The Seasons of Life - Spring

"The ghostly winter silence had given way to the great spring murmur of awakening life. This murmur arose from all the land, fraught with the joy of living."

 - Jack London, The Call of the Wild -

How exciting, yet bittersweet, the transition from adolescence to adulthood is. A time of new beginnings in a world rich with possibilities at your fingertips, but yet so much stress and worry fills the atmosphere around you as the pressure builds on you to figure out where, who, and what you want to accomplish and become in your life. During what is intended to be this grand transition into adulthood, we often find ourselves in places of stress, fatigue, and frustration as we try to understand so much before the world herself even knows it. 

Many times, you will feel pulled in a hundred directions at once while your mind muddles with everyone’s opinions on where your life should be headed and what you might need to do to get there. Yet it is frowned upon for us to explore the options. To fail. To experience. In reality, no one has figured it out. No one truly knows where we are headed or what the next five years hold. 

I feel, through this transition in our lives, a lot can be learned again from nature, specifically the season of Spring. Maybe getting in touch with nature and allowing ourselves to move the way it was intended rather than forcing ourselves into an over rushed and detached way of functioning is exactly what we need. 

Through this time in our lives, we are working towards laying out the foundation of our adult lives. A lot of the choices that are made during these times will have a large influence on where we are and what we are able to accomplish in the coming years. We see this parallel into the spring season as well, especially for us gardeners and herbalists. Isn’t it such an exciting feeling, being able to start over and plan things out for the growing season, summer, work, vacations, or whatever it may be? 

I personally see a lot of crossovers with the emotions at play, in both the season of spring and this life transition. We oftentimes have an overwhelming sense of excitement and motivation towards our goals and figuring out what those goals are. And although there is excitement, a lot of times it can pair with overwhelm and stress in a person. The pressure of making the right decisions. Not wanting to make a mistake or choose something you are not truly happy with, which will set the tone for the coming seasons or seasons of life. Although, unlike Spring, there is the reality that you won't get a second chance the following year. 

Spring is a time of excitement, creativity, and motivation. So how can we encourage the people around us, during this time of their life, to that Spring energy? How can we take away the seriousness that society puts on life and just be? Let us learn to move at the pace which nature has intended for us, through all seasons of life. Let us breathe with the earth instead of reaching for intangible heights. 

You might ask, “How? I’m not even sure where to start.” We are seeing more and more these days of people losing this basic connection with themselves and their own intuition. Disconnection from nature leads us to forget how to let energy flow at a natural pace. So, to this, I would say get outside! Put your feet on the ground and breathe. Breathe, observe, listen, feel. What do you feel? Don’t attempt to stop any of the thoughts or feelings that may come up. There is space for everything; the good and the not so good. 

Pay attention to what you might be drawn to or what is repeatedly being placed in your path. Allow yourself to experience new avenues and opportunities that come into your life, even if the logic of it doesn’t seem to be there. If something catches your eye, give it a try! One of the best ways to minimize doubt about where you are taking your life’s direction is to experience the entirety of what could be possible and knowing what really speaks to you and where you feel the most alive, creative, and motivated. 

Lots of times, allowing thoughts to be externalized can allow us to sort through these emotions as well. By externalizing the thoughts bouncing around in our minds, it can often give us a clearer perspective on what we are experiencing. Whether this be over coffee with a friend, through a counseling session, or even simply just journaling. Allow that energy to flow. 

Oftentimes support through herbal practices can create a big impact on our ability to handle these emotions or stressors we may be experiencing. There are a wide range of ways a person can experience and handle these emotions, making this a great place to start as you can tailor your practices to you and what you are needing at this time. 

One of my go-tos, when experiencing emotional stress through certain periods of life, is flower essence therapy. Through flower essence therapy, you are able to shift emotional patterns or blockages that may be presenting problems in your life. Each flower essence is tailored to a certain emotional response, making the possibilities individualized and effective when choosing the proper one. Some flower essences you might consider during this stage of life are the following:

Iris

• Iris flower essence is specific for a person lacking inspiration or creativity; someone who feels weighed down by the ordinariness of the world, causing feelings of dullness. “Iris essence impels the soul to create and cultivate beauty, within itself and within the world.”

Fairy Lantern

• Fairy Lantern flower essence is used to help with healthy maturation and acceptance of adult responsibilities. It is helpful when someone is needing to break away from childish dependency and take on responsibility. “Fairy Lantern helps souls to move through these emotional blocks in the maturation process by maintaining a healthy relationship with the inner child, but as a fully functioning, mature adult.”

Wild Oat

• Wild Oat flower essence is needed when someone has confusion and indecision about their life direction. It can allow a person to find their life direction or calling by tapping into their own intuition. Wild Oat is for “one who is restless and seeking, who tries many jobs but is unable to commit to a true vocation.”

Walnut

• Walnut flower essence helps one to find freedom from limiting influences in their lives and finding the courage to follow one’s own path and destiny. It is used in making healthy transitions in life when a person is overly influenced by the beliefs and values of family or community, or by past experiences. “Walnut helps the soul to perceive and follow its true Star of Destiny.”

There are many ways we can encourage ourselves and those around us through this time in life. Taking a lesson from Spring and allowing things to bloom and fall into place slowly. Often, we forget that we are a part of nature, not a form outside of it. Allow your heart to beat in sync with the earth and yourself the time to grow into who you are meant to be. It never was and never has been an overnight process, and although at times it is painfully slow, we must allow ourselves the same grace and space that we give the trees time to bud. All will happen when it is meant to, life is funny that way, it is we who must learn to trust it. 

Sources: Flower Essence Repertory by Patricia Kaminski and Richard Katz