Spring Equinox Inspiration

"And spring arose on the garden fair,

Like the spirit of love felt everywhere;

And each flower and herb on earth's dark breast

Rose from the dreams of its' wintry rest... "

The Sensitive Plant by P .B. Shelley

I love this romantic poem, how it evokes the wonderful mystery of life force returning in nature and as a metaphor for an inner re-awakening that is powerfully possible at vernal equinox.

I am sharing some favourite images that I like to meditate upon as we approach the tipping point into spring; rich in symbolism, depicting the Pagan goddess Eostre re-birthing and re-animating the land.

This can be fully observed in the green lanes of Glastonbury; hawthorn tips, nettles beginning to grow,  and glorious symphonies of birdsong that are an enticement to open all windows and doors and fully receive  nature's sound bath, despite the still chilly weather.

Spring Equinox by Nina Ulana

Eastre by Jacques Reich

Spring by Hans Zatska

Eostre Goddess of Spring by Lost in Black and White

Artha, Goddess of Spring Equinox by Caroline Gully-Lir

Ostara by Cynthia Rudzis

Rebirth of Spring by Pablo Montes

Goddess Ostara by Mickie Mueller

Equinox blessings, be well

Jennifer

Savouring Spring Equinox

Dawn circle atop Glastonbury Tor

The Vernal Equinox of 20th March 2012 was an exuberant entree into Spring. launching the mood and intention of new growth and beginnings which will carry us us through to Beltane at the start of May, when the town of Glastonbury explodes in a riot of colour and drama and energy.





The weather colluded in the unfoldment; as we approached equinox, the balance point between light and dark, a week of misty, cold weather with flat grey skies set the tone, a final pause and winter breathing its final breath before spring, sunlight and warmth reclaimed the skies.

Celebration, ceremony and ritual mark all turning points in nature's cycle here in Glastonbury. With pride and conviction I assert that we do it well. Locals show up to organise and participate and the town draws in visitors from all over the UK and other nations too, because it is so special.

Well head dressed for spring

Some began at dawn; climbing the Tor and sharing a sunrise meditation. I opted for the Chalice Well which had free entry as is usual on special days. I spent a good while seated by the cascading red waters in the lower garden, catching sunlight on my face and watching visitors arriving at the gatehouse above.

Eventually I was joined by two close friends and we decided to enjoy the sacred fire quietly rather than taking part in the midday meditation, having first visited the beautifully dressed wellhead to pay my respects to the water in a silent prayer of gratitude.





In the afternoon a different type of celebration, serendipitously a housemates birthday meant that our living room was filled with balloons, cake, ice cream and gifts and also joy, laughter and sharing.

A few days later I adjusted my clocks to British Summer Time -  Spring forward, fall back is a neat way to remember. Silently and efficiently my phone and laptop reset themselves, impressive!

This first light evening of the year was graced with glorious sunlight and steady blue skies, an invitation to be outdoors with friends and make the moment last.  I visited a friend who has just relocated to a pretty cottage enviably located a stone's throw from the Chalice Well.

Radiant sunset

It was a supper party that almost happened outside. Sitting on the daisy spotted lawn with views across the levels, it was a mellow moment.

As the sun slowly set before us and there was talk of a building a fire.... Maybe next time. Sharing around a fire with a group of close friends is as good as it gets for me and it was satisfying to feel enthusiasm and excitement for good times to come.

 
We ate inside, an abundance of home cooked vegetarian food. After the meal, as daylight fell away, gently illuminated by tall candles, stories began to emerge; remembrances of old Glastonbury,  the brickworks of Sandpits lane, the gasworks of Northload Street. Tales from the early days of Glastonbury Festival, lovingly embroidered and told with great fondness and animation.

Here was a very special moment, a de facto family gathering, a soul family, entertaining each other in a simple, time honoured and tribal way and we were keeping our history alive. With this understanding I paused to savour this point of connection and store it in my bank of positive memories.

Back home the night skies were still clear, revealing the moon and stars in perfect clarity. A slender silver crescent highlighted by bright Venus, trined by Jupiter. As I stood  in awe, a text came through on my phone, an artist friend was also star gazing, 

Check it out, a symbol of hope and love for humanity!

Aho to that!

Peaceful blessings

Jennifer

Calendar of events at Chalice Well  www.chalicewell.org.uk/


Photo credits:

Tess Jennings dragonet66@hotmail.com
Amanda Gazidis www.amandagazidis.com

Early Spring at Glastonbury Healing Gardens

Recently I took a Bristolian friend to visit the Glastonbury Healing Gardens, the permaculture and foodshare project I belong to.  It was 11am, the sun was high and the gardens were flooded with warmth and light. 

The sky was blue with perfect white clouds and the sense of spaciousness and tranquillity was just lovely. 
 
Wow, announced Thinley, It’s a mandala!


She was referring to the layout of the growing beds in circular formation. As the ground was relatively bare, it was easy to see the shape, based on sacred geometry.  

Thinley also remarked upon the quality of the soil, which in accordance with organic and permaculture principles had been heavily mulched and enriched to improve fertility and drainage. 

Serendipidously, Juliet Yelverton, who conceived and created the gardens was working on the land and greeted me with a smile and a hug. 

She was wearing a large red pair of protective gloves as she had been collecting nettles for her personal use,  encouraging me to do the same, 
 
These are the most useful plants we have growing here, 

Juliet spoke with great enthusiasm,   

I’ve been juicing, you can also steam them, excellent for the lymphatic system and the kidneys.

Juliet also pointed out a clump of cleavers, another native wild plant, growing vigorously. Thinley took some away to add to green smoothies.   

Juliet guided me around the planting and I picked out some sturdy brussell sprouts, emerald green chard and delicate fronds of parsley. Juliet explained that although the recent hard frosts had affected the tender chard, there was a strong growth coming through, it looked to be hardy variety well suited to its environment.


From across the field, we were being waved at by Rowena, a member who lives in Coxley, just a few miles from  Glastonbury. 

She paused her work to lean on her fork, relishing the bright sunshine and declared,  

I think I’ll get a sun tan today! 

We certainly chose a great day to spend time at the gardens. 

A real sense of spring in the air, of the return of the sun and of possibilities and new growth.

Back at home, I steamed the brussell sprouts for my evening meal, storing the greens in the fridge.

Tip: rinse greens in cold spring water and store in a plastic bag for maximum longevity.

The chard and parsley are tender enough to be finely sliced and added raw to a lunchtime salad. 

I cycled back over to the gardens a couple of days later to take some more brussell sprouts. Juliet was working on the land again and in buoyant mood. Across the field I waved at Zoe, who is highly committed to the project. 

Zoe was in the initial stages of erecting a structure, a canopied seating area for summer that would provide shade during the hot part of the day and planned for hop vines to grow over and provide cover.


Zoe proudly pointed out how a tender looking kiwi bush had survived the late winter frosts and for her this seemed to have a symbolic value, resilience under duress and the ability to rejuvenate!

I was introduced to Joe and Ankah, who were working on separate tasks. 

Joe has been here since day one 

Explained Juliet, with warmth, 

His was the first spade to strike the soil and then others came.

Indeed Joe was digging purposefully as she spoke, having firstly created beds to contain fruit bushes, he was now planting them into the rich, fertile soil; blackcurrants and raspberries - so much to look forward to!

Ankah was also planting out, tender young plants for summer crops of broad beans and rocket. These vulnerable babies were protected by sturdy cloches, large transparent plastic water containers. 

The Healing Gardens Co-operative is actively seeking new members and offers freshly grown organic produce in exchange for  time spent on the project and a membership fee.


For further details visit the project website www.glastonburyhealinggardens.com

Spring blessings 

Jennifer

The streets of Glastonbury are paved with Love

Snowdrops in Glastonbury Abbey

Early spring in Glastonbury; I have flown back from India but return nightly in my dreams to Auroville and Tiruvannamalai.

A close friend shared a confidence, that upon her return from an extended visit to south Africa, she asked Glastonbury to show her whether or not she still belonged in the town. A good question, and although I didnt consciously voice it, it was seeded within.



The wintry weather of recent days has been a challenge, a snow storm greeted me at Heathrow, I understand that I was fortunate to have travelled home smoothly and safely with no delay or inconvenience - an act of grace that I give gratitude for.

Mornings are sharp and cold, with the sun sometimes breaking through for an hour or so and temperatures resolutely sub-zero.

I've been taking the cue from Kitty, who seems permanently welded to the duvet and giving myself all the sleep and rest my body is asking for. So when I received a facebook message yesterday suggesting a 9:30am walk,at first it seemed quite unreasonable.
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Healing sound circle

I swiftly reconsidered, it was after all St Valentine's day and I had been invited to spend time with a fabulous friend.

We meandered around the Tor and made our way slowly into town, stopping at the wholefoods store for carrots, kombucha and raw chocolate, which we shared contentedly on a bench in the Abbey grounds, facing the ruins with the sun in our faces, surrounded by snowdrops.



I took a full hit of the potent superfoods, boosted further by a generous measure of Horny Goat Weed elixir. I was feeling elated, giggly and excitable and so as midday chimed we scrambled back into town and gathered outside St John's Church on the High St as part of a sonic love circle; uttering the cosmic sound ahhh in unison. It was perfect, our individual voices blending and merging, an expression of harmony and oneness.

We hung around afterwards chatting with friends and catching up, it was great to be welcomed back on such an auspicious day. More elixir was administered and someone produced a batch of  funky homemade hats that were passed around and tried on, it was a very Glastonbury moment.

The hemp master adoring his creation

In the afternoon I visited Free Love Cannabis who was handing out cake and truffles from Hemp in Avalon, his Valentine offering. Free loves an audience and with a full shop he felt inspired to perform some of his poetry and speaking on the subjects of divine consciousness, Gaia, forgiveness and purification, a kind of impromptu satsang.

I took my guitar along and occupied a corner of the floor beside an indoor water shrine and played a set of songs on the theme of love, mostly from the Osho ashram in Pune.

Everytime the shop door opened, more and more familiar faces would enter, I started to feel bliss rising as I acknowledged my happiness and how good it felt to be seeing so many friends in one day that was unfolding magically.

As the sky darkened and dusk arrived, the merriment in town continued with talented poets and story tellers performing during the evening. There was a clear understanding that we were celebrating St Valentines day not just on the level of romantic love between couples, but also the greater love, the divine cosmic consciousness that daily is becoming more apparant in our lives.

Walking home I basked in satisfying positive feelings and contemplated my good fortune.
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Soul family

I remembered  how Glastonbury comes to life in the spring, how there would be planned community celebrations as well as spontaneous happenings that would lead up to the crescendo of summer solstice and beyond.

Our community is powerful, connected and possibly unique. I gave myself credit and acknowledged that I too was one of the talented creative people I admire and respect and that moreover Glastonbury was clearly showing me that  I did belong - so many friends manifesting on one day to welcome me home was the proof of that.

I feel so honoured and happy to be received so lovingly in the bosom of Avalon and excited about making my contribution in service to the town in the coming weeks and months.



May we overflow with love in all forms and frequencies 

Jennifer

Enjoying the sunshine - safely!

I love how the bold and exuberant yellow of the daffodils, primulas, tulips in bloom right now reflects the source of the awakened spring energy, the return of the sun! Brightening, vivifying, the sun sustains all life. How we welcome its radiant light and warmth after a long winter! How glorious to walk along lanes that are stirring back to life with hedgerows popping bright green buds and wild greens erupting from the bare ground. Winter’s bare branches will soon be just a memory as spring surges forward into summer.

I have been enjoying sitting out in the garden during the recent bright weather, angling my face into the sun to fully receive its blessing. The sun is at its zenith at around 1pm at this time of year; and at this time its vital force can be felt most strongly.

In yogic and other spiritual traditions it is thought that the sun emanates cosmic energy, a manifestation of prana, which is one of the reasons why we are instinctively drawn to the sun and can feel irritable and even depressed during its absence in winter. Vitamin D3, essential for bone health can only be synthesised through sun exposure, we can rightly consider the solar body to be a source of nutrition.

According to science, the sun emits UV rays, light on a wavelength that is imperceptible to the human eye. It is further understood that prolonged exposure to UV can be a major if not the major factor in skin aging. As I contemplate this, I recall a visit to the rooftops of Fez in Morocco, where artisans stretch animal skins to dry under the seemingly permanent African sun. The equation is simple: sun + skin = leather.

Let us cover up then, particularly as summer advances and the strength of UV light intensifies. I favour a physical barrier that shades the face, it’s important to keep a cool head! Since the Spring Equinox in March I have been diligently applying sun block to my skin. Make this part of your daily routine, so that it becomes as automatic as brushing your teeth. Cleanse and re-apply at midday, particularly if you tend to perspire, touch your face a lot or are physically active. Use a generous amount of product to ensure good coverage and include the area around the eyes, which is the most fragile. Remember too, to cover the décolletage (area between the collar bone and bust) and apply any spare to the back of the hands, perhaps mixed with a little hand cream.

Here are some recommendations of products I have personally used across a range of budgets:

JASON Organics Facial Sunblock spf 20 150g approx £8.50 Fragrance and paraben free 150g approx £8.50

Clinique City Block Sheer spf 25 40ml £15 Invisible under make-up. Widely acclaimed and rightly very popular.

Lancome Soleil DNA Guard spf 30 50ml £22.50 A personal favourite, a high quality product

Clarins Sun Wrinkle Eye Contour Care High Protection 20ml £16 A specialist product that really works, especially useful if you prefer not to wear sunglasses.

Boots Soltan Face spf 30 50ml £8.75
A competent budget buy, available on every High Street and often available as buy-one-get-one-free

Enjoy the sunshine!

Adjusting to Springtime, an ayurvedic perspective

We celebrated the Spring Equinox joyfully in Glastonbury last weekend, with ceremony, music, song and dance, marking the point in the annual cycle at which the day and night are of equal length. From now, days are getting longer and next weekend here in the UK we receive a glorious boost of daylight as we turn the clocks back on Sunday morning and officially enter British Summer Time.

You may have felt the renewal of energy that Spring brings, a sense of re-awakening and re-vitalisation. Quite naturally we find ourselves spring cleaning our homes, clearing old growth from the garden, shedding layers of winter clothing, wanting to lose weight, thinking ahead to summer.

We can support the body too at this time of year, through harmonising with seasonal change. From an ayurvedic perspective, spring is associated with kapha dosha, water held in earth. To skilfully adjust, we must stimulate kapha, and counteract the qualities of cold, damp, stillness, accumulation and heaviness. Quite simply we need to warm up, become lighter and more mobile!

Nutritionally, it is all about moving away from rich and heavy foods, reducing oil and adding gentle spices, and bitter, pungent flavours to stimulate digestion. Nature provides: you can find wild spring greens emerging in hedgerows and verges, which tend to be strong and bitter in taste, this reduces kapha. Add to soups, juices and salads. It is important to take expert advice on what to pick, look out for led foraging or hedgerow walks advertised locally.

Movement is the real key to stimulating kapha, vigorous activity of all kinds, energetic bouts of gardening, decluttering and spring cleaning all count! For our yoga, increase the number of sun salutations and up the pace a little. Include more standing poses, twists and inversions and hold these for longer. Prepare for your practice with ujjayi pranayama, which increases inner fire.

The body naturally wants to detoxify at this time of year. Support this with daily dry skin brushing. Using a palm sized natural bristle brush, make light long strokes towards the heart. Any heating essential oils are great to add to your bathing rituals. Try black pepper and ginger. Now is a good time to move from baths (passive, slow, relaxing) to showering (brisk, active). A weekly sauna would be great too for adding heat to the body and releasing waste through the skin.

I also recommend massage at this time of year. Massage will assist the natural detoxification undertaken by the circulatory and lymphatic systems and also helps tone the muscles. Ask your therapist for an energising treatment. This will include percussive movements such as clapping, cupping and drumming, and will leave you feeling alive and awake! Ideally, you would book a series of three to four full body treatments to be taken within a two week period.

Wishing you a vibrant, healthy and happy Spring time!

Buds and branches

Just back from teaching the regular Monday night drop-in session in Glastonbury. It's Easter Monday and it has been a glorious weekend. We have enjoyed wonderful, warm sunshine, which creates instant feel good mood.

Many of us will have been out and about in nature, exploring the countryside or tending to one's garden. All around bushes and trees are greening up at Spring's insistence.

So in class today, we approached tree pose, vrikasana from a spring perspective, with a focus on our branches and buds, the arms, hands and fingertips. As the students settled into savasana and I extinguished the electical light overhead, it was thrilling to note that the sky was not yet completely dark. The lengthening days are our invitation to increase activity levels and send our our metaphorical buds and branches into the world, with boldness.

Spring clean your life, holistically!

With the days lengthening and warming, we can finally shrug goodbye to winter. For most this is an opportunity to shed heaviness and welcome in a lighter version, whether that be clothing, linens, food and drink.

From a holistic perspective we might look beyond the physical and declutter on all levels. Nonetheless we live in a material world and this is a good place to start. Be easy about it, start small with a kitchen drawer or your cosmetics bag. I've just culled my sock collection and I'm excited about the lovely space I have created. This sense of achievement will spur you ever onward!

On the emotional level, write a list of behaviours or attitudes that you would like to leave behind, such as self-blame or criticism of others. Choose just one and create an affirmation to counter your negative thinking, such as I forgive myself always, I allow others to be fully themselves. Pin your affirmation somewhere visible at home and leave it to percolate into your subconscious over the month.

Spiritually, create space by allowing time every day for personal practice, I suggest 10 minutes in the morning or evening to sit quietly with yourself and observe your state of being.