“Spring has sprung, the grass has riz, I wonder where the flowers is?” a pithy verse that my Mother used to say around this time of year. And riz it has! As I was walking today, I noticed the first blossom on a beaver-tail cactus, brilliantly pink and staring at the sun. This past weekend we passed the equinox, a time of year where the day and nighttime hours are the same in length. It’s one of the auspicious times of the year to take note of with the other times being the solstices, as well as when the light is either fading in or out, at both sunrise and sunset. It is suggested that meditating at the cusp of the light change offers an energy unlike any other time of the day. It’s a subtle shift, the time when birds and frogs are either just awakening or bunking down for the night. It’s when we see the first star in the sky or the brilliant hue just before the sun beams over the horizon.
And for us in the northern hemisphere, we are reawakening from the winter months where we have been called inward, to slow down, and hibernate. As spring beckons us, we are drawn outside to shake off stagnation, raise the metabolic rate, and defrost from chilly overnight lows. It’s this time of the year we begin to kick off the socks and woolly pullovers. As for those of us in the desert, it’s time to truly enjoy this time of transition where we can fling our doors open and not have to run the air-conditioning for as we know, heat is on its way!
Spring is also a time to take stock of what you planted in your inner soil last fall. What intentions did you set six months ago? Are you seeing them taking form now? It’s a time to check in with yourself to see if something is ready to come more fully into manifestation and fully honor the transition into a new season. As the Kirtan artist Girish says, “…with loving compassion for yourself, for our Earth, and for our global family; it’s a time to allow some space for new growth and to acknowledge what is growing and be fully present with that growth and whatever changes are happening right now.”
Many people are motivated at this time of year to clear out the cobwebs of winter with a spring cleaning of their home, undertaking an Ayurvedic cleanse, purging items from their house and downsizing what clutter may have accumulated, and embracing the vitality of springing into action. As we head toward the summer Solstice, our days begin to lengthen and with this increasing light, it’s also the perfect time to find clarity.
A couple of years ago, I was in a place of “trying to figure things out” and make some decisions about my future and the choices I was needing to make in the present moment to set the stage for that future. But I was fuzzy on what I needed to do and felt for quite some time paralyzed around taking the next step. I knew I was unclear and was quietly hoping for a sign which showed itself upon arrival at Sanctuary Retreat, in Queensland, Australia. I see the scene so clearly now…I came across a staff member at Sanctuary that I have known for a few years. Her smile alone is a radiant light and we were both joyful in seeing each other once again. When asking about how each other was doing, she pointed to her necklace which she had made. I mentioned how I had noticed it and she said the stone represented “clarity”. Yes! That was it! I was looking for clarity with my indecision and asked if she would make me a piece of jewelry with that stone. For a few months, every time I wore the gorgeous earrings she had made, I would be reminded of my intention to find clarity…and I did.
The essence of this story is what we put our energy towards, where we focus our attention, how we set intentions, and stay consistent with those things is like taking a trowel into our inner garden and planting what we wish to bring to life. It may take time, and in an impatient world, it may seem as though nothing is happening. Yet, when the conditions are right, when we’ve nourished the soil and tended to the metaphorical weeds, things blossom. And so I am reminded once again, with the arrival of this new season, to tend to my inner garden and honor the many times I have put my hands in the dirt and am reaping what I sowed several months ago.
May you be reaping the benefits of all you’ve planted in your life and may you take some time to enjoy the beauty of all that has come to life through your own energy and effort. Happy equinox!
