As I sit outside, there is a fragrant breeze and a warm sun beaming on my face. I can soak this feeling up forever. Spring is finally here…
Here, in the NorthEast there is a clear shift in the environment as the seasons go through their cycle. During this time, I feel that I want to connect more – connect with the outdoors, with community, with myself and my creative flow, my loved ones, and all that is around me. If you notice, this is what is naturally occurring everywhere. And I feel that it is important for us to honor this. Honoring the seasons and the celebrations that go along with them, can be a powerful and deep experience. Cultivating this experience and creating what is true to you, can be a gift to your children.
As I cultivate a love centered family, I try to find ways to honor the seasons and holidays by enjoying the celebrations that resonate with us. Some of these celebrations are handed down culturally, traditionally, religiously and some I create intuitively; and some are inspired by my like – minded communities. I tweak and I take from different areas, whatever feels right to me and my family. If it don’t connect with something, chances are that my children will not either, or at least there will be no depth, value or meaning to the celebration. I prefer that my children enjoy and connect to our rituals, rather than us simply demanding that they follow them.
For now, I will focus on this season as I am inspired by the green grass and buzzing bees around me. Follow me until the next season, and I will touch on that one then. For now, it is all about lady Spring…
One of the ways we honor this season is by planting a few seeds (sometimes I don’t get to plant by Easter, and so I plant organic grown veggies instead). We begin by turning the soil to our raised garden, cleaning our yard, and cutting old twigs. Kids love this and it feels so good to them to be able to grow, care for and then taste their own food. My little ones look after their garden better than I do. They trim, and spray, and release lady bugs for pest control – by now they know a good amount about organic gardening and maintenance. (In a few weeks, I’ll post specifically on organic gardening). This planting and cleaning is actually a ritual that has been practiced since the start of human history. It is a celebration in a way. It is also the time that food is the most nutritious. When you pick it right off the stem, not only is it “in season”, but that is when it is most valuable and tastiest. I enjoy this for so many reasons. I feel that it honors the earth (as eating seasonally reduces the carbon footprint); it honors the cycle of the seasons; my children’s natural rhythm; it honors our bodies with healthy food, and in a way it honors the soul. This kind of creative work, really effects all of us on a deep level. It feels good to grow our own food, replenish the soil, save money and its fun watching food grow!
A holiday celebration occurs during Spring as well. For Easter, we are still working on what feels right to us. This year, I somehow resonated more with meditating at a Kirtan during holy week, and that is what we did. We did incorporate our traditional rituals as well, but we did feel the need to add something that can take us deeper within to allow for reflection and a more connected experience. We usually incorporate a cleanse in addition to our Easter fast. Again, this takes the cleansing and connection to Source even deeper.
As for the Easter Bunny, baskets and chocolate…well, my son helped out with that one a while ago. It was actually during Halloween when he asked me why are all the celebrations just about gifts and candy. Is there any other meaning to them? And last year, he actually requested that he not go trick or treating. He didn’t feel like there was any meaning to it, and would rather just play in his costume. I sat and explained the story behind Halloween, and he responded that he enjoyed the history and that it all made sense to him. I did the same with Easter. I had to give it meaning with the religious story behind all that we do during holy week and why Easter is celebrated. I tweaked it of course. From that, he developed an interest in being in church and practicing the rituals, because now there was a reason to. My daughter is younger, and she simply enjoys whatever we do, because we are all doing it together, and she can sense that there is something valuable to what is going on – because it resonates with us.
Other things we enjoy are spring cleaning inside and outside of the house, plant flowers, spend many hours outdoors, plan parties, and simply begin to enjoy what is available to us during the season. We are still pulling ideas together, and we grow, we are creating our rituals and celebrations together. We always try and make sure that we are aligned with it. We try things out, and make adjustments.
Aligning with the seasons and going deeper with their celebrations, allows you to align with your own self. You find ways to connect with what is True to you as you try out what works and what doesn’t. If you have little ones, you may want to begin exploring what feels right to you as a parent, and then incorporate it into your life and family. As your children grow, they will simply follow whatever you have laid out for them. And if you resonate with it, they will connect with it to.
May you find alignment with your self, and all that is around you so, and create a family life experience that you love.
If you have any rituals or celebrations that you enjoy with your children, please share it below and let it be passed on!
Love,
Maria
P.S. I am so happy to be back here reaching out to all of you again!
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