Happy Spring!

March 20th is one of my favorite days. It’s not only the beginning of spring, but it is also my daughter’s birthday. Today she celebrates four decades of being here on Earth, an almost surreal passing of time. Each year on her birthday I am reminded of the sweetness of spring blossoms, the feelings of expanded freedom to be alive, the unfolding of new life all around, and the welcome joy and sunshine in each day. The flowering cherry trees that grow in Holmdel Park, near my home in New Jersey, are harbingers that remind me of the beauty and expansive gifts Mother Nature presents us with each spring.

Spring takes us from the stillness and hibernation of winter into brighter and longer days, more hours of warmth and sunshine, and a time of new growth and blossoming. In spring we begin to consider what we want to plant in our gardens. Our lives are like a garden. We need to consider what, when, where, and how we will plant. What part(s) of your life are calling for new growth and blossoming? What seeds will you plant this spring? When and how will you plant them, and how will you nourish them? Like a garden, your life needs water, Light, and tending. How will you nourish yourself and the soil in your life garden? What do you need to add so that your blossoms contain abundant beauty, color, and fragrance?  Don’t forget to add the magical elixir within your heart to your gardens….your personal ”Miracle Gro.”

Self-care practices will bring you home, and cultivate increased awareness about new growth pushing forth from within. There are many practices to choose from: meditation, mindfulness, yoga, Qigong, Tai Chi, dance, music, art, pets, gardening, sports, etc. Each will nurture you physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Become aware of how practices change with each season, especially as spring brings you once again into the warm outdoors.

Take time to consider what you will plant and grow in your life garden as spring begins. How will new growth add meaning and purpose to your life? Cultivate your garden with Self-care practices, clear out the weeds, enjoy watching each new blossom burst forth, and witness what grows when your heart becomes the master gardener.