Renew Thyself

Renew thyself completely each day; do it again, and again, and forever again. Chinese inscription cited by Thoreau in Walden
When I recently came upon these words, I was moved by how true they continue to be in the modern world. Thoreau was trying to convey the same notion as Steven Covey, management guru and author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, who speaks of "sharpening the saw". Covey recommends spending at least one hour each day in renewing activities - physically, spiritually, mentally, or emotionally/socially. He says the single most powerful investment we can ever make in life is to invest in ourselves, to preserve and enhance the greatest asset any of us has: ourselves! Interesting that management and yoga are saying the same thing!
As winter changes to spring and Mother Earth brings forth all the beauty there is to appreciate in Nature, it is an ideal time to reflect on the unfolding of our lives, and to note the value of regular renewal for our own blooming. In the hectic pace that is characteristic of so many of our lives, carving out space for "quiet time" to sharpen our saw is something that many people seem to have given up. However, that quiet time is not only time well spent, but it also increases our ability to manage the rest of our busy schedules with greater equanimity.
Taking quiet time - whether it is doing yoga, meditation, breathing techniques, or simple walking in Nature - allows us to become deeply relaxed and centered. It provides an avenue for reflection, time to assess life's purpose and meaning, and space to interpret the messages in our lives.
In addition the practices of yoga, relaxation, and meditation also "stretch our inner being" and shift our perspective. Specifically, they loosen up and change old patterns so that we can experience more of our wholeness. Most of us have old conditioning that limits us - old ideas of who we are, of how loveable or not we are, of how much we deserve, whether it be success, happiness, joy, inner peace, time, or freedom. If we don't feel we deserve the life that we want, we will never be able to create it ... no matter how much money we make, how outwardly successful we are, or how hard we work. These limiting patterns and conditionings are like dirt on the lens of a pair of glasses: they distort and cloud our perception. The regular practices of yoga, relaxation, and meditation clean our lenses.
As we regularly take time to renew our spirit and expand our inner being, we bring more focus and attention into our daily lives, and are more present as a result. Magical things begin to happen: intuition is strengthened and access to inner wisdom and guidance is facilitated. Taking the time to listen more profoundly to our inner and quieter messages results in our lives working more harmoniously.
Create an oasis of quiet time for daily renewal soon so these magical things can begin to happen for you. What a way to begin spring ... and the rest of your life!