I live in England and have done for my whole life. I am a big fan of many English traditions – eating fish and chips, going to the pub, queuing. And of course, talking about the weather. If you don’t mention weather at least once a day, are you even English? Our winters are long and often dreary and so a big part of English culture is to complain about the weather for about six months of the year. From about mid-September to March, the skies are largely grey, the air is cold and damp and rain regularly falls from the sky. We don’t see the sun for months on end. And boy, do we love to complain about it. We put on our coats and we glare up at the sky and we moan about “the bloody weather”.
However, once the grey skies start to lift and the sun re-emerges then our whole world changes. Yes, our winter seems long, however our geographical location on this planet is also a blessing. Unlike many other countries, our seasons are distinct. Azure blue skies in summer, brown leaves slowly falling in autumn, cold grey winters… and then spring.
There is something so very magical about the start of spring. After long months of being shrouded in grey, we feel something on our faces we have almost forgotten about. The sun. The blanket of cloud thins and the sun starts to peek through. We catch a glimpse of blue sky. The air doesn’t feel so cold and we can unbutton our coats. We lift our heads and look around rather than stolidly staring at the ground as we trudge from place to place.
We smile. Spring is starting.
Many of us spend a huge amount of money and time in our search for the sacred. Costly crystals, expensive spirituality courses, extravagant travels to faraway places. And don’t get me wrong, I own crystals and have taken many courses and I love to seek out sacred sites on the other side of the world. But we can find the sacred without any of these things. The seasons are sacred. Springtime is sacred. The unique turning of our planet as we travel around our sun has given us this incredible gift. We feel ourselves emerging from the darkness, we turn our faces to the light, we hear the birdsong begin in the trees. Springtime feels like the world being reborn. Light appears, life emerges, green bursts forth from the grey. Springtime is life. Springtime is hope. Springtime is joy. When you walk out into a spring day when the air feels so fresh and the buds grace the trees then anything seems possible.
So, how can we embrace the magic of spring and create a simple sacred experience?
1. Sacred sunshine. The sun gives life to 99% of life on our planet (with the exception of fantastic creatures that live in the darkest depths of the ocean and survive by chemosynthesis). Turn your face up to the sun. Feel its warmth. Feel its life-giving rays. Give thanks to sun goddesses such as Amaterasu (Japanese), Sunna (Norse) or Alectrona (Greek). Feel the light bathing your body and visualise it washing away any negativity or doubt. Visualise it energising every cell in your body. Smile up at the sun.
2. Greet the green. Winter feels so very grey. But once springtime starts, green starts to peek at the edges. Beautiful bright buds appear on the trees. The new leaves are the greenest of green; an almost luminescent hue. Go out into nature (if you can), sit beneath a tree. Look up at the new leaves and the bright buds. Visualise yourself being bathed in a green glow. Green is the colour of peace, of healing, of fertility. Take what you need – serenity and loss of stress, healing for body and mind, fertility and success for your projects.
3. Start something new. Spring is a time of rebirth and renewal. Emerge from the slumber of your wintry cave, shake off your sleepy head and plan a new project. That book you’ve always wanted to write. That craft project you’ve always wanted to create. That career you always wanted to carve out. Utilise the fresh spring energy and start it now. Don’t delay. Don’t let doubt stand in your way. Spring is on your side.
4. Bless the blossom. Is there anything more magical than the delicate, fragrant blossom that briefly covers the trees? The softest petals of pink and white that herald that life has returned to the land. They are so fleeting, and before we know it the air is filled with floating blossom and a pastel petal carpet lies softly on the ground. Before it falls, head to a tree laden with blossom. Stand beneath it and look up. Immerse yourself in the soft hues and gentle energy. Reach up and touch the blossom. Ask for its blessing. Take a moment and let go of stress, fear, doubt. Allow the softness to surround you. If you can, brush the blossom against your cheek. Be blessed.
5. Honour Goddess. Create a small altar to honour the Goddess of Spring. I like to find a quiet spot outdoors and create a small biodegradable altar of leaves, petals, flowers. I dedicate it to Goddesses of Spring – Persephone, Flora, Blodeuwedd, Maia, Ostara, Hare Ke, Rafu Sen. I greet the Goddess of Spring and thank Her for the life, hope and potential that pours forth at this time. At the end I leave an offering of birdseed and fruit for Her and for the animals.
So you see, it is simple to celebrate the sacred season of spring. May we all be blessed by its joy (and may we celebrate finally packing up our jumpers for a few months and talking about something other than rain!)
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