How do we spring-clean our souls to welcome in new possibilities??
Upon feeling the first hints of warm air, our energy starts to change. We are like new buds emerging from the soil and extending towards the sun. Inside, we sense an urge to purge–to dust the house, to declutter, to donate unused clothes. The clocks spring ahead, adding an extra hour of sunlight to your afternoon. We want to walk outside, put seeds in the bird feeder, and open the windows to let in the clean air. While we concentrate all of our efforts on cleansing our spaces, we need to tend to our spirits, as well. But the process feels so abstract.
Here are some reflections and rituals for doing just that. There is a journal prompt to explore for each step, paired with a symbolic action. These can be done anytime during spring but are particularly impactful on March 20, the Spring Equinox, when there are equal hours of day and night, offering a sense of balance as you begin to transition into a more energetic state. Your energy might feel stagnant at the end of winter, so these questions cut right to the core of what needs cleansing
Open the Windows
Prompts: How do I want to feel this spring? What stale emotions do I need to release? What spring energy do I need to let in?
Ritual: Each time you open a window to let out the stale air, think of something internally that can also be released. Next, gather and donate objects that no longer serve you, thanking them as you pack them up. Create a small altar of things that bring you joy and fresh energy.
Shed Old Identities
Prompts: Spring is a time of release and rebirth. What identities do you want to shed? What core components of yourself do you want to reveal this season?
Ritual: Self-expression is a beautiful way to show the world what you’re feeling on the inside. What colors and textures are you drawn to now? Adorn yourself in a shawl, necklace, or item that makes you feel like the most authentic version of yourself.
Nourish Yourself with the Season
Prompts: What nourishment is your body craving in this new season? What nutrients does your body need? Pause, listen to your body and write what comes.
Ritual: Explore the grocery market with fresh eyes. What new product is in season? Grapefruit, kiwis, peas, and avocados are beautifully ripe in the spring. Create a Spring Equinox meal that honors the new season and your changing palette.
Explore Nature through a Noticing Walk
Prompts: Write a list of senses your soul has been deprived of throughout winter and what sounds, smells, and sights you’re most looking forward to in spring. What delights you?
Ritual: Go on a walk with nature. Decide on a place and time where you can spend a half-hour or an entire day surrounded by new smells and colors. A Botanic Garden? A Nature Preserve? If you’re in your own backyard, can you take your shoes off and feel the earth beneath your toes. As you walk, slowly, give your brain the job to simply notice one new thing every few moments. The more attention you give to nature, the more wonder it brings to you.
Grow Your Garden
Prompts: What relationships, habits, and thoughts do you hope to foster this season? What is your plan for planting and tending to them? What do you hope will flourish and blossom in late spring?
Ritual: All important things need tending. Create a weekly ritual for connecting with yourself or a loved one. Plan a regular walk, coffee date, or phone call with your beloveds. What about a weekly date with yourself? Can you take yourself out to breakfast and bring your journal for 30 minutes of reflective writing? Or maybe your creativity needs some tending. Can you sign up for a class in painting or pottery?
Just like the seed that’s nourished by the dark soil then breaks through the damp earth to blossom, the work we do internally this spring creates a flourishing in every area of our lives.
Learn about more reflections and rituals by tuning into Nadine’s podcast, Heart of the Story.
Written by:
Nadine Kenney Johnstone is the podcast host of Heart of the Story and a writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. She has been featured in Cosmopolitan, Authority, and MindBodyGreen, among others. Pulling from her vast experience as a journaling, meditation, and yoga nidra instructor, she leads wellness workshops and retreats. nadinekenneyjohnstone.com