Spring is here, in the Northern Hemisphere. A yearly renewal and regeneration of the land, and ourselves on this earth. As the world becomes fertile again, we also seem to be brimming with creativity and new direction.
This is where I am. I feel excited by my fertile thoughts, my fertile heart and mind. I am past the longing for new babes, but the spring reminds me that all my work follows the universal rhythm of conception, pregnancy, birth, and motherhood. Whether we are creating humans or ideas, if we are anxious for the pregnancy to be over we miss the joy of creation. I've stopped and pondered over this. It has brought back joy and grace to the creative process. Just like being with child, sometimes we are filled with joy and sometimes we are overwhelmed.
This pregnancy analogy led me to a birth comparison that resonates with how I was feeling this weekend. When we labor, we need support, intuition, and education. Even with the best preparation, there still comes a part of labor where it is just HARD, and we wish to give up. With experience, we learn that if we ride through transition it will soon be time to push. It is like that when we are climbing toward some new accomplishment in our life, there reaches a point like transition. We wish to give up. We need true and loving support, people who authentically understand what we are trying to do. We need patience and faith.
Yoga, meditation and mindfulness practices help us ride this wave of insecurity. These practices allow us to observe our minds and hearts with awareness. Without this observer presence (curious, patient and probing), we may bow to fear and change course. With a practice of non-judgement, we can explore our path and wait out the transition phase. As hard as this part is, it's fun. It is the part of yoga, and labor, that I find most engaging. The gentle pushing by not pushing; the hard work of not working hard, and the relaxing into the fear. Suddenly, as soon as we relax into the fear, everything seems less scary and surreally beautiful. There is the magic.
Refreshment, Fertility, Renewal, Creativity. May we revel in the Sacred Magic of Spring.