Spring is right around the corner, friends! No matter where you are in the world, there is some kind of energy shift just waiting to happen. Now this doesn't just have to be seasonal, the phases of moon bring us energy shifts each month. What I want to offer to you in this blog post are the different rituals we can bring to our lives to make us more connected to nature. To be clear, I don't mean like a sacrifice an animal over a volcano kind of ritual; I mean finding moments to pause and recognize a change in a natural cycle... honoring the potential in yourself to bring about change in your own life... bringing forth an intention you wish to manifest... (honestly, I could keep going, but I think you get the idea!) And with that, let's spring into new rituals!
So why start a ritual in line with natural cycles? Three reasons...
Deepen your connection with nature
Create a sense of calmness & release anxiety
Dedicate time to yourself
Lunar Rituals
Uncover your divine feminine with some new lunar rituals! As you may already know, the moon is a symbol of feminine energy while the sun is a symbol of masculine energy. Menstruation shares the same (roughly) 28 day cycle as the moon does... hence DIVINE FEMININE!
Now, being in sync with the moon doesn't necessarily mean that you're tapping into your divine feminine and that's totally okay! Being in touch with the moon cycle can just be a way that brings your closer to nature. So what exactly are these lunar rituals? Well, there are two different points in the moon cycle that we pay close attention to in our ritualistic way: new moons & full moons!
New moons are for times of intention setting or bringing forward things you wish to manifest... times of new beginnings! Full moons are for times of reflection and energetic release. So what exactly do these kinds of rituals look like? In my opinion, these are very personal practices and should look like how YOU want them to look and feel. But I'd like to offer some suggestions if you have no idea where to start or are looking for something new to incorporate into your already existing new/ full moon rituals.
Full Moon Rituals
So the timing of this post is perfect because there is actually a full moon tomorrow (technically)! It will reach its peak Tuesday morning so will actually appear full this evening and maybe even Tuesday evening. (As of posting on Monday March 6 2023). And with this wonderful timing, what better way to jump into a new ritual than in the present moment with joy and excitement?! Try out this full moon ritual to experience an amazing energy release!
Create a quiet space that feels sacred to you. This could just be a small corner in your home or your bedroom or office; but be sure that it's a dedicated space where you will be uninterrupted for a few minutes. If creating an alter feels like the right practice for you, then add some crystals, a diffuser, candles, or a mood board to help manifest and release energy and intentions. It would be even better if this spot receives direct or indirect moonlight!
Write down three things that you wish to release from your life that are no longer serving you. These could be emotions, habits, foods, relationships, etc! You could even turn this into a fire ceremony by burning the piece of paper that you wrote these things down on. (If burning inside your home, be sure to monitor the flame and burn in a place distant from other flammable objects/ materials. Also make sure the fire is completely out when your ceremony is complete.)
Complete a meditation and/of pranayama practice. As this time in the moon cycle is the peak of our energy, maybe go with a neutral pranayama practice like nadi shodhana (alternate nostril breathing). Meditate on the energetic release of things no longer serving you - maybe find a guided gratitude meditation. Or if you use mala beads, you could repeat the mantra "I clear my energetic field and release what is no longer serving me."
New Moon Rituals
Similar to our full moon rituals, we focus on the energy that the new moon brings us - renewal and manifestation. The next new moon is Tuesday March 21 2023. It can be a lot to add in new practices to our life, so maybe take a few cycles to just practice full moon rituals and then add in new moon rituals. Let's take a look at a new moon ritual:
Create a quiet space that feels sacred to you. Yes, this is just the same as with the full moon ritual. Why? Well, remember we're doing these practices to become more in tune with the natural cycles of life around us and make deeper connections with nature. So having a dedicated spot to recognize this connection will make you want to keep coming back and observing the energy shifts!
Write down three things you wish to manifest by the next full moon. Now this doesn't necessarily have to be things like "eat more fruits and vegetables" or "workout every day". In fact, think of these things as intentions or how you want your life energy to feel for the next two weeks. So maybe things like "I will find joy in the in between moments of my day" or "My intention is to go through my morning routine full of love for myself".
Complete a meditation and/of pranayama practice. Find a meditation that gives you clarity and focus. Bring your awareness to your third eye as you think about the things you wrote down. Imagine how your day looks like living in the manifestations. Use your breath as a guide to inhale new and refreshing energy and exhale any heaviness.
These lunar rituals are just small examples of what you could do. There are books about moon baths and charging/ cleansing your crystals with the moon cycles. So I hope you find a good starting point for your journey to becoming more connected to the life cycles of nature.
Seasonal Rituals
While we get energy shifts each month from the moon, each new season brings about a point in time worth recognizing or reflecting on. You might already be doing seasonal rituals without even recognizing that it is in fact a seasonal ritual (spring cleaning ringing any bells?). So the point of recognizing some act or series of acts as rituals is to bring our awareness and intentions into these practices.
Before jumping into various rituals of the seasons or transitions of the seasons, we first should recognize the energy of the seasons and the energy as we transition from an Ayurvedic perspective. This means that we will see the various times of the year as their dosha: kapha, pitta, and vata. We will then see how the rituals balance the qualities of these doshas... in Ayurveda, like attracts like and opposite attracts balance!
Late winter/ early spring is the kapha time of year because it has the kapha qualities of cold and wet. Summer is the pitta time of year because it has the pitta qualities of heat and moisture. Fall/ early winter is the vata time of year because it has the vata qualities of dryness and coolness.
To keep this post a reasonable length, I'll only talk about Spring time rituals - but stay tuned for the other seasons' rituals! I'm going to offer simple rituals for various aspects of our life: for our home space, our body, and our mind/ soul. And with that, let's turn to SPRING!
Spring Rituals
As winter transitions into spring, there is a sense of renewal and growth; but still experiences of coldness and dampness as the spring showers feed the germinating seeds. So these rituals are meant to bring us into lightness and clarity out of the kapha season.
Home space
Clear anything out you feel is weighing you down - excess clothes or trinkets, expired fridge or pantry items, etc. Take a couple days to do this so you can reflect on the items to get rid of. Turn on your favorite music or podcast, ask a friend or loved one to join you, and make it fun! Dance around your home and get to that spring cleaning!
Body
Incorporate more active movement for you body like invigorating vinyasa flows or HIIT workouts. Find a heat building pranayama practice like ujjayi, breath of fire, or Surya Bhedana (sun breath). Eat foods with spice and warmth like curries and ginger teas and baked fruit/ roasted vegetables.
Mind/ soul
Burn sage or diffuse sage essential oils to bring clarity to your mind and soul space. Repeat mantras during meditation that express growth and renewal or find a guided meditation with those vibes.
...
While these practices/tasks/activities may not seem ritualistic in nature, when we bring a special awareness to WHY we are doing them they become our personal rituals. Let's look at an example of what your day could look like on March 20 - the spring equinox! The key is to start things slowly and not try to clean everything out at once - remember spring is a whole season! So there's plenty of time to go through your rituals.
Morning
Wake up and try not to press the snooze button! Your first few thoughts could set the tone for your day, so think about how much lighter you'll feel as you go through your spring time rituals.
As you wash your face and/or body, imagine washing away the heaviness of winter and manifesting a fresh start.
When you are looking through your closet and/or drawers to get dressed, find 2-3 items that you can donate and start a pile (try to do this every day this week & then donate your pile by the weekend!).
Pack a lunch that will nourish your body and soul.
As you get to your car (if you drive into work), take a moment to pause and breathe in the fresh spring air.
Midday
TAKE YOUR LUNCH BREAK! We usually get so caught up in the business of the work day, but take this time to be with yourself or with work friends and recharge your energetic battery.
Do something that will make you smile!
Also take some time during your work day to organize your work space. Clear out a drawer, get rid of any pens that no longer work, file your papers, etc.
Evening
Put on some music that makes you want to dance and cook your dinner - give the food the same positive energy that this music brings to your body. Share the experience with a partner or roommate and just have fun!
As you eat, think about the nourishment that the food is giving to your body and soul.
Clean up the kitchen and wipe down the counters! This will help you feel refreshed to start the next day.
Go through your night time routine with a sense of gratitude. Even if the day wasn't what you intended it to be, reflect on the things that made you feel most accomplished.
As you go to sleep, set the intention for the next morning: I will wake up feeling rejuvenated for the day ahead!
It might sound easy as you read it, but life happens very quickly and some things happen unexpectedly that throw our energy off. So in this time of renewal, give yourself grace and patience and remember that this is a time of growth! There is much to learn and practice in order for us to become our full selves.
~ Namaste, friends!
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