Spring Equinox Musings & a Call for Courage

The Wheel of the Year ticks ahead once again as we welcome in the Spring Equinox in the northern hemisphere. Often said to be the “start of springtime,” here at Garden of the Moon we know this isn’t quite right. With Imbolc the planting of the springtime seed, the Vernal Equinox instead marks the height of springtime!

In tropical astrology, the Spring Equinox initiates us into Aries, the season of the Ram. It’s this point in the Wheel of the Year where we see the Ram’s energy in all the impending new life sprouting up around us so vigorously through the season ahead.

Green buds on trees, early blooming flowers, farmers working with their seedlings. Aries is the life force of creation, the pure will to exist, and it bursts forth with all the gallantry and gusto as such.

Aries season is always an invitation. To be courageous. To embrace a warrior’s spirit. To seek adventure in order to flex the courage muscle and show ourselves that we need not be fearful of intense experiences that will challenge us.

There’s a lesson here from Aries for our cyclical bodies too.

Just like every seasonal spin, we are offered the chance to get curious about how our own Inner Seasons mirror the Earth’s energetic wisdom.

In our female bodies, the Inner Spring is reflective of this bold, Aries energy. The body begins to build it’s energy and resources, stepping back out into the world requires courage after the quiet solitude of Inner Winter.

Embracing the Ram’s fire doesn’t come without a warning though, and it’s one that goes hand -in-hand with your Inner Spring.

The shadow of this gutsy gumption, fire-brand energy is a temptation to drive headlong into something new, just to feel the juice of adrenaline.

The lesson for Aries, and your Inner Spring, is to be discerning in the intensities that you invite into your inner experiences. Stress abounds in countless ways throughout our world already, but when we exercise our inner authority and curate the stresses that elevate our experience of being human, then we wield the warrior spirit with wisdom.

Alternatively… perhaps you’re feeling decidedly NOT Aries-like and pretty resistant to the whole idea of “re-emerging,” preferring to stay in the cocoon of hibernation.

Sometimes the body finds reason to hold back from the sprouting, from the courageous unfurling of the seedling.

If this is showing up in your experience of entering into the Spring Equinox, my question for you is…

Do you perhaps also struggle with the transition from your bleed time into the new energy of your follicular phase?

One of my favorite things to do when it comes to tuning into our Earth reverent, bodily connection to Nature is to notice where the mirrors are — in our experience of the Earth’s Seasons and our Inner Seasons.

The seasonal winters that have been toughest for me, also looked like the most difficult bleeds.

When springtime has felt clunky, like a runner not getting off the starting block, my follicular phase has also seemed less-than-enthusiastic for the month ahead…

This is NOT to pathologize our experiences in our bodies.

Perhaps there’s actually nothing “wrong” with each of those bodily experiences, and instead, each offers an opportunity to drop deeper into our connection with the Earth. With the rhyme and rhythm of each new season. With our understanding of how our body responds to the shifting world around us with each new day, each new season, each passing year.

May this Spring Equinox (and every turn of the Wheel) bring you closer to knowing the magic of your flesh as a piece of this Earth individuated and incarnated to experience itself anew.

Equinox Blessings & Big Love, all ways always