The Nandi statue outside the Sri Chamundeshwari Devi Temple on Chamundi Hill in Mysore, India, is a marvellous creature. He’s massive, he’s meticulously bathed and cared for, he’s awesome to look at and soothing to touch. Nandi is associated with Shiva, and that combination of Bull and Shiva speaks of the power of nature in the spring – fabulous, shimmery, light green growth, fecundity and birth, overflowing streams, hot days/cool nights, and gusty, impetuous winds. Nandi is even more – his immense strength symbolically supports the four directions of the earth and he has command over all four elements of nature.
In winter, many of us bravely hold on, just barely, but signs of spring help release long-held gripping and strain. Now that it’s the time of rejuvenation and reawakening, return to what excites, stimulate some Taurean stick-to-it-iveness, and learn something new. If you begin yoga in the spring, it may last your whole life long. Yoga is a radical practice, it’s not about status quo. Nothing stays the same, especially in spring, and yoga knows that – it’s a forward-moving system, dedicated to positive acceleration and expansion. ‘What’s new?’, ‘what’s changing?’, and ‘what’s changed?’ are common mental refrains as spring appears and represent the underlying notions, the fundamental principles in yoga study, because these questions, along with ‘what am I learning?’ help release restriction and fear, worry and tentativeness and move us in the direction of awareness, development and understanding.
We need examples of enormous, vital, caring presence. Round, earthy Nandi is not afraid to make a statement. He’s a steadfast, protective, loyal, beauty-loving companion and he lives large. Be all for life this spring. Like Nandi, be potent, be productive, be grounded, be tender, be joyful, be your true self.
