Staying Grounded

three tips to find your rhythm in the energy of early spring

March is always a time of excitement. The longer days inspire grand plans for the outside. Visualizing this year’s garden to be. What we will expand and how we will nourish our souls as we move into the seasons of growth. The hardest part is staying grounded and not getting too far ahead of myself, perhaps inspired by having just ‘sprung forward’ with our clocks. Here in the northern US, we won’t really see visual emergence until later next month, but what is emerging is not only the stirring of the sap runs and the few early flowers shyly poking their head up through the still snow-covered ground, but also keeping the nourishing pace of late winter myself.

March is a time that I call mud season. Snow melts come, intermittent rain, and then of course, more surprise snow, always bookended by beautiful ‘false spring’ days. I have been getting outside with loppers and, for the first time, on my own with the chainsaw, usually reserved for B’s projects. I have been removing volunteer bushes, ‘trash trees’, and masses of grapevines that have woven their way around what seems to be everything. It is such a good feeling to get out and clear things. It allows me to visualize the summer garden, and the future home of a chicken coop (oh, I have missed having chickens!) It makes our land look less overgrown in areas that we are manicuring and better highlights what we have let go back to the wild. It is the perfect time for this work as the leaves have not come out, and I can see clearly what needs to be done. As a bonus, I have tons of grape vines to craft into garlands!

So, I guess you could say that early March is the month of emergence before emergence, and a glimpse of April’s theme of tending, done in fits and starts between the unpredictable weather of the month. The trick to staying grounded is without letting emergence tip into urgency (a real challenge for me!)

What can we do to stay grounded in a time of building energy?

Firstly, we need to stay grounded in our bodies. Keep up with our daily rituals, whatever they may be. Focus on what fills your cup.

• Take a walk, noticing what’s around you. Chorus of birdsong, little green shoots popping up through the mulch, how the sun feels on your face.

• Stretch before bed, especially for those of us on the wise woman road, little aches and pains can be greatly eased by stretching and aid in the sleep that is so important.

When our nervous systems are soothed, we are better able to plan and appreciate the season without blowing through it in a frenzy.

Secondly, when you decide to take on a new task, sit with the idea for 24 hours before starting. I am horrible at this! I tend to get an idea and implement it in the same breath, going at it much like a bulldozer. By taking that 24-hour beat, we can approach our exciting ideas with more intention.

Finally, pace yourself, finding your rhythm versus the ‘I’ve got to get it done, now’ mindset is what fosters expansion. Try not to get too caught up in the momentum, remember the quiet months we’ve just come through, and our intention of a slow roll into the season. There will be plenty of time in the months ahead.

How are you approaching the emergence of spring? With Ostara next week, we will reflect on the traditions of the season on the wheel of the year and move forward with what rhythms were important in late winter and what we will take with us into spring.

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Until next time,

Hello friend! My name is Amy. I am so happy you have stopped by 🍃 If you are new here, a warm welcome to you! This space is where I am learning to walk the wise woman road by returning to my true self through seasonal living, reflective writing, nourishing food, intuition, and resilience. Rooted in the rhythms of the earth and my lived experience, these writings are an invitation to slow down, listen inward, and remember what nourishes us. If this resonates with you, I invite you to subscribe and walk the seasons alongside me.