Yogi Gardener – New Season, Still Learning
It’s spring here in Canada and I’ve been busy preparing our vegetable garden and planning some new native flower beds for the pollinators. There’s something so energizing about this season: longer days, warmer sun, fresh ideas. It feels like an invitation to dream big and do more.
But for me, living with chronic pain means that this exciting time of year also comes with a healthy dose of caution. I’ve learned (and am still learning) how to balance my energy, my body’s needs, and my hopes for what I’d love to accomplish.
This dance between aspiration and ability is something I navigate daily – whether I’m in the garden, on the yoga mat, or out for a walk. I have plan for what I want to do but then meet the reality of what I can do. And honestly? I don’t always get it right.
I try to check in with my body each day, to listen carefully and make thoughtful choices. But there’s still that persistent voice that says, “just a little bit more.” I want to move, to create, to stretch and grow – just like the natural world around me. And yet, I’ve come to understand that doing “enough” today is only enough if I’m still able to return tomorrow.
I don’t have any answers – just the awareness that this is an ongoing, evolving conversation between my body, my mind, and my aspirations.
Some days, that conversation feels frustrating – especially when I load it up with my memory of a more able self. Other days, it feels like more aligned. Everyday, it feels like yoga, with the natural fluctuations of a lifelong practice of self-knowledge, compassion, and contentment.
How are you moving into a new season?
A new season invites us to plan, create, and move forward – what does balance look like for you right now? Can you offer yourself the same care and patience you’d give to a tender new seedling?
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