Dear Reader,

I’m writing to you from my kitchen, nestled in my armchair, wrapped in a blanket, and comforted by candlelight, tulips, and tea. With more hours of daylight, the weather has warmed up, the first daffodils are poking up their heads, and birds are filling the air with their song. I’m reminded of how blessed I am to be alive on this earth as spring is opening its arms to welcome us into a new cycle of growth.

What is waking up in and around you?

How are you experiencing this time of year?

The beginning of spring

The end of March features a major seasonal turning point in the solar year. At the Spring Equinox, the Sun reaches 0 degrees of Aries in the tropical zodiac, marking the start of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. This year, the exact Aries/Spring Equinox falls on March 20th, 10:25 p.m. CET (convert to your time zone).

Spring Equinox marks one of the two days in the year when day and night are equal in length, the other one being the Fall Equinox. It’s a beautiful balance point in the annual cycle of the Sun, halfway between the Winter and Summer Solstices, when the whole planet is bathed in equal amounts of light and we’re about to step into the light half of the year when the days are longer than the nights.

What may help you restore balance in your life?

Over the next three months, the Sun will be climbing higher in the sky and growing in strength day by day until we arrive at the longest day of the year, the Summer Solstice in June. For now, though, everything is hanging in the balance. Whatever we’re starting now, whatever we’re being initiated into, we’re equally likely to succeed or fail. That’s the thrill of Aries season!

Fresh starts and new beginnings

As the first sign of the zodiac, Aries energy is all about getting things started, jumping head first into life, and seeking new and exciting experiences in order to grow. Aries energy in youthful, daring, and passionate; it needs a little edge, and it loves a good challenge. Whatever feels exciting and energizing, Aries is ready to give it a shot. Are you?

At the Aries/Spring Equinox, we enter into a time of childlike joy and exploration, of forging ahead. It’s a time of rousing the seeds of intention that have been stirring in our bellies for the past six weeks and putting our energy and enthusiasm into what we want to grow this year (and eventually harvest in the fall). It’s okay to take baby steps, and whatever we’re initiating now, whatever projects we’re beginning, plans we’re launching, or dreams we’re pursuing, they won’t grow into full expression until the Summer Solstice in June. What’s being asked of us now is to trust our intuition to take us in the right direction.

Are you ready to enter the portal of spring?

Where do you want to initiate new beginnings in your life?

What new adventure is calling you?

What makes you feel energized, excited, and free?

What do you want to put your energy in service to this year?

What is one step that you will take toward fulfilling your dreams?

The questions sprinkled throughout this post are written as invitations to weave yourself deeper into the mysteries of spring. You might take them on your walk, into your journal, your dreams, or any other kind of creative or contemplative practice.

‘First Quarter Moon’ of the year

Just as the light of the First Quarter Moon continues to grow until it reaches maximum illumination at the Full Moon every month, and the Morning Sun continues to climb in the sky until it reaches its highest point at noon every day, so will the seasonal energy of the Sun continue to grow and blossom until it peaks at the Summer Solstice in June.

How do you usually feel at the time of sunrise? Are you a morning person?

How may you support yourself in re-energizing your body and life?

What this time of year is good for:

New beginnings, launches, spring cleaning, energy clearing, ritual sweeping, moving practices, walks, foraging, planting a garden, sowing seeds, rituals with seeds, connecting with the inner child, spontaneity, play, learning new things, trying something new, embarking on a new adventure, acting on inspiration, following excitement

Until next time…

I’m wishing you a beautiful start of spring, wherever you are. May you be blessed with good health and joy in your life. I know I’m looking forward to the increasing light and warmth of the Sun, to longer walks and later sunsets, to trees coming into leaf and dandelions taking over sidewalks, to new life and new momentum.

What is your relationship to spring?

Are you perhaps a child of spring, having been born during this time? And if so, how does it inform you?

I very much look forward to speaking with you again at the time of the Spring Cross-Quarter, which marks the peak of spring in the Northern Hemisphere and heralds a time of fertility and abundance when nature is buzzing with new life. It will fall on May 5th, 8:19 p.m. CET this year (convert to your time zone).