Admire each tiny shoot peeking up from the still-cold ground.
New green leaves and buds on the trees make me feel hopeful and excited about what is to come.
Longer days and more sun exposure can lift our moods without effort.
Fresh new colors and warmer temperatures are uplifting to the heart, body and mind.
“Spring unlocks the flowers to paint the laughing soil.” – Bishop Reginald Heber
Vernal equinox can land between March 19 and 21, depending on the year (by the meteorological calendar, spring will always start on 1 March). The length of day exactly equals the length of night and as we approach summer the days continue to lengthen, days get warmer and the Earth gets more energised.
The vernal equinox is celebrated by different cultures in different ways. Many Western traditions are rooted in early Germanic folklore. The holiday Ostara is named after the Anglo-Saxon goddess of fertility, spring, renewal, and fruitfulness. She is often associated with rabbits, eggs, and the full moon. In Old English, the spring goddess was called “Eostre.”
Spring is about emerging from winter and feeling the changing energy, appreciating the emerging life around us. It is a time to invite equilibrium and renewal into the mind, body, and spirit.
Spring is an exciting time to look forward to year after year. The weather starts to get warmer, the sun shines a little brighter and life just seems full of new beginnings. It is absolutely my favourite time of the year, probably because I am also a “Spring Baby” and I love the emergence of all the plants and flowers that have been dormant during the winter months – new beginnings are always a good thing, also it means I have kept my plants alive for another year to come!
It’s also the time to spend time outdoors, taking time to connect with nature and witness the changes happening all around us. Appreciating the beauty of new growth, knowing you are growing right alongside.
But also it’s important to take the time to relax when possible, the energy of the Spring Equinox and the full moon make mighty bedfellows but also we need to sit back and listen to the sounds and sights of this season. If possible avoid stress and rush, as we move into this new season – keep slow, grounded and conscious of all that is around, the changes, the scents, the animals emerging from their winter too..
I enjoy barefoot walking in the garden, I find it helps ground me and makes me feel more connected and enlivened, this is also a good reason to go and paddle in the sea. There are many benefits to grounding & earthing something I wrote about a couple of years ago!
Cleanse and Purify the home, Spring clean, sort, organise. Consider a subtle energy cleanse by visualisation, imagine a pure white light clearing your home or work space of all negative energy, this visualisation technique can be used in conjunction with burning Palo Santo, a sacred wood that is originally used by Indigenous communities of the Andes to clear stress and negativity. Sage is also a very good way to clear negative energy.
This is the time we all want to throw open our windows and doors, let the fresh air in, get the washing out on the line and start cleaning – everywhere including the garden!
The origin of the term “spring clean” traces back to nearly 3000 years ago, where in Persian culture, it is a spring tradition to “shake the house”, known as khaneh tekani. It was believed that sweeping up dust and removing clutter from one’s home would prevent ill-fortune in the year ahead.
Welcome Spring
Cleaning and organizing your personal spaces can give a sense of orderliness and control. The act of decluttering can be therapeutic, providing a much needed release from everyday stressors. Even simply having a clean and tidy living area can help lower your stress levels.
However, as much as we all look foward to the Spring Equinox, it’s important to note that not all
spring-related changes are positive for everyone’s mental health. The increased pollen count can lead to allergic reactions in many individuals. Symptoms like fatigue, congestion, and general discomfort from allergies can indirectly affect mood and overall mental well-being.
We need to ensure out sleep pattern changes alongside the lengthening days as many people actually find it harder to sleep during Spring and summer periods as the longer period of daylight can interfere with the production of melatonin, which can make it difficult to sleep. Cortisol levels are also an important factor for the circadian clock. Cortisol is a hormone that regulates many changes in our body that occur in response to stress.
Of course, increased sunlight can also help regulate circadian rhythms, which I will expand on a bit further next week with the DST change. However, more daylight can actually improve sleep quality and help reduce symptoms of insomnia. This could also be due to the fact we are “awakening” coming out of our winter slumber and beginning to enjoy the new energy we are feeling – we want to get outside more often and when the sun is out we find reasons to get outside, and after weeks of rain we need to be enjoying the sun for however long it is with us.
Why is Spring so good for our mental health?
Mainly it is due to the increased exposure to sunlight. During spring, the days start to get longer and the sun shines more often. This can have a positive effect on mental health, as exposure to sunlight triggers the production of vitamin D, which is a vital self-made vitamin which contributes to maintaining a healthy mood. Vitamin D is the only vitamin the body can produce itself, and the only way it can do this is by exposure to the sun’s rays (safely). This also means seeing out the period of SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) where sufferers experience feelings of low mood and depression due to the low levels of sunlight.
Spring weather encourages us to get outside and be more active, whether it’s going for a walk, hiking, or doing outdoor sports. Regular physical activity has been shown to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety and doing it outside in nature is one of the best things to do for mental health and wellbeing.
“I love spring anywhere, but if I could choose I would always greet it in a garden.”
Here’s to “better weather” I think we all deserve to flourish in the sunshine this week, the washing is out, the birds are singing merrily away, the windows are wide open and the garden is becoming alive once again.
Happy Spring to you all
March 20th 2024