A ritual to support you in your spring cycle
Ritual is a powerful transformative tool which can be incorporated into the daily routine or done at specific times. Ritual often marks the beginning or end of a period or activity. Other times a ritual is used to honour and celebrate a specific moment. The more connected you are to the cycle of life, the more you will see that there are many occasions that can be honored with ritual. As we move out of winter and into spring, I invite you to live this transition through a ritual of connecting to your roots and calling upon the support and strength that will sustain you in this new cycle, by connecting to an element of nature: the tree.
The intention for this ritual
Begin your ritual by setting your intention.
Decide on a tree of your choice with which you would like to connect. Then formulate your intention using the following inspiration:
- To remember your own roots and the strength and grounding they give you.
- To experience strength.
- To remember all the support available to you in your next cycle.
This ritual can be done outside if you have access to a tree in your garden, park or woods near your home. Choose a place where you feel safe and will not be disturbed. If not, you can do this in your home connecting to a tree through a photo or image.
Take the time to write down any personal intentions you would like to include in this ritual. Use a notebook or journal to write down any keywords or ideas that come to you, then formulate a clear intention. For example:
- Remember all the support available to me which I can draw on to thrive in this new cycle.
- Reconnect to the faith in my life that will fuel my confidence.
- Connect to the power of nature to awaken the strength within me.
- Experience a moment of rejuvenation.
Ritual is a powerful transformative tool which can be incorporated into the daily routine, mark times of transition, or to celebrate specific moments.
The setup of your ritual space
The next step is to begin with setting up your ritual space which can be very simple or as elaborate as you like!
- Choose your tree.
- Set up a blanket to sit on at the base of the tree allowing you to lean against it during the ritual.
- Decorate your space by forming a sacred circle around you and your tree. You can do this with stones, flowers, leaves, branches, or anything else you find in nature.
- Choose different items to make it personal: candles, incense, instruments, crystals, a small statue, a picture, fruits (as an offering or as a feast for the end of the ritual), etc.
- Bring into the circle any tools you may need: your intention notes, a notebook and pen for writing or a recorder if you prefer to have a natural flow during the visualization, etc.
- Choose the space where you will do your ritual. You can sit in a comfortable chair, on your couch, or even on your bed with the altar in front of you, on a desk, tray, (or anything else) etc. You can also sit on the floor or, like many of my friends, do your ritual in your bath, a place where you can close the door and not be disturbed.
- Decorate your space in the same way as suggested for the outside. Place flowers around you in a circle, crystals, a statue… anything that speaks to you. For the bathroom, add candles in the room and scented oils in your bathwater.
- Place an image of a tree showing its large root system near you, to support your visualization.
The ritual
1. Mark the beginning of the ritual
Once you are ready, mark the beginning of your ritual. I like to form a circle by putting salt or tobacco as an offering all around me in the outer line of the circle. I call on all my helping spirits to assist me. I say a prayer to acknowledge the spirit of the tree and the nature spirits around me. You can sing a song, ring a bell, or play a drum. You can dance or just sit in silence.
2. Connect with the tree you have chosen
Whether it is the tree you are leaning against or the image of a tree in front of you, begin to visualize the tree, focusing on the roots deeply pushing into the earth, and start contemplating what nourishes the tree, and the communication of the trees with their environment.
Connect to the root system and use this image to think about your own roots! What represents the strongest roots in your life? What gives you the most security and keeps you strong during life’s challenges? Take your time to let the ideas and images come into your mind. Think of all the strengths you have that you might take for granted. Emotional strength, knowledge through education, knowledge through experience, friends and connections in the community, spiritual practices, and more. Take your time and be open to surprises. Let your emotions guide you.
Then direct your thinking to what feeds the tree. Where does it get its nutrients from? The soil around it provides all the food it needs to grow strong. What does the soil in which you are rooted provide you with? Where do you get your true nourishment? Gather images and ideas in your mind. If you need to, you can open your eyes and write them down or record them.
Direct your final thoughts to the communication that trees have with their environment. The root system has an elaborate form of communication with the other roots of the trees around them, through which the trees inform each other of possible diseases, allowing them to develop resistance in advance. Who or what is the support that you can rely on? Allow yourself to receive all the information and record your impressions and visions.
Before you step out of your visualization, take stock of all the amazing support and strengths you have to build your own personal root system for your life. Next, set an intention for your new cycle that begins this spring and think about your plans for the new year. What do you want to add to your life? What new branches or leaves will grow on your tree in this new season? These may be specific projects or qualities in your relationships, such as peace, harmony, strength, joy, and abundance. Make a clear statement and remind yourself of all the support and strength available to you through your roots.
3. Complete the ritual
Once you are out of your visualization, take notes of your experience. Let your creativity flow by listening to the inspirations and new ideas that may come naturally. You can continue to celebrate this new energy within you with a song, dance, or other creative project. Then thank all the spirits and people who have helped you with this ritual. Take time to undo your sacred space. Clean it up, put all the objects back in their place. You may wish to keep a representation of your ritual space. Keep a crystal, flower or leaf and place it on your personal altar as a reminder of this energy. You can also keep a small altar on a tray to continue your prayer and intention for a while longer. You will see, in the days to come you will feel the presence of the energy of your ritual!
This ritual ‘connecting to your roots’ will raise your energy to another level, at a time of year when we are entering the spring season. Connected to your own roots, you will be able to draw on your strengths and what nourishes you and find the support you need to bring your projects to life. To accompany you throughout the spring season, treat yourself to the Spring Ritual Box made up of a collection of our products which have been carefully selected for you to assist you to create your sacred space, and continue in the manifestation of your seasonal intentions.
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