28 February 2019
With March just around the corner the burst of sun shine that made an appearance this week was a welcome reminder that spring is well on its way.
Spring marks the official end of the winter period, a time of new beginnings and a time of growth in which flowers start to bloom, animals awaken and the earth comes to life again.
Spring is a symbolic time for many cultures around the world. In Japan, the annual blossoming of cherry trees is a national event and marks a tradition known as Hanami, in which families and friends unite for cherry blossom-viewing.
The explosion of the pink petals is not just admired for its beauty but for representing the cycle of life, death and renewal.
Tied to the Buddhist themes of morality, mindfulness and living in the present, the emerging cherry blossoms are a reminder to enjoy each moment and to seize new opportunities with optimism.
The spring equinox, which occurs around March 20, represents a time to start afresh so even if the year didn’t get off to a perfect start, it’s a good time to re-align yourself with your goals or to kick start a new project.
Whether it’s having a Marie Kondo style spring clean to make space for new things, starting a new exercise regime or creating a road-map to visualise what you want to achieve for the rest of the year, it’s the perfect time to put actions in to place.
As the nights continue to get shorter and the mornings brighter, the levels of sunlight that we are exposed to throughout the day will gradually increase until summer officially begins on 21 June.
When the sun comes out it creates a feel-good factor and brings many added health benefits including increased energy, happiness and improved sleep patterns. But it’s also important to remember to protect your eyes from the sun’s harmful UV rays with UV-blocking sunglasses.
The AOP has a range of patient-facing resources available on protecting your eyes from the sun. Have a read here.
Image credit: Getty
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