Friday, 1 March 2013

March on to Better Health

The word March comes from the Roman word ‘Martius’ named after Mars the god of war. In those times March was the first month of the calendar year when the start of the Mediterranean spring made it possible for the imperial armies to get back to fighting after the winter break.

These days we use the Gregorian calendar, also called the Western calendar and the Christian calendar. It was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII, after whom the calendar was named, by a decree signed on 24 February 1582.
March and the season of spring now symbolises the beginnings of new life not death.
When I was little, spring marked the beginning of our school ‘nature walks’ that I loved so much.  We would skip across the fields and Miss would point out all the swollen buds on the trees and primroses in the grass. We collected pussy willow branches with their soft silvery tufts and yellow Willow Catkins that bobbed up and down like lambs tails.  Miss would arrange them in a vase on our return to the classroom to study and draw. The magic of those little buds and flowers formed my lifelong fascination for things that grow.
Nature knows when it has its best chance of success and that’s not the beginning of January.  All through the winter the trees have been resting, the soil around the roots has been broken up by the frost and the autumn leaves have decomposed and washed back into it by the rain for nourishment. 
Early spring is a great time to ease our way into building new patterns of healthy exercise into our daily routine and getting back to nature.  Try and use the two extra hours of daylight we now have to give you that extra incentive to get outdoors.  Just walking for half an hour a day is a great way to begin exercising and being aware of the beauty that is awakening all around us in our environment as the new season emerges.
If the Romans New Year’s resolutions were made in March then why not make yours now too?
A fresh season and a fresh start, this is the perfect time.
For one to one Skype coaching sessions contact Susan on susan@susanloveday.com or visit www.susanloveday.com for more information.

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