Human beings are also a part of nature. We are not separate from what is happening in the natural world, even though some of us pretend we have dominion over her. Just as seasonal energies influence the natural world, so too are those forces at work in our lives, our spirits and our personal growth. And Nature wants us to grow. 

When our inner life is in tune with Nature and the seasons, it puts us deeply in tune with our  authentic self, and Spirits purpose. So when you see abundant growth happening outside, in gardens and forests, that same growth, whether you can feel it or not, is happening right inside your own being. It’s a pan-human thing, which might be why every culture has ritual and celebration in place to honour Nature’s cycles, both outside and inside ourselves.  

Tomorrow (August 1) brings Lúnasa, an ancient Celtic festival that marks the time of first harvest in the Northern Hemisphere. Falling midway between the summer solstice and the autumn equinox, the festival symbolizes the vibrant Yang energy of the summer season. 

Back in the day, it was a time for communities to come together and celebrate the abundance of the land by giving thanks, reaping first grain harvest, making bread and breaking it together. As such, Lúnasa was a time of both gratitude and hope, as people celebrated the fruits of their labor and looked forward to the blessings of the coming months.

On a personal level, the most powerful harvests we experience are in our own personal growth and transformation, which are often hard to see or quantify. You may not think you’ve got anything growing in your personal garden, but, honestly, simply being a human being living through uncertain times, causes us all to stretch and grow in ways we may not even realize. Take time to pause, and just recognize your work and achievements.

The hot summer sun is very yang and action oriented. It is energy that we need to complete our growth and harvest process.  It does take some consistent focus and clarity. So this is also a good time to ask yourself what steps can you take on your Dreams this month, and then take action

​It is a time to protect and nurture what we have planted. The seeds that we plant requires loving care in order to blossom, grow and fruit. Lúnasa reminds us to take care of what we plant in our lives, that if we tend our garden well, protect and nurture it we will experience, expansive growth and a beautiful harvest. The key is consistent effort and perseverance.
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Once you’ve done your part, the next teaching from Lúnasa is trust and patience that everything we are tending will come into fruition in right timing. You can’t rush or control the process. Just know that your rich abundant harvest is on its way!

And lastly, Lúnasa teaches us to self care throughout this planting to harvesting process. Yes, we have to put in the work but we also have to be really cautious and not let the hot summer sun burn us out. All this growth requires hard work, so it’s important to rest to recharge and to keep your own personal energies balanced.

So take some time tomorrow to take stock of your accomplishments these past few months, to honour your efforts and to give thanks to Mother Nature. We wouldn't be here without her. 
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The days are getting longer and on a sunny day, your heart swells inexplicably at the thought of the return of spring. That’s you tuning into the energies of Imbolc.

Imbolc kicks off the mid-season, halfway between Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox here in the Northern Hemisphere. It does not quite feel like spring, yet we see the signs of Nature awakening—a bud, a sprout, a blossom at a time. In fact, the word Imbolc means in the belly of the Mother. There is a sense of anticipation in the air, as the days get longer and the temperature gets warmer. Nature’s Magic is literally in the air, full of potential for growth and transformation.

For millennia, ancestors all over the world celebrated this time of year with feast and ritual. They observed the sun and moon cycles, believing that this was a way to harmonize human activity with the cycles of Nature to ensure fertility, abundance and fruitful harvests. I think the these rituals and celebrations helped our ancestors align their lives and heart resonance with the cycles of Mother Earth and her heart beat. 
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The rituals of our ancestors differed in content and performance but there are similarities across cultures. Offerings were made to goddesses responsible for home and hearth, protection and fertility. Cleansing and purging rituals were done, setting the energetic tone for a fresh start in the Spring. Often these would involve fire, symbolic of the way fire purges the land to restore the soil. They opened the door to a clean slate, and new beginnings. Still more rituals celebrated the union of sacred masculine and feminine energies and the blessings of new life, while other rituals honoured the larger cycles of creation, preservation and destruction. The rituals helped focus intentions through this pregnant pause time, while embracing possibility, new hope and new life—Nature’s and their own.
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There is a special kind of magic in this transitional period when you can sense the excitement of something coming into being. Maybe it is something you dreamed already; maybe it is something completely new. With the many demands of our daily schedules in the hustle and bustle of  urban/sub-urban life, we can sometimes forget to notice the beauty of Nature’s quiet, slow, often subtle movements. 

So what rituals and processes can we use now, in the 21st century to help us connect with the Earths current cycle? How can we focus our intentions to set into motion, ever so slowly, the dreams we dreamed for our year during the hibernation state of Winter?
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Go for a wander in the woods or thorough the nearest park. While you’re walking, listen for the birds, watch them fly around with each other. Look for squirrels and watch them play. Look for evidence of new life coming in around you—a new shoot poking its head up from the soil, a bud forming on a tree. Take the time to allow wonder to bubble up inside you, as though you are discovering all this for the very first time. Allow yourself to experience this nature walk the way your inner child would have—with awe and wonder. Take a moment to express appreciation to the Earth for the beauty of this season. Take a beat to feel the connection of your heart to hers.
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Think of this as preparing your own soil for what you want to grow in yourself this year. It is a cleansing and purging of your mind, beliefs, programmed expectations, energetic field. If you find yourself in a rut or a comfort zone, this is your time to make a shift—not a whole sale overnight change, but a shift.

We are living through times of big changes in the world. There are going to be things within us—ways of thinking, behaving, reacting, organizing, caretaking, believing—that will not support these changes with ease and grace. The Imbolc season is a time for going within and finding what those obstacles are. They will most often look like fears of some sort—loss, security, the unknown. My favourite way to get through this part is through sitting with it, looking at it from every angle and journaling my observations and epiphanies. There is always something abstract brewing within you, a feeling or a sensation. It remains abstract until we sit with it, get to know it and name it. 

Once you name the obstacle, think and feel about what you would like to replace it with, something that would support your process of change. The obstacle might be a belief or a story that you have invested in for many, many years that no longer serves you. Or it might be a habit that you go to in times of stress that is not actually supporting you. 
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Hold a compassionate space for yourself while letting go. It can be a difficult process sometimes. The key here is to take small steps, nothing too overwhelming. You are preparing your soil and putting in the mental, emotional, spiritual and physical nutrients you need to grow this year.
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Being able to conserve your energy  and build resilience during times of transition is a super power. It is at the foundation of self care. It is also how we prevent burnout by refusing to take on more than we can handle and taking care of ourselves—physically, emotionally or spiritually.  

Physically, this could look like getting enough sleep, supporting your wellbeing with nutritious foods, herbs and aromatherapy, and getting regular exercise. Emotional health care might look like not taking on too much drama, refusing to invest in limiting beliefs or stories fuelled by fear, quitting the judgement train, talking your feelings through with people you trust, laughing for no apparent reason and journaling. A practice of being in stillness, peace and gratitude definitely helps your spiritual health. It is how you can more consciously align your heartbeat to that of the Earth’s. 

These are just some suggestions. You’ll know you’ve found the right thing when you feel expansive about it—literally the feeling of your heart opening in your chest. If you feel contractive, then this is not the right thing for you. 
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Studies show that planting more trees and plants will help slow the effects of climate change. Plants, like us, also resonate with the Earth’s heartbeat. In fact, when they are off beat, their ability to photosynthesize is affected. Planting plants is a way to solidify our connection to the Earth and our plant relations by participating with each other’s processes.

This is also time to plant seeds for what we want to create in our lives this year. Now is the time to start taking small steps towards actualizing the dreams we dreamed during the Winter Solstice season. The goals we set are not an end; they are the lighthouse or the guidepost for the journey we will take to get there. So the plans you make right now need not be huge or detailed. Just get the journey in motion, know that you are walking towards your dream, even though you don’t have all the information about it. Feel into the direction, as you go. Your True North will be your Why. If you find yourself at crossroads, choose your path, base it on a Why that is grounded in what is most loving and for your highest good. 

So this Imbolc, take some time to connect with nature, let go of what no longer serves you and plant some seeds for the year to come. Enjoy your journey, your life safari!