How are you making space for new beginnings?

By Katie Phelps

As the days begin to get longer, leaves unfurl and the sunshine grows warmer, I’ve started to feel a low hum of springtime energy. It’s definitely more muted this year, dampened by the exhaustion we’ve all felt after living with our nervous systems on high alert for a year. But like this primal response to stress, the pull of spring, the desire for lightness and clarity seem similarly hard-wired; almost despite ourselves we start clearing out clutter, opening windows wider, organising our sock drawers...or at least recognising the desire to do those things.

If you’ve joined me for class on a Saturday this month you’ll know we’ve been exploring Saucha which is something that’s been influencing my personal practice over the last few weeks.  Translated from Sanskrit, Saucha can mean purity, cleanliness or clarity. It’s referred to in many classical Indian texts including the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali where it appears as the first of the Niyamas (personal observances). As described by Patanjali, the Eight Limbs of yoga begin with the five Yamas (ethical codes), followed by five Niyamas. Living these is thought to prepare us for the third limb, Asana, our physical movement practice. Asana leads us to the fourth limb, Pranayama (breathwork) and so on, exploring increasingly meditative practices on the path to liberation.

Guided by a focus on Saucha, my yoga practice this month has looked like sorting and clearing out old paperwork, donating clothes to charity and giving my yoga mat a good clean. As well as reflecting on Patanjali’s sutras, I’ve been been thinking about Marie Kondo’s decluttering advice. She advocates only keeping things that are useful or that spark joy. She recommends letting go of anything that has filled its purpose after expressing gratitude for the role it once played in our life. For me, this process has involved getting rid of physical objects and also interrogating long-held ideas and beliefs - allowing those that no longer resonate to fall away and make room for fresh perspectives. On my yoga mat, Saucha has translated into stripping away unhelpful ‘shoulds’ and ‘ought tos’, which has created more room in my asana practice for breath and exploration. Have you noticed a desire to make space for new beginnings this month? How has Saucha showed up in your yoga practice?

Katie teaches online Vinyasa and Slow Flow Yoga on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays