Spring is the best, chuck out the rest...
It's the story of the Rhythm of Life,an ever continuing journey guided by the sun and directed by how we choose to walk on the earth. Each year, we travel more deeply into the Journey of the Self, we don't go round and round : we go deeper and deeper. Thus, the celebrations of the seasons occur as a Spiral.
By learning to mark each significant event in Ceremony, we teach the Self to honour that which begins and ends. We connect to the ancient cycles of life and death, and become one with Change. With this sacred intention, we activate our own ability to truly weather any storm, and celebrate in the most joyous energies of the new.
It is in our blood to follow the seasons. Our ancestors, no matter from which land they came, new Nature as an intimate ally. They learned of both her nurture and cruelty. They learned how to move with her flow, and accept whatever she brought. As communities developed agriculture, they began to rely on Mama Earth and her seasons to send clear messages of best times to plant, harvest and when to rest.
Here are some activities we have included in village community festivals for Spring Ceremonies.
You could use this list of activities to create your own event. This is only a small list of what is possible. Check out my Pinterest board for Spring: Indigo Mama Style for more ideas.
Egg Painting
It is traditional to decorate eggs and spaces with symbols of new life and regeneration. This is, of course, where the custom of 'Easter eggs' comes from, and many other Easter symbols.
People would create wreaths (unlike the round circle wreaths we use today these wreaths were made like a wheel with spokes to represent the wheel of the year) from natural materials, and cover in flowers and buds. They would be hung on the door of the house to celebrate the emergence of the Lady of the Spiral – to show that this house has re-emerged and carries within them the light of new beginnings.
Woven Nature Carpet
Bring items from your garden : flowers, roots, leaves, stems and branches. Throughout the day take time to weave your intentions into a Nature Carpet.
Verse reading : Share a verse about the season
There are some beautiful pieces written about the Spring. Or perhaps you want to share about something in theme with the Lady of the Spiral's journey at this time of the year. Or about rebirth, intentions, fertility, newness...?
Encourage your children to perform skits for the blossoming, poems to the seasons or tell stories about their plans for the future. We often tell the story about Persephone and her journey through the Seasons.
Egg Hunt
Traditional practices are maintained in the now common figure of the Easter Bunny (Goddess Eostre) as well as in the story of Christ's death and rebirth. Eostre is the Northern Goddess of the Spring, who was always surrounded by baby animals and from who's footsteps grew flowers.
For young girls in the Rite of Passage phase of life (menarche/puberty) the finding of the eggs represents something significant : the beginning of fertility and initiation into the Mysteries. These eggs are painted red and when received by these adolescents, signifies that they will soon enter the Womb Lodge for Ceremony.
Other eggs are painted in various fun colours for younger children. It is fun to cast future stories (read the future) by divining the messages on the eggs found. It is appropriate for a woman who has entered the Mysteries more than once to be the 'priestess' and divine the messages given by the eggs found.
Seed Bombs
Seed Bombs are a mixture of compost, clay and food seeds that are mixed, dried and then 'bombed' in guerilla style to allow the growing of seeds, blossom and fruit in otherwise unsuspected places.
We mix the clay and seeds and water and any egg yolks left over from earlier crafts, and massage the mixture together.
Once mixed the children shape and define their 'bombs'. Then they run around throwing them on our land, as well as keep some to take home to bomb their own neighbourhood.
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The details in this post are taken from my upcoming Unit #8 : Self Crafted Seasons. If you'd like to see more sneak peeks of pieces as they come together, become a Patron of the Institute for Self Crafting and have access to the patron-only feed. How does it get better than that? Check out the possiblities here >>>
We live in a cyclic world, where with every ending, there is already a beginning, and at each beginning, something must come to an end. Nature is a continuing cycle of birth, growth, abundance, harvest, death and rebirth, and she has much to teach us. When we learn to come to terms with her never ending cycle of change, we are much better equipped to face the many changes that occur in our own lives.
The Spiral of the Sabbatts is the story of the seasons throughout the year. It is a story that changes between lands, from country to country, continent to continent. We the humans did not write this story. It is written by the land, the trees, the flowers, the animals and the Sun above.
A festival calendar of eight celebrations is common in modern honouring of the seasons. This is a system built on the themes and festivities of the Old Ways of Celtic and Scandinavian/Germanic peoples, from a time where people lived off the land. This journey throughout the year is often called a Wheel, but I like to call it a Spiral, because it does not spin and spin the same each cycle. Rather, the year takes us on a journey, and with each intentional celebration comes lessons about and for our Deep Self.
The journey of the seasons is a Way of Life, that as we work with it, may add depth and meaning to our lives beyond measure.
As we explore and celebrate each season within the Rhythm of Life, we enter awareness of where and how we live. As a modern approach to understanding who you are as you stand on Mama Earth, seasonal awareness has the potential to reflect deeper understanding of the Five Elements of Wellness: nutrition, light, flow, movement and the inner tuition of being guided within the rhythm through the specific energy of each season. The Spiral of the Sabbatts is an ongoing journey of connection and communion with Mother Earth.
Regardless of which season is your 'favourite,' it's really not a great idea to "chuck out the rest" as the title of this post would suggest. The journey of celebrating moments in the year stand as more than dates on a calendar. Noticing the changes in your environment (and your Self) are powerful tools for change. There's a darker flow and there's a lighter flow, moments of cold and moments of warmth. It's all an important element to the cycles of the Rhythm of Life. We can no more throw away the cold days than we can get rid of the moon.
While you enjoy the return of the warmth in Spring, take a moment to look back at the year that has been, and get clear on the choices you are making for the year ahead. In this way, honouring the seasons is a journey that brings a sense of depth and advancement in your own journey of authenticity, of Being the Rhythm, and of creating a life that sets you free.
