Blog 7: Spring Awakening

On March 19th, those of us in the Northern Hemisphere welcome the vernal equinox. A solar equinox occurs when the sun aligns exactly over the Earth's equator causing day and night to be (nearly) equal in length. This happens twice a year as the Earth orbits the sun, once in March and once in September. In the Northern Hemisphere the vernal equinox is what determines the first day of the season of spring. Meanwhile, the September or autumnal equinox is recognized as the first day of autumn.

So tomorrow is the first day of spring. And spring has always been my favorite season. Perhaps this has something to do with the fact that I was born on a Monday morning in May. I love mornings too, and Mondays. The feeling of a fresh start energizes me.

Superbloom Spring 2023

I love everything that springtime represents. I love to witness new life emerging and the feelings of hope and optimism that come along with it. Especially as one who grew up in an old, drafty house in New England at a time when winter really was icy, cold, barren and lifeless. The coming of spring to me always felt like the most celebratory time of year. There was a palpable sense of renewal; like an awakening, or a coming back to life.

Now that I live in Southern California, the seasons are not so stark. Winter days here actually feel similar to early spring days in the northeast. But after years of living in Ojai I have learned to notice the subtle differences each season has to offer. I have been learning to honor the seasonal cycles and to align my own personal development to the natural rhythm of the turning of the seasons. I have been finding that by living with intentional seasonal attunement and treating my physical and energetic body differently based on what nature is providing I have been better able to care for myself.

When we pay attention to nature, we recognize that each season provides it own form of nourishment. The winter, for example provides us with the gifts of darkness, quiet, and rest. When we are present with what is being offered and allow it to support us on our journey of becoming, we can set ourselves up for the possibility of a better future without getting too far ahead of ourselves or rushing to get to that next thing.

Seasonal living is a major tenet of the ayurvedic medicine system which I have been studying informally for a number of years from a variety of teachers, ayurvedic practitioners, and books. I would also like to give a special shoutout to my yoga teacher and friend, Pixie Stevenson, for teaching me much of what I know now about living in alignment with the seasons. Pixie, if you're reading this, thank you thank you thank you.

As we continue on this Big Brain Blog journey together I expect to write more about seasonal living as it pertains to holistic wellbeing. In honor and celebration of tomorrow's Vernal Equinox and the first day of spring, the practice I am going to write about today is the practice of planting seeds of intention.

But first a little more background on the significance of the first day of spring...

Historically, for many cultures around the globe as well as on the astrological calendar, the first day of spring is synonymous with the first day of a new year. The ancient Romans celebrated the founding of Rome and the beginning of the new year in March, ancient Egyptians celebrated the start of their new year on the vernal equinox, and the Iranian new year, Nowruz has been celebrated on the first day of spring for over 3,000 years just to name a few. I must agree that to me the first day of spring feels like the most fitting beginning to a new year.

Just think of all that spring brings forth and represents; fertility, new life, longer days, growth, renewal, anticipation...

Within this season nature provides the support needed to usher in the potential for new projects, new ideas, new ways of being. Days are longer, the earth is wet and fertile, the weather is generally warmer, animals are being born, and plant life flourishes. There is an undeniable sense of possibility.

Just as farmers plants their seeds in the spring we too can metaphorically plant our seeds of intention for all that we are wanting to manifest through the coming year. 

So what is my practice for planting seeds of intention?

Instead of jotting out a list of new year's resolutions on January 1st, when the days are dark and cold and quiet, I spend the winter season turning inward, clearing emotional space, uncovering a clearer sense of who I want to grow into, and gaining clarity about what I want to manifest in my life.

Then, on the first day of spring, I set about writing my intentions with depth and detail. For me this is more than a bullet-pointed list of goals or good ideas. My list is meaningful and has come through to me after three months of deep reflection and introspection. When writing out my intentions I get into the particulars about all that I want to create for myself. I really dig into how I want to feel and why I want the things that I want. And, when applicable, I include details about how I might begin to take action towards manifesting these hopes and dreams.

After channeling my intentions I like to read them out loud to either to myself or to some friends. And periodically, as the weeks go by, I will return to my list and add any actions or notes of clarity, occasionally weeding out things that no longer align.

I plant my seeds in springtime because the planet is gifting me the tools I need to nurture my intentions. Increased daylight gifts me more energy to tend to my goals. Witnessing to the natural beauty all around, seeing the lushness of the earth, the horses grazing green grass, smelling the aromatic flowers in bloom and the moisture that hangs in the air is inspiring. It opens my mind to the possibilities of goodness and beauty.

I am also shown that nature does not hurry. Nature does not rush the process of becoming and neither should you and neither should I, no matter how much I want to see my dreams actualized right now. Growth happens slowly. Another lesson from nature. But still, and forever still, growth happens. And trusting this process by gracefully nurturing my intentions without forcefulness or urgency is what inevitably yields the best results.

Now I recognize that I am among the privileged few who are fortunate enough to be surrounded by such a beautiful and life-affirming landscape everyday. I also recognize that many people on the planet right now at this very moment are being subjected to unimaginable terrors, war, political unrest, violence of all kinds. It feels almost silly of me to sit here and wax poetic about horses and flowers and daydreams of the seemingly endless possibilities for my future with the awareness that so many are suffering with little hope of a better future in sight.

But then again, holding that awareness might just be the very reason why it is so vital to take the time to acknowledge, appreciate, and be inspired by the signs of life all around me because this goodness is not a guarantee and therefore, not something that should be taken for granted.

So allow me to offer a suggestion of an intention that we all may adopt this spring. Let's all set an intention to notice one sign of life each day and take a moment to acknowledge its beauty and feel grateful for it. Maybe it's seeing a new bud unfurl or witnessing a bird making its nest.

California Poppy March 2024

Maybe it's finding a dandelion growing up from a crack in the sidewalk. It doesn't matter what it is so long as we are connecting with the feeling of gratitude that we get to see it and be with it. And maybe, by adopting this practice, we can begin to feel greater appreciation for our lives so much so that we become inspired to want to create more good in the world.

This is not an original idea, this is the philosophy of many spiritual teachers. And it might even sound a bit cheesy. But it's such a simple practice we might as well try it, commit to it, and notice if it brings us closer to a better quality of life.

I expect my future visions will continue to evolve and change throughout my life as I continue to turn with the earth. But for the moment the intentions that I plant this spring are totally aligned with who I am authentically and I trust that bringing these intentions to fruition will bring about even more goodness to my life and to the lives of those around me. With the energy of gratitude and a sense of possibility - and all the emerging creations surrounding me, springtime is the ripe time for setting intentions.

If you're like me an love a good ritual, here are some practices that I have learned from my teachers over the years that you might like to implement when writing your intentions:

• spend time in nature, pay attention to signs of spring

• gather flowers or other gifts from nature to place on an alter or press in your journal

• light a new new candle to signify the start of a new beginning

• cleanse the space around you by burning incense, sage, or palo santo

• consider what you want to grow in your life this year- focus on the quality of the life you want to live

• consider habits or ways of being that are not serving your highest potential that you can leave behind

• write a list of all the habits, behaviors, and thought patterns that are not serving you then burn that piece of paper

• write everything that you are calling in, everything you do want to grow... write in detail, get into the feeling, write as if it is already happening and is on its way to you

• make a copy (on compostable paper) of that which you want to grow and plant it in the earth or place in a bowl of water

• give voice to your intentions, read them out loud to yourself or a trusted friend

• plant some seeds in your garden, pot, or a cup

I wish you all a happy Spring Awakening! Please feel free to share some of your spring intentions in the comments below. And as always, be well and stay curious.

Ojai March 2024

With lots of love from,

Chrissy Dasco-Uribe