A Spring Equinox Meditation

Celebrate the balance of light and darkness, the full arrival of spring, and the awakening of the earth with this gentle Vernal Equinox meditation. Begin with grounding and relaxation, then journey into a landscape where day and night embrace in harmony, where the cycles of nature reveal the dance between stillness and movement, light and shadow.

Transcript

So,

Welcome everyone.

We're gathered together for a meditation,

A visualisation,

To honour the spring equinox,

The sacred time of balance and renewal.

The equinox marks the moment when day and night are equal,

A perfect harmony of light and dark.

I guess we could say,

A time to reflect on the light and dark parts within us,

And an opportunity to maybe bring those parts into equilibrium.

From this point forward,

The days grow longer,

And life begins to blossom fully into being.

I always believe that this is a more natural kind of New Year's,

And I don't know why we celebrate New Year's in the middle of winter.

I really feel that this is the beginning of the New Year,

As life and sun and warmth return to the earth,

If you're in the Northern Hemisphere.

Symbols of the spring equinox include the equilibrium of light and shadow,

The interplay of temperatures,

Warmth and coolness.

Also cycles,

Cycles of death and rebirth that nature moves through seemingly effortlessly.

Rituals at this time often focus on balance,

Manifestation,

Embracing the dynamic parallels and contrasts,

Contradictions of life that nature seems to hold so well.

So if you'd like to set an intention to hold one or any of those themes in your heart,

You're more than welcome.

If you have another intention for this practice,

Feel free to bring that in.

And if you have no intention,

Just allow your mind and your heart to become a blank slate,

And just notice the impressions and the feelings that come up during this practice,

And maybe they'll give you some insight into what a future intention might be for the coming weeks and months.

We'll begin with a grounding practice.

Begin by settling into a comfortable position.

Allow your body to fully relax.

Either sitting upright with your feet firmly planted on the floor,

Or lying on the ground in a restful position,

Making sure you're comfortable.

Cushions,

Pillows,

Blankets,

A yoga mat.

Maybe you're doing this in bed,

That would be perfect.

Now I invite you to close your eyes gently,

And just take a long deep breath in,

And a long breath out.

And let your attention drift to the ground beneath you.

Feel the solid surface of the floor beneath you,

Through whatever surface you're lying on.

And below that,

The earth supporting you steady and strong.

Feel the connection between your body and the earth as it roots,

As if roots were extending from your feet,

Or from the base of your spine,

Reaching deep into the soil beneath you.

With every breath,

Feel yourself becoming more anchored.

Imagine drawing in the stability and nourishment of the earth,

Letting it fill you with a sense of calm and balance.

Take a few more breaths here,

Grounding yourself in this moment,

In the present,

In the here and now.

Now bring your awareness to your body,

Beginning at the top of the head,

Softening your scalp,

Releasing any tension held there.

Let your forehead smooth,

Your eyebrows relax,

Your eyelids feel heavy,

Resting gently over your eyes.

Move down to your cheeks and jaw,

Letting them unclench,

Allowing any tightness to melt away.

Your lips soften,

Your tongue rests naturally.

Now bring your awareness to your neck and shoulders,

Let them drop,

Releasing any burdens,

Tension that you might be carrying,

Feelings of stress or anxiety.

Feel warmth and ease spreading through your shoulders,

Flowing down your arms,

Your biceps,

Elbows,

Forearms.

Each one softening,

Relaxing,

Letting go,

Into your wrists and your hands,

Your fingers,

Your thumbs,

Feeling the arms completely at peace,

Relaxing softly.

Shift your focus to your chest and back,

With every breath in,

Feel expansion,

With every breath out,

Let go of any tension.

Whichever position you're in,

Your spine is long,

Yet relaxed.

Your heart feels open and light,

Letting go of any sadness and grief,

Just what you're able to let go of.

There might still be some sadness or heavy feelings there,

Acknowledging that and just letting go of what you're able to in this moment without judgement.

Now move your awareness to your abdomen,

Let it soften,

Feel your breath moving freely,

Your belly rising and falling naturally,

Any tension here dissolves with each breath.

Bring your attention to your hips,

Pelvis,

Feel them release,

Unburdening themselves of all the tension that they're carrying around,

Any tightness melts away,

Allowing for openness and ease.

Now your thighs,

Heavy,

Relaxed,

Your knees,

Back of the knees,

Loose,

Effortless,

Your calves,

Soft and light,

Feel the relaxation spreading down into your ankles,

Into the soles of your feet,

Your toes relaxed completely,

Every part of you sinking into deep,

Deep comfort and tranquility.

With each breath,

Your body becomes heavier,

More at peace,

More at ease,

Free from tension.

With each breath,

You surrender fully to relaxation,

Inviting relaxation in rather than trying to grasp it.

Let the body just be still,

Relaxed,

Soft against the floor or chair,

Surrendering fully into deeper and deeper states of relaxation.

Feel your whole body,

Thoughts and feelings,

Physical body,

The whole psychosoma,

Open,

Receptive,

Open to the visualization and to the journey ahead.

So now that you're feeling grounded and relaxed,

I invite you to imagine yourself standing at the threshold between day and night.

One side of the landscape is bathed in golden sunlight,

The other in a soft twilight.

Here at the heart of the equinox,

You stand where these forces meet in perfect harmony.

As you walk forward,

You notice the land shifting around you.

On one side,

Trees in full bloom,

Stretching towards the sun.

On the other,

Cool shadows weave patterns across the ground.

Each step you take moves fluidly between these worlds,

Neither fully in the light nor fully in the darkness,

But embracing both aspects.

Pause for a moment,

Kneel if you like,

And place one hand in the sunlight,

The other in the cool shade.

Notice how both are part of the whole,

Just as all aspects of yourself,

Your light and your shadow,

Your action and your stillness,

Are vital to your being.

Feel the wisdom of this balance within you.

Nearby,

A river flows effortlessly,

Carrying with it the cyclical rhythm of time.

Some parts of the water shimmer in the sun's reflection,

While others swirl in deeper,

Darker pools.

You dip your fingers into the current and sense the dance of these energies,

Movement and rest,

Clarity and mystery.

Reflect for a moment,

Where in your life are you being called to flow?

And where are you being called to pause?

Above,

Birds move through the sky,

Flying between the brightness of the open air and the protective shelter of the trees.

Their freedom is the ability to navigate both realms.

Listen to their song and let it remind you that embracing life's contrasts creates harmony,

Not conflict.

As you stand here immersed in the balance of the equinox,

Take a moment to reflect on your own journey.

What aspects of yourself are seeking integration?

What energies are asking to be brought into harmony?

Picture these elements as threads weaving together into a strong and beautiful whole.

Spend a few moments here embracing the interplay of light and dark,

Of movement and stillness.

Allow yourself to feel in tune with this natural cycle,

Understanding that balance is not a fixed point,

But a dynamic dance.

The spring equinox teaches us that balance is not about choosing one side over the other,

But about honouring the whole.

Darkness does not diminish the light,

Nor does light erase the dark.

They coexist,

Creating depth,

Beauty and growth.

Consider what you're integrating within yourself during this season.

Perhaps it's an acceptance of both your strength and your softness,

Your ambitions and your need for rest.

Trust that you are whole as you are,

And embracing all parts of yourself will allow you to flourish.

Now slowly begin to bring your awareness back to the present moment.

Wiggle your fingers and toes,

Feel the solid ground beneath you once again.

Take a deep breath in,

Filling yourself with light and energy.

Exhale,

Releasing any residual remaining tension.

Just let it go.

And when you're ready,

Gently open your eyes.

Carry the spirit of this time of the year and this practice with you.

The beauty of integration,

Shadow work,

Celebrating the light,

Harmony of cycles,

Wisdom of balance.

Take it all with you into the days and the weeks and the months ahead.

And thank you for joining me on this journey.

Thank you.