what’s needed to feel safe, as anger is often a cover for fear.
The fear of not being good enough, not being smart enough, not having enough experience, etc…
The liver qi (energy) runs the strongest in the spring. The liver is energetically responsible for an even flow of qi throughout our entire body. When it runs smoothly, we are kind, generous, and inspired.
We feel angry and frustrated when it’s blocked or has an imbalanced qi flow.
Anger and frustration have much powerful energy behind them. They are rajasic and aggressive.
With mindfulness and observation, which are the consciousness of the spring season, we can shift this powerful, angry energy to its opposite, inspiration.
Observe what’s creating anger and use it as fuel to reroute the aggression and keep moving forward.
That rocky soil will require strength and willpower from the water element in the winter to make the sprout strong and resilient! So our inspirations can manifest and endure.
I’m thankful for the lower back pain I wrote about last week, as the rocky soil I endured. It led me to my spiritual path of meditation and dedicated yoga, which has made my life so grounded and peaceful, even amidst the difficult times.
It also led me to help others who suffer from chronic pain and anxiety by opening Vitality Yoga Flow and writing my book.
Yoga and meditation have been my true refuge, especially when encountering the big boulders of doubt, fear and insecurity.
If you need support to shift fear, frustration, and insecurities to inspiration and good decision-making, which are the benefits of balanced liver qi, sign up for the Emotional Endurance Program for the spring (see below).
You'll have practices to keep and do in the privacy of your home so the rocky soil does not block you but can push through, gain strength and resiliency, and have support along the way.
These practices I share were, and still are, essential to blasting through the insecurity of stepping out of my comfort zone to pursue what my soul is calling me to do.
I'd love to share them with you.
Namaste,
Maggie