The inner spring phase of the cycle is dynamic, moving you from the stability of menstruation to the fulfillment of ovulation, and in an ideal world, after plenty of rest at menstruation, you arrive in your inner spring cleansed, sanctified and set free to start afresh. Resurfacing in the world innocent and pure, a clean slate. There can be a feeling that everything is possible once again—the old skin has been shed, and you’re born anew and free to re-choose your life.
However, if you have a very full life—a full inbox, an overflowing laundry basket, full-on children or family to care for etc—you may find yourself stepping on the accelerator and overshooting.
The shift from deep inner focus on to everything around you can feel a jolt or a shock to your now sensitive system. And the sweet intimacy you encountered in winter could be squashed into oblivion, leaving you overwhelmed and scattered, your nervous system primed for burnout.
Whether you’re a spring chicken who loves this season or pre-ovulation is your most challenging phase, here are some ideas to support you to access the power of inner spring…
One: Allow yourself to emerge tenderly from inner winter
Your first task is to move tenderly as you emerge from winter, and not let your wilful power of agency take over too soon. You have to remember you’re like a newly hatched chick—your undefended, uncompromised self—that needs time to find its footing back in the bright lights of the world. You need to cherish this tender self so that it might have more purchase and place in your everyday life.
Two: Contain the rising energy
Secondly, allow yourself to really feel the rising new life without impulsively acting on it all at once, lest it blow your fuses. The task is to contain this rising charge enough that you feel stable in it, allowing yourself to experiment and play without getting swept away. To bring enough safety and containment while still letting yourself grow.
Three: Be open, curious and playful
The inner spring asks you to keep open and curious. The spirit of play is held in high regard now, and you’re invited to let yourself soften into this youthfulness without a care for outcome or consequence. Abandon the weight of responsibility, experiment and try stuff out just for the heck of it.
Four: Dare to risk
Finally, let yourself be foolhardy, take a chance, and pay no heed to the voice of reason; this need go no further than the safe confines of your imagination. It’s the ‘let’s chuck the paint on the canvas and see how it lands’ kind of energy. Allow yourself this abandon and freedom so innocence can be preserved. Avoid too much heavy-duty, forceful ‘doing’, and instead ‘do lightly’ in a way that doesn’t harden you up.
A resource for your inner spring:
If inner spring is a hot spot in the cycle for you, you may enjoy this conversation we had with Sophie for the Menstruality Podcast about how inner spring helps you to tend to your uniqueness. We chat about:
