Spring, whose etymology means "the first time of the year", has always been celebrated with sacred rituals by both druids and priests of antiquity. Symbolizing renewal, the spring equinox marks the return of light and the rebirth of nature. If you wish to align yourself with this joyful and hopeful season, here are three rituals to prepare for the arrival of spring.
In spring, as nature is reborn and renewed around us, our body also needs renewal. According to traditional medicines, this season is conducive to detoxification. Throughout the winter, the body has accumulated toxins because we generally moved less and sometimes ate more.
According to the principles of Ayurvedic medicine, the winter season is when the body accumulates an excess of kapha, an energy composed of water and earth. In terms of health, the excess of this heavy and cold energy can manifest as a kind of apathy, extreme fatigue or even depression, and respiratory vulnerability.
To remedy this, the first spring ritual is to plan a detox or purification period during which:
• we lighten the contents of our plate by limiting sugar and fatty foods and emphasizing seasonal vegetables
• we do a detox with draining plants such as beneficial rosemary for the liver
• we plan for long walks in nature to get our body moving, harmonize with the season, and breathe deeply
• we purify our respiratory passages by doing thyme inhalations and cleaning our nose with saltwater to prevent sinusitis and spring allergies.
In many civilizations, the arrival of beautiful days is also an opportunity for a spring cleaning. Most people practice this ritual at home, by sorting through their closets, organizing different rooms, and cleaning their house.
But have you ever thought about doing the same thing in your mind? Spring, a season of renewal, is a favorable time to plant the seeds of your future projects. However, in order for new projects to enter your life, you must make room for them by letting go of regrets, negative thoughts, and mental rumination. Mind cleaning is therefore the second ritual you can practice to prepare for spring.
The practice of yoga and mindfulness meditation can help you bring your attention back to the present moment. To purify your mind from looping thoughts, you can also practice the yogic breathing exercise called kapalabhati (literally: "skull-cleansing breath").
Sit comfortably on a chair or cross-legged on the floor, making sure to keep your back straight. Place your hands on your knees to keep your shoulders relaxed and your upper body open.
Inhale through your nose and then exhale forcefully through your nose, contracting your abdominal muscles as if you were "expelling" the air from your nostrils. You should hear the sound of your exhale making a "Pfff" sound. You can place a hand on your belly to feel the retraction movement in your abdomen.
Once you have grasped this movement, you can practice the breathing exercise itself. Kapalabhati involves deeply inhaling through the nose and then performing a series of small, energetic, and rapid exhales ("Pfff, pfff, pfff") while contracting the abdomen each time to fully expel the air, without worrying about the automatic inhalation.
As soon as you feel breathless or slightly dizzy, stop the exercise and resume natural breathing. You can take a break before starting a second cycle of 5 to 10 rapid exhales.
Although it may seem strange, this pranayama allows for the expulsion of stale air that stagnates in the lungs and improves gas exchange at the pulmonary level. This breathing exercise has a purifying and warming effect. In Ayurvedic medicine, it is said to clear the mind and provide energy.
In Wicca, the pagan festival that celebrates spring is called Ostara. It is an important moment in the wheel of the year as it coincides with an equinox. This festival celebrates the renewal of nature, at a time of year when plants bloom and animals enter the mating season.
To tune into this awakening of nature, you can create a domestic altar and decorate it with a bowl of water and seasonal flowers. In a more practical sense, you can also get back into gardening and grow your own witch's garden full of medicinal and edible plants!
Another widely practiced ritual in spring is decorating eggs. Christians continue this tradition to celebrate Easter, but beyond this religious festival, the egg has always been a powerful symbol of fertility and rebirth.
Making brightly colored painted eggs is a great way to brighten up your home and spirit, to align your mood with the joy of spring.