Spring has Sprung here in Australia …
Isn’t it funny that as soon as September hits, there’s a feeling like something has shifted – the days are sunnier, becoming longer and there’s a completely different sense of being. We can feel it, that something is coming .... and summer is not far away.
The Spring Equinox marks the midpoint of the sun's journey between the Winter Solstice (shortest day of the year) and the Summer Solstice (longest day of the year). This year it falls on 22nd September. Equinox literally means - equal night. The equinoxes are days of balanced light and dark - day and night. This means we will have exactly 12 hours of day, and 12 hours of night.
The Spring equinox brings us hope and light to end the darkness of the winter. So, at springtime we can ask ourselves – what does Spring mean to us? What are the qualities of Spring? And how can we best align ourselves with the energy of this season.
To me, Spring signifies an opportunity to renew, regenerate and rebirth ourselves. We can use this time to revive ourselves and our energy, just as nature itself does. In a past blog I spoke about the quietness and downtime that winter brings, and now, with the Spring boost we can look at things in our life that might need a little reboot or restart. We have a chance to start fresh (though, we ALWAYS have that chance – but spring energy tends to help us along a little bit). So here, we can check in with our physical or mental health, our job, our circles, where we are spending our energy or any other aspects of our lives where we feel a little stuck and stagnant. And, we can let go of the things we no longer need – whether that’s material things like clothes, old belief patterns, unhealthy behaviours, or perhaps toxic people in our lives. Basically, we can decide now whether any of these things are helping us to regenerate, grow and bloom as the flower does at the turn of Spring. And, if they are not, we can gently release them.
Just as the snake recognises the need to shed it’s old, stifling skin each new cycle, emerging smooth and free, we too have an opportunity to do the same. Doing this is not always comfortable for us humans to do, as we are generally very attached to people, things, and especially the past. But if we avoid doing this, there will be certainly come a time when staying where we are and holding onto what is not healthy for us, or our spiritual growth will become far more uncomfortable than the pain that we imagined would come from shedding our skin.
Spring really reminds me of the importance of going with the natural flow of life, of acknowledging our place on this planet and our connectedness with our Earth Mother. If we can allow ourselves to flow with her cycles, instead of rejecting her wisdom (as has become way of human life for far too long), then we will have much better chance of survival. Our animal and plant beings live aligned to the seasons, and now more than ever, it’s time for us humans to realise the importance of doing this. After all, we are animals too.
“There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature— the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.” — Rachel Carson
I’ve put together a list of some activities you can do during this Springtime (especially around the Equinox) to tap into some of those 3 Rs:
Detox and Cleanse – Mind, Body and Soul - RENEW
Take note of your unhealthy habits or behaviours (without judgement).
Spring clean your house and do a do a smudging ritual.
Free some attachments from your heart and mind with meditation (I’ll be holding a meditation on the last Sunday of the month to help with this – you can join here.
Write down a list of the things you need to let go of and burn it (safely) to release them.
Clear the space in your schedule for things you enjoy.
Get Grounded - REGENERATE
Go outside barefoot on the grass and reconnect with our Earth Mother.
Plant a tree - jasmine, fruit trees, magnolias are wonderful for this time.
Meditate by your favourite tree.
Nourish your body with healthy, organic foods and body brushing.
Breathe deeply and consciously with mindful movement to free your body from toxic energy – try this Chair Yoga routine to help with this.
Channel your Energies - REBIRTH
New Moon in Virgo on 17 September, a day to set your intentions and wishes for the coming month. Write them down or say them out loud to give them more emphasis.
Write your desires onto pieces of ribbon and tie them on the branches of the tree you planted, so you can literally watch them grow.
Do something creative like singing, writing, painting, pottery, colouring, inviting joy into your life.
Begin a gratitude jar and put in it 3 things you’re grateful for every day.
Get moving! Try this Chair Yoga practice to help shift and let go of any left over, stuck energy within.
Namaste
Claire x
PS. I hope you enjoyed this blog, please feel free to share with your friends.