Sensuous Spring Fever

There are times to cultivate and create, when you nurture your world and give birth to new ideas and ventures. There are times of flourishing and abundance, when life feels in full bloom, energized and expanding. And there are times of fruition, when things come to an end. They have reached their climax and must be harvested before they begin to fade. And finally of course, there are times that are cold, and cutting and empty, times when the spring of new beginnings seems like a distant dream. Those rhythms in life are natural events. They weave into one another as day follows night, bringing, not messages of hope and fear, but messages of how things are.

The feel of Spring was in the air today. A strong breeze was blowing stoic large pines and decayed leaves from Winter.  I was so thankful for the bright sun and much warmer temperatures. I love mornings like this. It allows me to be one with nature while doing yoga and meditation outside with Mother Earth.  Here in the Roanoke Valley where I live, it has been a wet than the normal Winter season. This has meant spending days watching gray clouds, rain and a few Winter snows.  I have been saying for a while now, “I am so looking forward to Spring.”

Spring has always been my favorite season. I love the beginnings of the buds on the trees that will blossom and turn to leaves, the brilliant colors from blooms and I am in awe watching the way life makes its way through the hard ground. I can smell the sensuous juiciness of change. My body’s rhythm is very connected to this season. It is when I feel the best inside and out, and I prepare for Spring as though I am preparing for guests. As women, I truly believe we nurture our favorite season and prepare for its arrival in many ways. What I want to cook and eat changes, the dishes I use changes, and the beds are dressed differently as well. I put up a different ornamentation on my door and change the look inside my home to reflect my love for Spring. I am more creative and ritual during Spring. I am already working on my Ostara Alter. This is the time of the year I bring the outdoors, indoors.

We all have these same seasonal rhythms in our body. We follow right along with nature, and we become one with each season. Our body changes with the seasons, with the weather, with the atmospheric conditions. Many people can tell in their bones, especially women, when a change in weather is coming. Human bodies are in sync with the forces, shifts, cold and heat, light and dark, humidity and all the other variations that the seasons bring. They respond and shift their functioning according to these natural dynamics. All living organisms change with the different rhythms and seasons. Lunar changes are important to the body, plant life and new growth.

Regardless of location or traditional cultures, there is an awareness that we are continuously affected by the changing of seasons.Knowing this, as we care for our health and our bodies, we are able to adapt compassionately to the natural rhythms of the earth. This is especially true for me in the Spring season. The season brings creative juicy energy. I plan for the rhythm of this season and treat myself with what my heart desires, lots of time digging in the dirt, warm days and great book reading on my patio.

The seasonal rhythms are meant to be celebrated, nurtured and loved as all of nature is intended to be. When our patterns are ebbing and flowing according to their natural rhythms, our body is perfectly synchronized and performs at its peak. We have effortless energy and vitality when we live in accordance with nature and seasonal rhythms. We learn lessons from the rhythms of each season; it is a warm and compelling adventure that enables us to see ourselves with fresh tenderness. In an engaging manner, it offers hope and encouragement in the face of the hectic, stress-filled demands of life.

I hope this has inspired each of us to become “aware” of the rhythms of the Spring season and embrace the newness in our hearts as something to cherish and look forward to. Change will be here soon, what simplistic rhythms of Spring fill your heart with joy, love and the juiciness of this birth season?