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“Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet.”
Thich Nhat Hanh
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Hello spring
& hello to you, too!
Wishing everyone a lovely spring equinox from the 45th parallel, where the balance of daylight and night skies is further more represented by the sun rising directly in the east and setting directly in the west. I’m graciously welcoming the longer days, greater access to vitamin D from the sun’s rays, and of course, more time spent barefoot romping around in the wild lands (and Portland green spaces) of the PNW and beyond.
To provide seasonal support and draw you into closer connection with the workings of nature that not only surround us, but we are intricately a part of, I'm sharing a few simple ways to welcome spring and align with the energy of the season.
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Work with stinging nettle
Urtica dioica, also known are common nettle or stinging nettle, is one of the first medicinal plants ready to harvest and work with throughout the spring season. Whether you forage your own plant allies, or buy tinctures and dried herbs from an apothecary, nettle is just waiting to nourish us with its mineral rich botanical properties. I'm personally looking forward to harvesting stinging nettle in the next few weeks, but until then, I'm enjoying sipping on nettle infusions I make from Starwest Botanicals Organic Dried Nettle.
Set intentions through a flower crown ritual
One of my favorite women's gatherings to host is Blooming Together, where we circle up near the spring equinox and craft flower crowns as a symbol of what we will plant, nurture, and watch blossom in this spring season of our lives. If you're a lady folk in Portland, join me this Saturday evening for this beautiful flower crown ritual. If you're not a lady folk or located somewhere else than Portland (or both), consider hosting your own intentional spring equinox ritual gathering - flower crown making is optional, but highly encouraged!
Kiss the Earth with your feet
'Tis the season to ditch your shoes and get your grounding on, literally. This isn't dirty hippie woo-woo shit - this is science, my friends. The Earth's surface emits negative ions, whereas many of our modern day lifestyles allow a buildup of positive ions in our body...thanks WiFi. So, to discharge the abundance of detrimental positive ions, connect with the Earth's healing negative (I know it sounds counterintuitive) energy through physical touch. Kiss the Earth with your bare feet, hug a tree, caress a plant - whatever your style is, just get grounded!
Drink in the sunlight with your eyes
I know sunglasses make you look super cool and keep the sun's glare out of your eyes, but when you don't actually need them for safety reasons, try being super cool without them. Taking in the sunlight throughout the course of a day is one of the best ways to get your circadian rhythm back on track. Make an effort to sip the sun's rays close to sunrise, solar noon (1pm), and sunset through your eyeball straws. Then keep the lights low and warm-toned once the sun sets.
Soak up the sun's rays in small daily doses
Short amounts of sun exposure on bare, sunscreen free skin is actually a really good thing, contrary to what many dermatologists tout. Your body not only converts the UVB rays into Vitamin D when it hits the cholesterol in your skin's cells, but it also helps to build gradual resiliency to the damaging effects of the sun's ray (sunburn) and leaves you with a healthy, sun kissed glow.
🌬️ Connect to the element of air through breathwork
Air is the element of the spring season, and what better way to connect to this element than through our very own breath. Close your eyes, focus on the feeling of air moving into and out of your lungs via your nasal passages, and notice how the body moves with each breath you take. Spend a few breaths, or a few minutes, cultivating this connection to the air you breathe daily.
Try stacking a few of these practices - say, breathwork while grounding under the midday sun on your lunch break? Or drinking nettle tea while making setting intentions for the spring season alongside friends? Mix and match as you wish, and enjoy your welcoming and aligning to spring!
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May you bloom wide open,
roots deep in fertile soil of the spring season.
Luminous love,
Jessica
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