One of my favorite aspects of this time of year, during the Earth element, is the feeling of contentment and being comfortable in my skin. When I feel insecure and over-worry about something, I know that my earth chi (energy) needs tending to.

I noticed a subtle, yet profound shift in a student I've had for years, whom I'll call Hannah - one who I'd describe as having imbalanced Earth Qi (energy). She was the kind of student who always arrived early, yoga mat in hand, eyes scanning the room. She rarely missed a class. She is a dedicated student, but energetically, something always felt heavy around her, like her presence carried more weight than it needed to.

According to Chinese Medicine's 5 elements, our energy (chi) is the most subtle, yet profound part of our being. The energy flow is like our electricity, when excessive we burn out, when weak our energy flickers and exhausts easily. Our energetic flow determines our emotional well-being as well as our physical health.

As I walked yesterday, I felt the shift in the season from the early summer of fire energy rising, to the mellow sweetness of midsummer. As much as I love the transition from spring to summer, the energy rising up can be intense and a bit nerve-racking, like fire rising.

Over 30 years ago, I came to yoga to help heal my lower back and anxiety that came with chronic pain. It was, and still is, a healing journey, as when I don't practice for a couple of days, my back starts to ache and my nervous system becomes tight and reactive. It's a lifestyle for me to practice every day to remain pain-free and cultivate a calm and centered mind.

Now that we have fully entered summer, it's time to tend to our hearts. According to Chinese medicine, the heart is the organ that energetically runs the strongest in the summer, making it the best and easiest time to regulate any imbalances and disharmony.

The fire season of early summer is one of my favorite times of the year, as the sun stays up late, everything is in bloom, the hummingbirds are back, and I'm swimming as much as possible (once it warms up here in the northeast!).

Most of us were conditioned not to feel. "Oh, don't cry," we've all heard, when really crying is so therapeutic and healing. It releases tension, which creates space and relief.

I was listening to author and renowned speaker Peter Crone discuss the concept of heaven and hell. He says heaven is an expansive, inclusive space filled with love and peace.

Over the years of teaching yoga teacher training, I've taught students in various professions who were burnt out and needed new ways to sustain and thrive.

I had two private sessions last week, and both represented what it looks like to have balanced liver chi (energy), which runs at its strongest in the spring, compared to stagnant energy. Witnessing them walk in the door was telling. First came a woman, I'll call Maya, who walked in relaxed and confident with a warm smile.

This photo of me sitting under this willow tree honors resilience. In fact, I call this tree 'Resilience' because just a couple of years ago, she was struck by a storm and leveled to a stump. I couldn't believe it, as she's a favorite tree of mine, gracefully growing over the pond that I walk to daily.

After this past spring's Revitalizing Workshop weekend, where I taught about the three Hun, our three observing minds, I bumped into a previous student who had taken the 300-hour teacher training a few years back. She shared with me that her world was in flux, and she felt nervous but excited.

When I was driving to see my family last week, I realized that I was harboring some old resentment towards my sister, which was old and outdated...like 30 years old! Geeze, when am I going to let go of it?

Last week, a student walked in our doors with a look of despair. She sat on the couch in the lobby and cried to me about her chronic pain. She's in her 30s and wept about feeling like a cripple. Oh, I know that pain and despair! I was in my 20s and 30s with debilitating chronic back pain that would not let up.

I had a realization today while journaling. I witnessed an old pattern that I needed to grow out of! I was feeling resistance that was keeping me in a small, bratty mindset that was young and immature. Journaling about it put me in the observer seat to recognize the pattern and understand how it affected me and probably others around me.

When I felt fear creep in after thinking of everything happening in our country, I read this quote from Dr. Lily Choi and remembered that this is the best time of year to bring our gifts forward. This redirects my fear from paralysis to the right action. The springtime wood season is when the energy (chi) of the liver and gallbladder is the strongest, which makes it the easiest time to utilize this energy.

After class yesterday, a new student told me that after just three weeks of attending the Meridian classes twice a week, her life has changed significantly, and she can finally wear regular underwear.

That means that she has regulated her energetic system, so she is in control of her bladder again.

After listening to the news, I felt the world's weight on me, so I did what always helps: breathwork, yoga, and walking to shift my energy. When I saw the crocuses peaking, I stopped in my tracks. I honored the amount of energy this beautiful blossom took to rise and reach its full potential. This was the news I needed to hear—the crocuses are blooming!ar.

Transitioning from a freezing winter to a scorching summer in Costa Rica in just a few hours made it seem as though we had bypassed spring entirely. I love the transitions from one season to the next more than being at the peak of each season—especially winter into spring. We are one month away from the spring equinox, which means we are in winter's last stage. Even if there is more snow or cold weather, the promise of spring is near.