I have been musing on transitions, life cycles, project cycles, motherhood cycles, business cycles, relationship cycles. Everything in life is a cycle, not a linear beginning and ending. Everything has its season, and when we honor the transitions, create stillness, and understand what our point of equilibrium is (not everyone else's idea of balance) we face change more gracefully and with some sense of ease. At the beginning of March, we find ourselves at this threshold between Winter and Spring, darkness and light, and then on March 20th the Equinox occurs and marks the final transition into Spring ushering in the energy of new beginnings.
I think of the beauty and grace of a musician or a dancer. I have been watching my son play guitar since he was 8, he is now 20 for each year he has played he doesn’t forget what he learned before nor does he start all over again. Over the years his ability to transition fluidly with his fingers but also between totally different styles of music (Rock, Country, Blues, Soul, Metal). In those transitions there are no abrupt starts and stops, and because he is acknowledging the stillpoint and flowing to the next thing it has brought his music from beginner level to a professional who knows he will never stop learning. A dancer does the same thing, she anticipates the music and therefore the embodied movement change and seamlessly transitions, so gracefully that no one externally has any idea what is going on, doesn't even notice it. How do they do this? Through the paradox of stillness in action, being present while still being aware of what is about to come, by not thinking about what just came before, because then the musician or dancer would stop dead in their tracks, by feeling the music and their surroundings with every part of their being and because they:
PRACTICE THEIR CRAFT
And so it is in life, we can't know our future, but we can create the conditions for the future we would like to have by practicing our craft, the craft of:
Treating every part of life as sacred
And because we are entering the season of Spring, and the Element of Air this is the time of transitions, of fertility, of the winds of change blowing us from the dark of winter to the fire of summer. How do we slow down long enough to honor that, and honor the transitions? Slowing down is a practice, it is a choice to be in right action with what life is showing you, acknowledging what is present for you, living in harmony with what nature is presenting, discerning what is yours to do and then taking action. Through this process I guarantee you will face change and transition with ease and grace. However, I am not guaranteeing it will be easy.
I have been talking to so many women that are in transition both big and small. Death, divorce, career changes and shifts, constant external collective transition and chaos, retirement and finding themselves anew, motherhood transitions, relationship transitions, even the time change is a transition as is the season change. Many are just feeling a sense of change afoot but not being able to pinpoint it. We are all going through a transition of one kind or another because as I said our lives are cyclical, as is nature. In this modern society we do not honor or even stop to take a moment to acknowledge that we are transitioning, and we don't give ourselves a chance to catch our breath. Spring is all about the Air element, and breathing, it is a great time to start a breathwork practice. To “inspire” has a double meaning…. taking in air, and to take in wisdom and beauty aka inspiration. There is a mantra I use that comes from the Latin:
Spiro ergo prospero- I breath therefore I prosper
The transition to spring is the perfect time, to slow down, stop for a moment, look at what has transpired since Winter, look at the goals and visions, and with Laser-Like clarity start making choices of what direction we will take and where we will put our focus and energy, AND CHECK IN. What we thought we wanted in January may already have a different look and feel now that we are in March. Like a pilot, we don't just get in the plane and keep flying without stopping, we must first stop to look at the path and the map and determine the flight plan, then we must stop to recharge and refuel, or guess what?
We crash and burn.
We can't keep running on empty, with no navigation systems in place. And for us we have to have a daily practice to check the tank and the instrument panels, but we also have to take longer pauses to create ritual and ceremony and take a visionary look at the flight plan, so we are taking the path that encounters the least amount of stormy weather as possible, also knowing when we take these pauses that we have created the internal conditions to make it through the changes and the storms too. And that when those things come up, we don't go into emergency mode and lose an engine.
This month the Vernal Equinox is on the 20th, this is a perfect time to honor the transitions, access your visionary self, and gain clarity on moving from one cycle to the next and what that looks like FOR YOU from a heart centered and clear place. This is the time to create a short ceremony honoring the element of air, the winds of change, taking a breath, working with the plants of the season, whether on your altar or to support your body and mind. Stop to notice the transitions you are in, instead of "moving on" to the next thing without honoring the ending of the other. When we honor an ending in this way, just like the dancer or musician we don't get stuck in it without realizing it but move through it gracefully and allowing it to open us to the possibility and beauty of what is coming next.
The Equinox is also about balance and equilibrium, but that may not mean a 50/50 balance of anything, it means having a sense of fluidly moving back and forth on the continuum that is your life aligned with your energy. Our focuses may be stronger in one area of our life in this cycle than in others, and that is OK, once you let go of the idea that they all get equal attention you reduce the overwhelm. It is the practice of asking everyday what is in your joy and what wants to receive your focus and attention that day and do it. The old saying where attention goes, energy flows is true. Conversely, getting truthful about what you have been ignoring (usually for women it is self-care, self-pleasure, connection to inner wisdom, nature and the Divine) How is ignoring those things feeling in your body, manifesting in your emotions, impacting your soul and sacred work and start getting some clarity on what is important.
Here are some practices and plants to work with this time of year:
- Take note of how you are feeling in your physical body. It may be time to shift the teas you drink and the herbs you take. Some spring plants we will be discussing in depth throughout the spring months are Lemon Balm, energetically and physically one of our favorite plants to lighten your mood and brighten your day, Rosemary to encourage the focus we need to bring our visions into aligned actions. These two plants help to “lift the fog”. Chamomile to help with sluggish digestion as we change seasons and eating habits, dandelion and nettles both amazing spring tonics to support liver and kidneys, seasonal allergies and overall nutrition. Passionflower to help us let go, calm our minds, light up what needs to be seen, and gives us discernment to suspend actions or projects that aren’t aligned with your highest good.
- Open the windows and air your spaces out, Spring cleaning is not just for "cleaning" but literally resets the energy of a space (including your inner space.)
- Pay attention to what the animals, especially the birds are doing. Pay attention to what the plants and trees are doing in your bio-region.as well as, the plants. I go for slow walks and talk to nature. (No phones, no music, no podcasts). I ask nature to show me what I need to see in order to receive "navigational" guidance. When we pay attention, we receive answers. I ask nature to "show me what I am not seeing."
- Another inner inquiry you can ask during your quiet time is "what do I know now that I did not know in January about my visions, dreams, focuses?" "What is working and feeling flowing and harmonious, what is not working or feeling forced, or draining me of my energy."
- What shifts do I need to make to be more harmonious and flowing, what I am willing to let the "wind" take and clear out? (It is OK if something you thought you wanted to do in January, is not flowing or in your joy...let it go, it IS OK to reset visions, dreams, and goals AT ANY TIME that is right for you.)
- Where do I desire to put my life force focus, energy and resources towards to allow to blossom in the summer and harvest in fall (or next year if it is a larger vision that will take many cycles).
- Go plant something, speak your intentions into the seeds. It may not be time to plant outside yet so plant in pots indoors.
- Choose a favorite (or learn a new) creative or physical practice, make a commitment, make the time and space for it.
- Consider shifting the foods you take in from winter comfort food to lighter spring food. Add bitter greens like dandelion leaf to your salads and recipes.
