Happy Spring
Happy Spring Equinox!!! March 20th is the first day of Spring in 2021, today we are experiencing the shift from Winter to a warmer and sunnier period. Lots of cultures and traditions celebrate this day. Happy Nowruz to many! In Hungary, we have folk traditions around this time. And it is extra special for me as they fall on my Dad's nameday and birthday: our tradition states that Spring starts on March 19th...
Today the light and dark are being balanced and from now on we will have more light each day... Many of us are probably ready for a new start a fresh beginning filled with new energy, hope and plans.
So why don't you do something today to note the importance of this shift. Here are some rituals you can easily do to bring in the energy you need:
1. Create an altar: creating an altar is beautiful way to celebrate Spring and call in the divine energy. This can be done indoors or outdoors. Find a peaceful place and then call in the elements of wood, air, earth, water and fire. You can have a feather for air, a branch for wood, a potted plant for earth, a candle for fire and a cup of water with some essential oil in it for water... Outside gather what speaks to you... You can also bring in crystals as well. You can do these with your children. And you can even plant seeds. Use your imagination.
2. Have some blessed food: /drink: make your meal today mindfully. Say a blessing for it before you would consume it. Place a cup of tea on your altar... Honey and hard boiled eggs are symbols of new life. You can also put some dried fruits and nuts, anything that reminds you of Spring.
3. Open a sacred space: Opening sacred space can be as simple as meditating and calling in your spirit guides, and angels. You can also call qualities into the space and/or archetypes that you work with. Listen to your heart. You may call in grounding, love, joy, abundance, appreciation, truth or anything that comes to you in the moment.
4. Cleanse: Open your windows and cleanse your house by smudging with sage or palo santo. Smudging is a common practice to purify energy of a space, or even yourself.
5. Get outdoors: Wake up with the sun! Go for a walk or take a hike. Even better, take off your shoes and ground while you’re at it. There is extensive research on the health benefits of connecting to the Earth, commonly referred to as “Earthing.” We absorb negative ions from the Earth that neutralize free radicals which lead to disease and inflammation in the body. Thirty minutes is recommended(!) but even a few minutes of being barefoot on the Earth will make you feel like you can breathe deeper. Give it a try and feel the effects on your energy and stress level.
6. 108 is great: Practicing 108 sun salutations is a tradition to mark the changing of the seasons. 108 is an auspicious number in many spiritual traditions. If 108 sounds like a lot, pick a smaller number like your age, or a number that is sacred to you.
Or skip the physical practice altogether and make yourself a mala necklace with 108 beads or a mala bracelet. Creating Malas is very meditative in itself, but these were originally intended to count mantras in meditation.
7. Meditate, sing, dance: Once you have created an altar and opened sacred space, this is the perfect time to meditate, journal, chant, sing or even dance. You can do ceremony by yourself or gather a circle of friends. Journaling can be great after you sit in meditation. Stream of consciousness gratitude journaling gets you in the flow and in alignment. It’s nice to give yourself “props’ for the things you have accomplished last season or even in the past year. Then write your intentions for what your heart desires to create. Remember to write in the present tense so your subconscious knows it as done rather than somewhere in the future. Happy Spring!