Self Care 101 – Spring Seedlings

January 1st never felt quite right to me to celebrate and honor the new year’s turnaround, with it’s inherent hope and determination of starting anew for ourselves. It’s still the middle of winter, for goodness sake! A time needed for resting and comfort, not new ventures. Is it any wonder we give up by February? I finally realized, for me it’s this time, the beginning of spring that feels right for the annual closing of the door to the past and opening the next into the “new year”. Now is when I’m thinking I want to make positive changes in my life, and have enough vital energy to actually accomplish it.

As the earth warms back up from it’s sleepy winter,  I notice those cheerful little seed packets start showing up everywhere: at the supermarket, hardware store, the neighborhood plant shop. The happy little photo or drawing on the front showing us what we too could grow, with just a little attention, a little love and some patience.

Now, what if we could go to the store and buy some “Hope” seeds, or maybe some “Clarity” we could grow in the windowsills of our minds. Man, that would be great! From a cosmic standpoint, we can do just that, grow what we want more of, as long as we feed it, nurture it, give it some warmth, a lot of love and patience.   Now is a terrific time to assess what we want to grow more of in our lives. They say visualizing is the first step towards manifesting your desires. Here is a step by step meditation for growing your seeds in your life.

1. Find a still, quiet place to sit and breathe deeply.

2. When you are ready, imagine walking into your favorite grocery, walk up tthrough the garden area where they have seed packets on display.  See yourself looking through all the glorious variety of seeds available to you. What would you like to grow more of this year? Patience? Understanding? Confidence?

3. Imagine what that seed packet looks like. What images do you see? What colors. This will help you identify when your seeds have matured and manifested in your life. Spend some time with this one, as it is critical.

4. See yourself tearing open the package, slowly, carefully, you don’t want to lose any.

5. Envision a place in your body this seed wants to grow. This step is important. Your body holds memories, energy and wisdom,  and is a grounding point between your vision and your reality. So, where are you going to plant this seed to grow and flourish inside of you?

6. You are earth. Scratch the surface to make way for the seed. With all your loving intent and focus, imagine the moment you put your seed into the ground that is you. Say a blessing and a prayer.

7. Imagine watering, nurturing, checking up on your seeds. They  are  wobbly,  they need your attention and care in order to grow. See yourself being patient and encouraging. Know that not all of them might flourish, but there will always be another springtime around the corner.

8. See it growing, growing growing! Does it need a trellis? Is it upright or spreading? Smile as it grows bigger and bigger, into your life.

9. As it now becomes just as strong as everything else you have nurtured in your life, now it’s time to share it’s bounty, the final and honorable step. Share.

– Hilary Spray, Retail Manager