Beltane comes on the first of May and marks the peak of spring.
This time between now and the Summer Solstice is a very fertile time in nature, and for all new ideas to come to fruition.
It is a time for blooming and transforming.
If you are feeling the pull to live a life more in syc with nature, this post will help you to understand and embrace the season of LATE spring.
In Late Spring the earth is in full blown growth mode...
Outside, all life is growing, blooming, and multiplying.
I always describe it as feeling like the part in the Wizard of Oz where Dorthy's house lands in Oz and the movie goes from black and white to being in color.
It's lookin like a psychedelic masterpiece.
Beltane Celebrations
Back in the day, when people lived more connected to the land this was a time to honor the union of the masculine and the feminine and celebrate fertility, birth, and the blossoming of all new life.
It was believed that the eve of Beltane (April 30) is a likely time for faeries to be seen, and offerings of wine, honey, or sweet cream were left out for them.
Large bonfires would be had and farmers would parade their cattle through the smoke to cleanse and protect them from evil.
Yang Energy:
We are in the Yang half of the year. Yang as in the complementary and opposing half of Yin energy. Together the two make up all aspects of life, our universe and all it's in it.
Autumn and Winter are the Yin half of the year, when things are darker, slower, and we are more focused on introversion, regeneration, contemplation and letting go.
Spring and Summer, are the Yang half of the year, when things are bright, energizing, and and we are more outward focused, whether its literally outdoor activities, or just feeling that internal drive and the desire to putting forth effort to transform our ideas into realities.
The element of Air transforms to fire
Early Spring is ruled by the element of air, and summer is ruled by fire. In this space of late spring, we are amidst the transformation of the two.
Fire symbolizes our passion and confident energy.
Air symbolizes our thoughts and imagination.
Fire needs Air in order to burn.
Consider all your ideas and creative energy as the spark that ignites the fire season on its way. Picture your moves now as your breath blowing on a campfire urging it to grow.
Focus this time of year on Creation
Think of this chunk of time as fertilizer for your life and whatever it is your dreaming of. Whatever you unite your energy with will expand and grow.
This is a time to take action and get in the drivers seat. We are no longer staying inside our shells or saving our ideas and projects for a later date in the future, the time is NOW. Now is the time.
Be hands on (and feet)
One of the best ways to connect with nature is to simply be out in it. Walking barefoot in the grass or even better on moss (the literal best feeling ever) is a great way to feel a sense of grounding and centering.
If your are looking to meditate, connect with the earth, and create something artistic, then you should make a nature mandala. Its super easy. Just collect items from nature, sticks, rocks, flower petals, blades of grass, leaves, clovers, etc. Use these items to create a repetitive circular pattern representing the universe.
Start by choosing a center point called a "bindu" which means dot. This is the place of stillness and focus. Start small and taking your time setting it up and moving each piece. The idea is to keep the design symmetrical and balanced.
On the Mat: Expanding & Growing your practice
Late spring is a time to grow your practice.
In early spring like you are cracking out of your shell and growing up out of the ground.
In late spring you are blossoming into that beautiful flower
Focus on opening and flowering poses.
Bird of Paradise, Lotus Mudra, and Blossoming Lotus Pose are my go-to's for my Late Spring Classes.
Bird of paradise is a great "goal pose" to work towards if it is not already in your practice, or to play with new variations and transitions if it is. Working with binding poses in yoga keeps the heart open and offers a lesson on attachments. Notice the effects of holding on vs. letting go and seek to understand how it applies in relation to growth.
Check out this quick yoga for late spring demo here:
and Bird of Paradise Modifications and Variations here:
Off the mat: Practicing Aparigraha
Aparigraha is one of the yoga Yamas, restraint, or practice of self control that translates to: non-hoarding or non-grasping.
basically it means letting go of what binds us up and hold us down.
Our preoccupation with material things, opinions, believes, relationships, status, education, MONEY, and perceived worthiness, is what prevents us from being truly free and happy. When we practice aparigraha, we seek to be free of greed, control, and jealousy.
Nature reminds us that change is inevitable. Nothing in nature stays the same, and yet it is unbothered.
If we want to truly grow, its not as much about what we must DO and who we must BE,
but more about what we need to walk away from, and release in order to ascend the weight of all that's holding us back.
Stay in touch with your inner wisdom:
Everything starts to ramp up around this time it can be intense for some, esp. More introverted types, causing anxiety and stress.
Don't forget in all that hurry to create, push, and achieve, that you stay grounded and allow yourself adequate time to check back in with yourself about your true intention. Make sure you stay clear on your reason WHY you do what you do. WHY you are working so hard to create that vision?
Make sure it stays true to your heart.