Spring Equinox Rituals- From Roots to Rise

The earth is tilting in a new direction- the East-Spring. The 1st day of Spring in the Northern Hemisphere is March 20th, called the Vernal Equinox. Equinox comes from the Latin words aequus (equal) and nox (night). The sun crosses the equator line, heading north and ushers in equal parts day and night, and we welcome warmer, moderate temperatures.

Winter Reflection

Following Winter, a season of introspection and surrender and swallowing our sense of urgency and stillness, we emerge. From the depths of our inner playground, the darkness, and hollowness, and holy space, we felt held by the safe winds of Winter. As we emerge, we open to our innate nature, are wired to what is comfortable, and effortlessly show up and grow into what is ours to behold.

Spring’s Embrace

Spring invites an ah-ha or a deep cleansing breath. We invite longer days, warmer temperatures, the birds’ return, budding trees, and the impending explosion of growth around us in nature; there is new life emerging. Remembering that everything in life is cyclical and moreover the change of season to Spring causes marked physical and physiological changes in the body.

 

To everything, there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven -The Byrds.

 

Much like a garden we tend to in the Spring, we must tend to our own gardens, tilling our internal soil, detoxing, adding nutrients, preparing to root, and watch bloom. As the plants and flowers effortlessly bloom each year in their own time, how do we take our cue and do the same?

 

“Spring into your Senses Ritual”

 

What do you see?

More daylight, in the morning and evening hours, blooming flowers, the color returns to the sky and landscape. What do you see when you close your eyes? The space between your eyes, also known as the third eye, invites the world of possibility.
Try it: For instance: postulate new beginnings available to you when you sit in the energy of positivity and possibility. Close your eyes and visualize the power of being and becoming.

 

What do you hear?

The birds are busy flitting around and singing their melodies. Kids are playing; dogs are barking; chickens are clucking. Do you also hear the Great Pause? Stop for a moment in nature, and take a few deep breaths and listen? There is this space between the audible noise where you hear a pause. Nature is inviting you into the Void and asking for your surrender.
Try it: Within the surrender, how do you feel in the Great Pause? After that, notice how your expectations of yourself drift away, and you are focused on the present.

 

What do you smell?

Take a stroll around your neighborhood or park or hiking trail. Some say you can smell.
Spring- is it the blooming flowers, the crisp, clear days, or the trees bursting? You decide, get outside and see if you can capture what Spring smells like
Try it: Do any of the smells take you back to a time in the past when things were happy, joyful, and free? Slow down and be in the moment of your memories.

 

What do you taste?

Visit a Farmers Market and take in the local fair- savor the flavors that are in season. Eating with the seasons can be a profound change for your health. Eating seasonally,
foods are more nutritionally dense; they taste better, are better for the environment, and are the most affordable option.
Try it: Fresh food tastes different; open up your taste buds, slow down and savor each bite. Relish the joy of fresh food again.

 

How do you feel?

A renewed sense of being. Like the roots of a tree filling with new energy, we are doing the same. A fresh start, a chance to begin again. Drawing from the roots that
held us steady in the Winter, we find the strength to push forward and yield to our true nature.

Try it: Schedule a day around “saying yes” to being in nature. Go on a hike, walk around your neighborhood. Walk to pick up dinner. Go to a local nursery to browse the plants and flowers. Find a local trail and ride your bike. Plan a picnic at a local park. Go to the beach. Being outside is a natural stress reliever and helps increase endorphins in the body. Similarly, being in nature, grounds you into your body, and out of your head for awhile.

 

 

The deep roots never doubt spring will come. ― Marty Rubin.

 

 

Spring- The Sun Rises in the East-Air

In some Native American traditions, they honor the Four Directions, North, East, South, and West, through prayer and ceremony. Each direction is connected to an element of our natural world. Spring and the East and the element of Air invites us to transform our breath. The gifts of this season allures you to speak your truth with purpose and clarity and acceptance for all that is. The East symbolizes the winged ones, the owls, hawks and hummingbirds, and the land of the rising sun. The wayward direction of light and illumination. Spring and the East signify renewal, curiosity, a new idea, and learning. Surrounded by the rebirth of everything around you.

 

 

Spring- The Wood Wisdom of a Tree

 

The beauty (actually and figuratively) of Spring is that this season meets you right where you are and helps thrust you into this state of becoming that has been brewing within you since the Winter Solstice. You feel an emergence within you that is intangible but palpable. The deep Stillness that you are emerging from may feel like a restless breath of wind within you. As you step into yourself and match the energy of being with the energy of becoming, there is certain magic happening all around you.

The natural element associated with Spring is Wood. It is known for its hardiness, flexibility, growth, and deep grounding. Like plants that push through the earth, growing deep roots, the wood element represents change and transformation. How are you nurturing and transforming in this new season?

 

And Spring arose on the garden fair,
Like the Spirit of Love felt everywhere;
And each flower and herb on Earth’s dark breast
rose from the dreams of its wintry rest.
– Percy Bysshe Shelley, The Sensitive Plant

 

Grounding into Spring Ritual

 

Spring is about rebalancing our bodies, minds, and hearts. With the warming temperatures and blooming earth, use this opportunity to integrate the wisdom of Spring into your body. Turn the dirt in your garden or flower beds by hand, feel the soft, warm dirt with your hands. Take off your shoes and socks and walk barefoot in the grass or dirt. Take off a clothing layer to really feel the crisp, cool days punctuated by the bright sunshine. Trim your hedges or bushes in rain or shine; let the kiss of the weather help you come alive again. Integrating the earth’s energy into our bodies as the earth comes alive again is a wonderful way to connect with and ground to mother Earth.

 

From Root to Rise-10 minute-Writing Meditation Guided Visualization

 

Take a few deep breaths and settle in. Make sure you are comfortable. Read all the way through the bullet points before starting.

 

Visualization (5 min)

• Close your eyes and imagine your current life as a budding tree, visualize all the details, color, shape, smell, presence
• Imagine the soil and what the roots of the tree are growing in. Is the soil loose, soft, boggy, heavy chalky, peaty, muddy, sandy or rocky?
• How does your current soil quality affect your roots or the changes in your life?  How does your heart feel? Are you experiencing, loss and grief or growth and change?
• What moments of growth and change throughout your life have given strength to the roots and soil under your tree?
• Notice how the changes (desirable or not) give strength to your tree roots to rise.
• From Root to Rise- How do you integrate the wisdom of what has given strength to your roots and energy to your growth?

Writing (5 min)

Now, use a pen or pencil and paper for this exercise. A different part of the brain is engaged when we write by hand vs typing. Explore and have grace for imperfections. This is not about grammar, sentence structure, or editing.  Just write. Allow a stream of consciousness to flow through you. Free write from a space of open heart, mind, and ongoing growth.

 

As you think of the seeds cresting the dark, thick, frozen ground, heading for the light of a new day, the light to bring them alive again, remember this as you journey into a new season, and watch what brings you alive again.

 

The Seed of Belonging

Don’t miss the opportunity of a lifetime, the chance to express exactly who you are in this moment. Life will pull you into the depths of misguided illusions. You will be tempted to follow the illusions as your ego yearns for a place in this world. Opportunities to be not who you are, but who everyone thinks you should be. Where are you looking to belong? Find solace, not in people or places that will never invite you into their company, but rather find belonging in your own company.

The gift of not belonging is an invitation to dig deeper. You weren’t meant to fit in because you have work to do. You have a unique set of gifts and perspectives that only you can provide.  The human condition seeks connection and patterns and fitting in. Rewrite the story that is written in your bones…belonging happens first within. The seed that starts in the dark recesses of the soil doesn’t grow, looking for validation from its neighboring seeds or plants. It grows from a force within that can only be found in the surrender of what is.

 

To know what you truly value, you have to follow what makes you feel alive, what gives you enthusiasm, what raises goosebumps on your skin, what sends your imagination running wild.

~Toko-pa Turner
belongingbook.com