My emergence into Spring is feeling rather slow this year. As my dear friend, Theresa put it, ‘it’s like waking up, but I’m not quite ready to jump out of bed yet!’ Some years, I am desperate to jump out of bed, and begin planting seeds and foraging those fresh Spring greens. But this year, as I sit in front of the fire and look out onto yet another wet day, my body whispers, ‘not yet’ and I remain in my late Winter cocoon a little longer.
In today’s post, I wanted to share with you my favourite question to return to at this time of year. I am celebrating a tree with deep associations to the season and sharing our first Wild Jewellery release of the year…
Ostara, the celebration of the Spring Equinox falls between 20-23rd March in the Northern Hemisphere and is the midpoint between the shortest (Yule) and longest (Litha) days of the year.
Expansion
Since Yule, the light has been increasing and returns to a balance at Ostara when night and day length become equal once more. From here, the light continues to expand until its peak in June. This expansion in light, stimulates changes in the natural world and is often described as an ‘awakening’. Leaf buds are unfurling, plants are emerging and new life is being born.
We may begin to feel this expansion within ourselves too. Perhaps the urge to get outside, plant something, move and stretch a little more. We may feel called to brainstorm new ideas or begin something new. Have you noticed any feelings of expansion yet? Writer and earth intuitive, Asia Suler, captures the feeling of expansion beautifully in her recent post ‘opening your doors again‘
What energises you?
A few days ago, despite a long list of things I had given myself to do, I felt the woods calling to me. One question I like to reflect on at this time of year is ‘what energises me?’ that morning, I felt the answer in my bones and headed to the woods.
Being in a woodland is one of the most energising things to me. Walking to a soundtrack of birdsong, I feel my shoulders loosen and my mind slow down. Sometimes it can feel hard to make energising choices, but I rarely (if ever) regret it when I do. As we approach Ostara, I urge you to consider what gives you energy? Can you make time for it this week?
Blackthorn, a Tree of Ostara
Every year, I wait with anticipation for the first blossoms of Spring to arrive. Blackthorn is one of the first, its delicate white blossoms transform the roadsides and hedgerows as if to announce Spring’s arrival.
Blackthorn is a wonderful ally for this season. It symbolises hope and renewal. It is a reminder of the cyclic nature of life and that Spring always follows the Winter. As I walk beneath the blossoms this year, I have noticed the sense of possibility growing within me.
Blackthorn are small but powerful trees. They often grow in dense thickets that provide a safe home for many species of wildlife. Their sharp thorns create firm boundaries and connecting with their energy can help us reflect on our own boundaries to create our own safe spaces. You can read more about this beautiful tree in my post The magic of Blackthorn
Wild Fen Offerings
We craft our unique and intentional pendants from windfallen wood to celebrate the beauty and magic of the woodland and the supportive energy of trees. Each piece of wood is respectfully gathered in kinship with nature, carved and smoothed to celebrate the unique story and energy it holds. Below you can see our previous Blackthorn collection. See what we have in store now by following the shop link below:
Further reading
If you want to explore more about the season you may wish to check out the following posts. In last year’s Ostara post ‘Ostara, Air and Smoke Cleansing‘ I discuss how Spring is connected to the element of air and also share a smoke cleansing ritual. My mindful spring practices covers my favourite grounding tools to use throughout the season.
You may also like, A Wild Brew, Spring Greens and In Celebration of the Humble Nettle.
Wishing you more bright days ahead,
Nic x
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