I call the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia home.Mid March you could really see the beginnings of Winter transitioning into Spring. We had snow a few weeks ago sprinkled all over my daffodils like powdered sugar. It’s a lazy ease into warm days and cold nights. My body feels the same way. I want to bask in the warmness during the day then snuggle into warmth at night. I can feel myself coming out of an awakened slumber into the warmth and light with lots of stretches and yawns. I haven’t felt the need for the ritual of Spring Cleaning yet but I know I will, just as I know the trees will soon be filled with leaves.
In the last week or so I noticed something magical. I think all of nature and the seasons are magical, so even the tiniest of discovery is a moment to be in awe. I walk my woods and yard with my boys with their tails wagging and barking at any movement several times a day. I notice all the life that is returning back, the buds on the trees, how the lilies make their grand entrance first followed by Forsythias and other plant life. I check my herb garden, I notice how grass is greening and the peonies have shutes coming up, love is alive.
A few days ago on an early morning walk I had an awakening of my own. It was as though over night the wild cherry tree have come into full bloom. I then took notice of other tress and realized this happens at night during the darkness. It’s true. I had blooming buds that completely opened over night on several trees. This was true for my Dogwood trees, the Japanese Cheery trees and others. It really made me stop and think about this miraculous time and realizing the darkness and night hold so many mysteries and secrets. Don’t shut the door to your tress and gardens when the sun goes down. There are many plants and trees that flower at night, adding color and texture under the moonlight. White flowers, in particular, seem to glow in the evening.
As day begins to settle into dusk in our gardens, it’s time for night bloomers to take over, opening their blossoms and filling the evening with their lovely scents. Call these plants, with their romantic sounding names as evening primrose and angel’s trumpet, the flowering night shift. There is also the beauty of the Moon Flower that opens in the darkness. You can see the transformation take place before your eyes. They are the stars against the ground.
I find there is a connection between us and these night bloomers. We need the night and darkness for our body to blossom and shine too. As humans we go through many transitions and rejuvenation as we sleep and if we properly nurture our being we also are at full bloom before we awaken to the day and sun. Our bodies heal and thrive during this time but only if we tale proper care of our self. If you are waking up tired and not feeling rested, chances are you aren’t blooming either.
Here are several ways at night I prepare for my blossoming before the sun comes up and I am awakened from my slumber.
-An hour before bed I turn off all electronics and prepare for my ritual of washing my face, putting on luscious lotions and oils and stay present.
-I have a set bedtime from 11:00-11:30 pm. My goal is to get 7-8 hours of sleep every night.
-I don’t watch the news or allow negativity to enter my body. If I am watching a show with my husband and I find it disturbing, I compassionately excuse myself and find something else to do.
-I drink 8 ounces of water before getting into bed and turn on my essential oil diffuser.
-I have a blessing, prayer and candle ritual right before I get into bed.
-I make sure I am in love with my sheets, blankets and pillows. You would be amazed at how much better you feel getting into soft yumminess and fresh clean sheets.
-I make sure before I lay my head down at night on my pillow, all upsets are resolved and I am in a state of peace and ease.
Night nurturing is going to determine how you bloom and what growth you experience. I love that I noticed this transformation this Spring and see how it applies to our own being. Take a few moments out and think about your dark and night routine. Do you have one? What do you already do to bring the most beautiful bloom of you into fruition? How well do you sleep? What changes can you make in your life that will rejuvenate you during the night?
Karel Holloway wrote about the old-fashioned four o’clock (Mirabilis jalapa) which remains one of his favorites. It’s readily available and reliably begins blooming each afternoon. It also has a history.
He has written about “four o’clock parties.” In the 1800s, he says, French aristocrats would dress elegantly, ladies wearing gowns from the famous House of Worth, and promenade to the garden. When the four o’clocks began to bloom, he writes, “they would shout, ‘Mon Dieu!’ and toast them with Champagne.”
“Cheers” to an amazing Spring and Summer!
