photo by Sofia Rose Smith
I was born in April, so spring has always been a powerful time for me. That said, I haven't always practiced ceremony around the coming of this season. I haven't always held reverence for the Sun, for the spring, for all the magic that the light & warmth of the Sun brings to us.
March 20th marks the opening of spring.
The Sun is returning to us.
The Spring Equinox is a sweet moment of balance - where the darkness and the light are in a kind of equanimity. We may feel calm on this day, balanced like the Sun and the Moon.
Having a small ceremony to honor this transition can help bring you some calm and balance.
This year, I'll be gathering with a group of sweet souls to celebrate the coming of spring.
We'll gather in a circle and create a community altar.
We'll bring flowers as a symbol of spring and of the awesome blooms we are calling in for our lives.
We'll do some guided visualizations and write our dreams into existence.
Spring Equinox rituals are as ancient as the moon.
How can you honor this opening for yourself? Here are 7 ways:
1. Create an Altar
Making an altar space is one of the sweetest ways to call in Spirit (whatever that means to you -- the Divine Force, the Universe, your Ancestors, Magic). I love to think of the elements as I create my altar. I lay down a beautiful fabric. Then, I gather the fire, the candles. I may bring flowers, stones and wood, honoring the Earth element -- flowers & plants are especially potent for the Spring Equinox, symbolizing new growth and new blooms. I honor the waters and bring a bowl of water to my altar, perhaps sweetened by flower petals or lavender oil. I play music or my singing bowl, honoring the air and wind element necessary for sound (and of course, I breathe). The act of creating an altar is itself sacred. It slows you down. It brings you into the present moment. Do this with just you or collectively with community.
2. Open Ceremony
How do you create sacred space? Simply by intentionally thinking or speaking it into existence. You can thank your Ancestors and Guides, the Earth, all the elements for guiding and protecting you. Open with gratitude. Really feel into it. Say thank you. And then ask for the permission to open up sacred space. Wait for the feeling of yes and then declare that the channel is open.
3. Write & Express Your Dreams!
Gather in a circle (or with yourself) to write and then speak or express that which you want to create for spring. Springtime is about creation. It's about the sprouting of seeds. It's about the blossoming of your dreams. And, the Universe hears and witnesses you. When you take the dreams that have been brewing in you, and write them, you are answering your calling. When you speak them aloud (3 times is magic) or express them through your body or art, the power of your dreams magnifies. Having a witness there can empower these dreams even further. When we express or speak our dreams, we begin to call them closer to us and believe in them. Then, watch how the Universe works to bring your dreams into being for and with you. If you need help with this, here is a guided visualization I've recorded to support your writing and dreaming!
4. Plant Seeds
Bring some seeds or bulbs that you love to your ceremony. Let them rest in the palms of your hands or on your altar space. Let them be infused by your dreams, all that you want to call in, all that you are speaking into existence. Then, as you move through your ceremony, plant this seed in the ground or in a pot. Let the seeds hold your intentions and be nourished by you. Water them over the next month, and remember your dream seeds every time you nourish the plant. Have fun with this. Let it bring a smile to your face and your heart.
5. Celebrate
Close your ceremony with a heart meditation and/or a giggle fest! Eat donuts or sweet breads. Honey & hard-boiled eggs (symbols of new life). Sweet wines or teas. Be with the coming of the Sun, grateful for the new warmth and light that is headed our way!
6. Rise with the Sun
The next morning, rise with the Sun. Say hello and thank you! If you can, rise with the sun intentionally once a week to feel into your gratitude for your life, and for all that the Sun brings to you (literally, all of life -- food, animals, the ecosystem, warmth, light...).
7. Love Daily
See how you can honor the spring time over the next month! Play outside. Watch the sunrise and sunset. Giggle. Dream. Write. Be everything that makes you feel good and blooming.
Let me know how it goes in the comments below!
Sofia Rose Smith is a queer feminist intuitive guide & healer. Visit her website to connect with her and enjoy this Spring Equinox meditation.