This time of year is absolutely my favourite. Nature is renewing itself, the birds are singing loudly, our gardens and parks are bursting into bloom with vibrant colours. I went away for five days just before Easter, and when I came back, the cherry tree at my gate which had scarcely a bud before I left was in full glorious bloom, with its branches waving in the wind like a welcome home.
The bulbs planted last autumn are thrusting up through the earth in brilliant colours. Now that the conditions like warmth, and the increased hours of daylight are right, they are blossoming according to their own internal blueprint.
For us, too, it is a time for renewal and transformation. It is the time for spring cleaning, in the house and the garden. Time to get rid of the old, dead, wood and debris, making way for the new. A time to sweep away bad habits which may have taken hold, and decide what seeds we want to plant for the coming season. What are we going to nurture, water with our attention? Firstly of course, ourselves. Time to let ourselves “stand and stare”, to get out in nature more, to use our senses to be fully present. To make sure we are doing activities that bring us joy, get us more deeply into the flow of life.
We too can create the space for our spirit to flourish, we can acknowledge its presence, meet with it regularly in meditation, create an atmosphere inside ourselves of love and acceptance. So what if we have faults? Doesn’t the rose, one of the most beautiful flowers in our gardens, have its thorns? Who cares? We just enjoy its beauty and what comes from it, its beautiful scent.
What are we going to sow around us? I suggest a little experiment in the coming weeks. See how many people around you can touch off in a positive way. Whether they are people close to us, family and friends, or simply “strangers” we meet in the park, or while waiting in a queue, or sitting on a bus, make them glow up. Take it on as a fun challenge, can you make them smile, can you connect even for a minute or two? Can you bring out the good, the lighter side in someone else, get them to brighten up?
And of course, while you are doing this, you too will feel good, your spirit will be jumping up inside because it loves creating the ever better for everyone. Have a great spring /summer.
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NEWS FOR MAY
My son, Danny Forde, accomplished musician and yoga teacher, is holding a Sound Bath and Relaxation morning on Saturday 3rd of May, 11:00-12.30pm.
Contact Danny directly at danforde@gmail.com to book a place.
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REFERENCES
Barbara Fredrickson, researcher in positive emotion, called these brief connections, “micro moments of positivity resonance” and documents the positive effects they have on our brain, nervous system, vagal tone etc. in her book Love:2.0 publ Penguin 2013