Living with the seasons - Part 2

This is the second part of my four part series on living with the seasons. We are just about to go into Spring, although I don't believe we actually go into Spring until the Spring Equinox but for simplicity I will follow the more mainstream seasonal changes. As a reminder, our four seasons have an element and a humour attached to them. An element is either air, water, earth or fire (some people believe in a fifth element - ether) and each element is defined by a humour and its qualities. We are not going to get into humours in this post but rather their qualities in relation to the seasons. So, the elements are attached to the seasons and each element has a quality or humour as follows:

• Spring - Air - wet to hot

• Summer - Fire - hot to dry

• Autumn - Earth - dry to cold

• Winter - Water - cold to wet

Spring has the element of air attached to it. It is a much quicker energy than water that was the element in Winter. It is concerned with removing all the stagnant and stale energy and bringing in new and fresh energy that is filled with optimism, new ideas and a motivation to manifest the ideas that are bubbling to the surface. Why do you think we 'spring clean'? We are clearing away the old and letting there be room for the new. The qualities attached to Spring are that it goes from wet to hot. If you live in an area where it snows then as Spring arrives you notice that warmer days are coming through which start to melt the snow and warm the ground so that the dormant buds can push their way through the soil to feel the first rays of the sun on their leaves and petals. Trees start to show life again, bursting forth with little green buds. Baby animals are born now that the weather is warmer and nature stretches and gets ready for the activity of what is to come.

When I look at the Tarot, I see that Spring is connected to the suit of Swords (air) which is mostly about ideas and new concepts of living and being. This is a suit of cards that are definitely ruled more by the head than the heart.

This is a time when our Spirit awakens, refreshed and rejuvenated; ready to take on the world. It is a fresh start. It is also a time of change which can be good or a little uncomfortable, depending on how you handle change. This is where we start to form plans (plant seeds) and put into place the resources and tools that we will need to manifest our goals (those ideas that you were thinking about in winter). This is a time when it becomes important to work out who your support team is because it's highly likely that you will need their help at some stage. As we go into late Spring and the weather gets even warmer we start to act on those plans that have been percolating and are now ready to be put into action.

Change can be scary and the best way to calm your mind, body and spirit when you are facing change is to go back to your breath. Breathwork is so important at any time of the year but in particular, in Spring when we have all this new energy rising up around us, edging us on to move forward with our lives. Whenever you start to feel overwhelm knocking on your door, just stop and breathe. Close your eyes and take deep breaths to the count of five; in and out and as you breathe out, relax your body starting from your feet and making your way up your body until you feel calm and relaxed. It should only take five to ten minutes and then you can move on with your day. As I said in the first post on living with the seasons, change is the only constant in our lives, so it's time you became friends with it.

Spring can be such an energetic and exciting time for us. There is so much potential in the air. All you have to do is be open and ready to make use of this energy to propel you forward.

So, how do you implement this Spring energy into yours and your family's life? Here are some suggestions:

• Plant a veggie garden together. As we know vegetables are so good for us and they are even better when you know they have been grown with love by you. Remember, use as little chemicals as possible, preferably none (why spoil that goodness), and get the kids involved. They will love watching their vegetables grow before their very eyes. It also teaches them about cycles and seasons and that vegetables don't actually come from supermarkets;

• Start to spend more time outside. Go on picnics (let's bring them back into fashion), play French cricket at your local park with your neighbours or go on hikes. If you've let your outdoor entertaining area get a bit grubby over Winter, then spruce it up with a good clean and start to eat some of your meals outside;

• Get out into nature. This is going to be a suggestion for every season because being out in nature is one the best things we can do for our all over health. In Springtime you want to explore your National Parks. There will be wildflowers starting to bloom, but stick to the designated paths. You don't want to trample on these delicate buds. Some of the wildflowers in WA, take years to recover if they get trampled by some thoughtless person who wants a picture for their instagram account. Don't be a dolt! Respect nature.

• Start to write down all the ideas that are coming through for you. If you take them out of your head and put them onto paper then you make space for more ideas. Then you can go through them and decide which ideas have legs and what ones you want to follow up on.

• Spring clean! I know it's cliched but as I said previously, there is a reason why we do a major clean in Spring. It's also a really good time to do any decluttering. Don't forget to cleanse the energy in your personal spaces. You can do this by smudging with a cleansing herb (see your local new age shop; just make sure they sell ethical products), or opening the windows and doors and banging pots and pans together in every room and corner (the kids love this one) so that stagnant energy can move on.

• If you took the whole Winter hibernation thing to heart and you haven't gotten off the couch for a while then Spring is definitely the time to start exercising again. Move that body!

• I know we usually make resolutions in January at New Year but the best time to make them is actually in Spring, in the energy of fresh starts. So, if you're into making resolutions, now is the time to do it. It will be much easier to stick to them when you are working with the energy of Spring.

• Breathe. After all, we are in the season of the element of air and air is with us from the very beginning. Isn't the first thing we do when we are born, is to take a deep breath and let air fill our lungs? It's what starts us on our journey.

• And once again, don't forget to have fun.

So say goodbye to Winter and jump into Spring, ready to start anew. What will you create this year?

Until next time...

Photo Credit: Nik - Unsplash

Photo Credit: bunting wild photography - Unsplash

Photo Credit: Megan Clark - Unsplash