Preparing for Spring: Spring Equinox 2020
During a very intense time for all of us in the world, we are greeted by the warm fires of Aries and the Spring Equinox. Marked by equal day and night, the Spring Equinox has been celebrated for centuries by many civilizations around the globe. It is a time of new beginnings, fresh starts and, of course, warmer days. It also marks the start of the Aries Season in astrology, the first sign of the zodiac and the beginning of the astrological year. In many ways, the Spring Equinox carries the energy of the New Year, when everything is possible and we have a chance to release the hardships of months past. Here are a few tips to help you harness the energy of this day and use it to make a fresh start in your life.
Walk in the Sun
Enjoy the warmth of the sun by walking, or hiking, around noon when the sun is highest in the sky. Feel the sensations of the warm rays on your face as it flows over the rest of your body. Bask in the sunshine and allow it to remind you of how it good it feels to be nourished by the Sun. Try practicing a walking meditation to fully immerse yourself in the sensations. To practice, take off your shoes, if possible, and start by feeling your feet connected to Mother Earth. Focus on your breath for a moment to settle into your body before you begin. Start to slowly walk in a circle. As you take your first step, exaggerate the movement. Pick your foot up, feel it suspended in the air for a moment, then place it gently down, rolling from the heel to the ball of the foot. Continue this exaggerated movement as you switch sides. Try to become completely absorbed with every minor movement your foot makes. The movement should be slow, taking your full awareness so you don’t lose your balance or start moving out of habit. Continue walking like this for 5-10 minutes as you absorb the sunshine.
Spring Cleaning
Clear out your clutter. Spring is a great time to clear away anything you no longer want, including mental habits and patterns. Take a half-day to clean your home and rid yourself of unwanted items. Also take care of things you left for another day, clearing the physical and mental blocks on your to-do list. As you do the physical parts of this cleaning, like sweeping your back deck, think about the mental and energetic things you’d like to cleanse away from you. This can be anything from limiting beliefs, old emotions or conditioned habits that no longer hold true for you. Make a list of these things that arise as you move about your home cleaning away old energies. Let the physical activity stir your mental space, breaking free stagnant energy in your environment and within your mind. Afterward, take the list and safely burn it. Align with the fires of Aries to set ablaze the things you no longer want, and send the energy back to the Earth so it may be composted into something new.
Write Intentions and Resolutions
The Spring Equinox is arguably the best time to set some intentions, as it carries the inherent energy of new beginnings. Use this time to revisit your intentions from the New Year and reaffirm if you still want to commit to them, or if you’d rather start in a new direction. What do you want to bring into your life this year? What energies do you want to call in or create? Write your intentions in the form of bold “I am” statements that direct the energy into your atmosphere. Examples are “I am courageous” or “I am capable of trusting myself.” Then set some new resolutions that will help these intentions develop. They can be in the form of schedules, like meditating every day, or they can be goals for over the course of the year, like learning how to rock climb. Whatever you choose to focus on, fully commit to your resolutions and feel the motivational energy of Aries helping you stay focused.
Bring Spring In
Bring the spring into your home by picking, or buying, yourself a beautiful bouquet of flowers. Consider this a form of self-care, and allow it to nourish yourself and your spirit. As you walk past the flowers each day, let them remind you of the beauty of the planet we live on and the wonderful shapes and colors it brings us. Consider bringing in flowers that align with the energy of Aries and fresh starts. Flowers like tulips, amaryllis or dahlias. Red roses are also a perfect flower for Aries, as they make just as much of a statement as the Ram herself. If these flowers don’t appeal to you, then find your favorites. You may even find yourself wanting potted plants that will last longer than a week or some new cacti that bring in the energy of spring through their vivid patterns and vibrant green coloring.
Self-Care
Just like the New Year, Spring is a wonderful time to set a new program of self-care. Additionally, Aries is the sign of the Self and reminds us to make ourselves a priority so we may be of service to others. This week of the Spring Equinox find new and inspiring ways to take care of yourself. Meditate daily, start a gratitude journey or, carve out time for yoga. You may even find yourself wanting to start a new project, or learn a new skill. Use the time we all have at home right now to nourish yourself and set the tone for the rest of the astrological year.
Feel into the beauty this season brings. Feel the wind and the breath available to us in Spring and it's capacity to heal both our physical bodies and our mental ones. Inhale the freshness of Spring and allow this energy to cleanse your entire energetic field as we prepare to shed the heaviness of this time. Remember, we are from nature and we follow the cycles of nature. Just as Spring brings new life to the plants around us, it will bring forth a new beginning for all beings on Earth.
Learn more about the start of the astrological year, rituals for Spring, and Self Care practices, with the Aries Workbook.
