Spring is here again, and with it comes a return to the beginning of the wheel. Day and night have returned to balance and now we enter the time of the Sun. The increased solar presence beckons new life to spring forth as we begin the time of growth. This is all carried within the sign of Aries. While in the sidereal zodiac the Sun will not officially enter into Aries until mid April, the seasonal shift into the sign's attributes nevertheless can be seen here on Earth as the days grow longer and the creatures begin to stir again.
The time of Spring is related to the Wood Element. This is the energy of growth and expansion. Just as the plants and trees (wood) begin to push up from the ground and expand up toward the sky, the Wood energy is the force of expansion bringing new life. In our bodies, this energy is governed by the liver. The liver is responsible for our energetic boundaries, our sense of self and confidence.
During this time of Spring, we can take advantage of the expansive energy in nature to work on cleansing and renewing our own auric field. Just as the Earth shakes off the sleep of Winter and sparks the fire of life, we want to cleanse the old stagnant qi from our bodies and bring in fresh new qi to empower ourselves for all the new projects we have for the year. This concept is seen in our common practice of "Spring cleaning" in which we thoroughly clean our living spaces and rid ourselves of unneeded clutter. Although few people realize it nowadays, this is actually a powerful ritual which represents the natural flow of the Earth's energies during this time of year.
So then, let us look at a few things we can do to make the best use of this time:
Take out a piece of paper and ask yourself, "What is it that I want to accomplish this year?" Be totally honest and do not limit yourself with any external objections. If you could accomplish anything, what would it be? Write out your answers.
Now, repeat the same process while this time considering all the things from the previous year that have been obstacles to you or have been a drain on you or have held you back in any way. These are typically the things that will come up in your mind as obstacles for you when you think of the things in the first list. Write out your answers.
Place your two lists side by side. Start to consider steps you could take to accomplish your goals. As opposition arises (which will probably come from the things on the second list) start to consider whether these things are true blockages for you or if perhaps they are only excuses brought up by your own resistance. If they are excuses, start to look at them rationally and realize they are not obstacles and that you only need to find ways to harmonize them. If it turns out they are true obstacles, understand that you may need to make choices and take steps to remove them from your life. This can be challenging, but it is important to remain focused on your goals and be ruthless in your dedication. Remember, Aries is the ram. He is Fire. He plows forward to his goals without hesitation.
Once you have understood your goals and the changes that need to be made. it is time to fill yourself with the Wood energy to empower your ability to take action. A simple exercise that can be done is to face Eastward (the direction of the Wood element) in a comfortable standing or seated posture. Place both hands over the navel center, right over left. Take slow, deep breaths. Utilize the diaphragm and fill the belly first. Gradually fill the lungs and expand the chest from the bottom up. As you exhale, take the opposite approach and empty the lungs from top to bottom. This will create a wave effect through the torso. After a few breaths, you will start to relax. Feel the expansion of the body with each inhalation. This is the expansive force of the Wood element. With the expansion, bring in the new life. Bring in your new ambitions and opportunities. With each exhalation, release the old blockages and stagnant energies which have weighted you down.
Now that you have established your goals and courses of action, have released the old and brought in new life and power, it is time to take action. Each day, determine to do one thing, to take one action toward your goals. Determine that no matter what gets in your way you will press forward. Again, this is expansion. This is Fire. This is Aries. Go forth and claim what is yours!
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