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Spring Cleaning, The Luminous Way
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Birds are serenading me with their sweet spring time songs as I walk along Brooklyn's streets. Trees are budding, some even beginning to blossom, and new plant life is popping up all around. Winter's chill is packing it's bags as spring's mild warmth is moving in. People are shedding their winter layers, swapping them in for lighter attire. That emerging buzz of spring's promise for abundant growth is felt everywhere.
With all of this, comes a shift in focus. Spring cleaning has been on the mind, but not just in regards to cleaning house quite literally. This transition from winter to spring is a very seasonally supportive time for a spring cleaning of all sorts. As I've explored this philosophy of multi-faceted spring cleaning for myself and noticed the positive effects it has in my own life, I'm having intense desires to spread the word about these cleansing practices (hello spring energy!), so here's a little letter dedicated to spring cleaning, the Luminous Architecture way.
What follows is a sampling of spring cleaning practices I've personally found satisfying, in no particular order. Take what you like, leave the rest.
SMUDGE
It's time to burn a little palo santo and breathe deeply. Or light a sage bundle and get to smudging. For me, smudging happens on the regular. Though when pairing a smudge session with a thorough spring cleaning of my home space, it feels extra right.
Be sure to open all of your windows after you're done smudging to let the space air out. Smudging is a wonderful way to energetically cleanse, or neutralize, a space. Studies are now showing the effectiveness smudging has on literally cleansing the air, reducing the amount of air borne bacteria in a given space.
BREATH WORK
Kapalbhati
In Sanskrit, kapal = skull and bhati = to shine, illuminate
Kapalbhati, a pranayama practice, is often referred to as skull shining breath, as it's effects are something akin to an invigorating sweep out of the mental cobwebs. This breath work supports respiratory health, alleviates seasonal allergies, strengthens the abdominal muscles, kickstarts digestion, and is a wonderful alternative to that afternoon cup of coffee. If you're not into neti pots, then this could be your answer to clearing out your sinuses. Seriously, have tissues on hand with this one.
*If you're pregnant, on the first few days of your menstrual cycle, or have high blood pressure, then this breath practice is not for you.
But do not feel left out, for I have another spring cleaning breath practice option that I've been leading my clients and classes through that assists in integrating and clearing through the built up layers of internalized reflection throughout the winter months. And it's much simpler and more discreet than Kapalbhati, so you can do it anywhere!
Deepen into your breath. Inhale to invite. Exhale to expel.
Inhale to invite, meaning you focus on drawing in any qualities you'd like to invite into your body with the in breath. Resiliency, grounding, energy, abundance, growth, and playfulness are a few springy feeling examples.
Exhale to expel, meaning you focus on releasing and shedding anything you've stored up in the body that feels ready to be let go of with the out breath. This can be done on a very literal physical body level, as well as translated to an energetic level by shedding mental thought patterns and emotional stores.
WARDROBE RECYCLE
This one's simple: go through your wardrobe and recycle anything that you're ready to part ways with. When I say recycle, I'm suggesting you find a new use for these articles of clothing rather than just ditch 'em in the trash and create more waste. Donate, let your friends take them off your hands, have a stoop sale, reuse them as cleaning rags (for that actual home spring cleaning) - whatever fits your style.
Be honest with yourself about what you actually wear and what has been sitting in your closet for 6 years, untouched, for that time you'll "insert something you're not very likely to do." I've done a wardrobe recycle like this every spring since I was in high school, and I personally find it extremely satisfying to let go of clothing items I've outgrown, whether physically or style wise. Maybe that's just me, but give it a try and see how it feels.
*I recommend pairing this wardrobe recycle with your favorite tunes playing in the background. It might even turn into a full blown dance party - I'm always a big supporter of utilizing dance as a spring cleaning method ;)
DIET RESET
When we think of spring cleaning in the traditional sense, we think of cleaning our homes. Well, our body is our home, first and foremost. Our liver functioning receives a kickstart with the emergence of spring, so now is an ideal time to partake in some kind of specialty detox program or simply reset your system through a mindful reframing of your diet. Nature's providing just what we need at this time of the year, like always, with tons of fresh spring greens sprouting up to assist with cleansing the liver.
Try on some of these diet resets for starters:
- Cut out sugar - definitely all processed sugars, even organic cane and coconut sugars. If you really want to starve your microbiome's unhealthy gut bacteria, also refrain from eating naturally occurring sugars like honey, maple syrup, and fruit.
- Get green in the face - as in, eat copious amounts of fresh spring greens, all day, every day. Take a foraging class and learn what's edible on your local landscape. You'd be surprised how much there is to eat in Prospect Park! You can also supplement with a superfoods green powder that has chlorophyll and spirulina. I love this one by Sunfood.
- Limit alcohol intake - give your liver a break with all that hard work it's doing this time of year. Opt for one alcoholic beverage a week.
- Cool down on the caffeine - for you hardcore caffeine addicts, maybe now's a time to face that demon and cut it out cold turkey. If that's too daunting of a task, try cycling caffeine by consuming every other day, or a few days on, a few days off. Or, limit it to one caffeinated beverage a day. Just please, chill out on the caffeine. Your adrenals will thank you big time.
Add any other modifications (gluten/grain free, raw dairy or no dairy, ketogenic) and give it a go for at least a week, although a month or more promises a hard reset with more long-lasting effects on your body's systems.
SOCIAL MEDIA//TECH CLEANSE
If you can bear it, pair your month long diet reset with a month free from social media exposure. While I daydream of this quite often, I won't be participating in a month long social media detox this spring. I will be, however, creating healthier patterns for myself when it comes to social media and technology engagement. Here's a list of inspiration for your own social media/tech cleanse:
- Consider deleting your social media apps from your phone and only taking social media time on your computer.
- Wait at least one hour after waking to check any social media. Stop social media engagement at least one hour prior to going to bed.
- Rather than mindlessly delete junk email, go through and unsubscribe from the irrelevant content that piles up your inbox.
- Be mindful of the content you take in through social media. Is your Instagram feed nourishing to your interests, or just an accumulation of random stuff. Unfollow accounts that aren't feeding you in some way.
- Take a tv break. I did this for the whole month of March and read so much more. It was great!
- Turn on airplane mode and turn off location services on your cell phone overnight to protect from EMF exposure. Kick the switch on your wifi router while you're at it.
As you can see, the concept of spring cleaning means so much more to me than a thorough sweep of the home. Shedding your winter skin is a process, and it’s not one that’s to be rushed. Taking a multi-faceted, holistic approach to spring cleaning ensures you cover all the bases of your physical, mental, and emotional bodies.
Happy spring cleaning, my sweet ones!
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