There is something about this time of year that I find so beautiful.
Here in the Southern Hemisphere, we are crossing the threshold into spring, into the lighter part of the year. After months of inward energy, quieter days and a kind of wintering, there is a gentle pull towards the Sun.
You can see it happening all around us. The trees are pushing out new leaves, flowers are appearing, and something that has been quietly gathering strength beneath the surface is beginning to emerge.
And as we are nature, too, I find myself wondering what might be stirring within us.
The Spring Equinox marks the moment when day and night are of equal length. Light and darkness meet in balance before the days begin to grow longer and life starts moving towards growth again.
I love the idea of this being a threshold.
Not a moment where we need to suddenly spring into action, set a whole lot of goals or feel that we should have everything figured out.
But an invitation to notice.
What has been quietly growing within you? What are you beginning to feel drawn towards? What is asking for a little more space, attention or light?
And perhaps, just as importantly, what are you ready to leave behind?
The body has its own seasons
I often think about how much we are influenced by the rhythms of nature, even when we don’t consciously pay attention to them.
Our bodies and nervous systems move through seasons, too.
There are times when we need to turn inward, rest, retreat and conserve our energy. And then there are moments when something begins to shift.
We might notice a little more energy returning, a desire to move, create or make changes. But these transitions are not always straightforward.
You can feel excited about what lies ahead and still feel tired. You can be ready for change and still feel vulnerable. You can sense something opening within you while another part of you is asking for more time.
And I think there is something important in allowing both to be true.
We don’t necessarily move from one season to another simply because the calendar tells us to. We need time to transition. We need to feel safe enough to soften, open and move towards something new.
Growth doesn’t need to be forced. Sometimes it begins with noticing what brings a little aliveness back into your body. A breath of fresh air. The warmth of the morning Sun on your skin. A walk outside. Moving your body in a way that feels good. Opening the windows and letting fresh air move through your home.
Small things, perhaps, but sometimes it is through these simple moments that we begin to feel ourselves again.
Spring is an invitation, not another thing on your to-do list
I know how easy it is to turn a new season into another opportunity to do more.
To make the plans, set the intentions, clear the clutter, start the new routine and somehow become a whole new version of ourselves.
But what if we approached this season a little differently?
Rather than asking, What should I be doing now?
Perhaps we could ask:
What am I feeling drawn towards?
What would I love to invite more of into my life?
What feels nourishing, rather than depleting?
What is ready to grow, and what still needs tending?
What would it feel like to move into this next season with a little more trust in myself?
I think there is a difference between pushing ourselves into growth and creating the conditions for growth to happen.
Nature doesn’t rush the flowers. The trees don’t force their leaves to appear before they are ready.
There is a rhythm to it all.
And perhaps we can allow ourselves to be part of that rhythm, rather than constantly trying to keep up with the demands of the world around us.
A little Spring Equinox ritual
If you feel drawn to mark this turning of the seasons, you don’t need to make it complicated.
You might light a candle, spend a little time outdoors or simply sit quietly with a cup of tea.
Take a few breaths and feel your feet on the ground. Notice the support beneath you. Allow yourself to arrive in this moment, just as you are.
Then perhaps take a journal and explore these questions.
What am I ready to leave behind?
An old expectation, a way of pushing yourself, a belief that no longer feels true or something that has been taking up too much space within you.
What am I welcoming into this next season?
Not necessarily a list of achievements, but perhaps a feeling you would love to experience more of. More ease. More connection. More creativity. More joy. More trust in your body and your own inner wisdom.
What is one small thing I can do to nurture this?
Something gentle and achievable. Something that supports the life you are wanting to create, without asking you to abandon yourself in the process.
You might like to write an intention for this new season.
I welcome growth in my own time.
I make space for what brings me alive.
I trust the wisdom of my own unfolding.
Or perhaps your intention is simply to allow yourself to be where you are, without needing to rush towards the next thing.
You can plant a seed, bring some fresh flowers into your home, prepare a nourishing seasonal meal or take a walk and notice what is beginning to bloom around you.
Let it be something that feels meaningful to you.
And what about the season you are in?
As I sit with the energy of spring, I am reminded that we don’t all experience the seasons of our lives in the same way. Others may still be in a season of deep change, uncertainty or tenderness.
And some of us may be standing right at that threshold, feeling the pull towards something new while still needing a little more time to let go of what has been.
This is especially true during the transition into motherhood.
Pregnancy is its own kind of becoming. There is so much happening beneath the surface, physically, emotionally and in the deepest parts of who you are. You may feel excited and full of possibility, while also feeling uncertain about what lies ahead. Invitation to join Preparing for postpartum webinar this week. Wednesday 23rd 7pm OR Friday 25th 12:30pm.
And in the postpartum, there is another kind of unfolding. You are meeting your baby, but you are also meeting yourself as a mother. Your body is recovering, your nervous system is adjusting and your whole world may be rearranging itself around this new little person.
These are not transitions that need to be hurried.
They need space. Nourishment. Connection and support. They need other women who understand that becoming a mother is not simply something that happens at birth, but a profound process of becoming.
And the same is true for us as women throughout our lives.
We move through so many seasons of change, of letting go, of remembering, of finding ourselves again. We don’t have to navigate all of them alone.
An invitation to gather
If you are pregnant or have recently welcomed your baby, I would love to invite you to join me in the Nurturing Pregnancy and New Mothers Circle.
A space to slow down, connect with yourself and your baby, and gather with other women moving through this tender season of becoming. A space where you can feel held, supported and reminded that you don’t have to have it all figured out.
And if you are in another season of womanhood, perhaps feeling the pull to reconnect with yourself, to pause and listen a little more deeply, I would love to welcome you to The Pause Women’s Circle.
A space for women to come together, to breathe, to share, to be witnessed and to make room for themselves amidst the busyness of everyday life.
Because sometimes the most important thing we can do as we cross a threshold is not to rush ahead.
It is to pause long enough to feel where we are, to listen to what is stirring within us and to allow ourselves to be supported as we find our way forward.
As we step into this lighter part of the year, may we remember that we are nature, too. And we are allowed to do it in our own time.
With love,
Theoni